I wrote several blogs about my adventures there. You can find them all on my list of Travel blogs at the bottom of the page this link will take you to, many about textiles.
But, I was waiting to tell you all about this very special souvenir I JUST got a week ago.
Well ... actually two souvenirs.
In the photo above I am standing next to a slice of a Suar tree.

Actually, I wish I could just have this tree. Isn't it so pretty?
And go to this article to read about the wood. I am told it is harder than Mahogany.
Since I was about ready to freshen up my living room and a new coffee table was in my plans, I had this great idea to buy one in Bali! So, the day before we left Bali our guide took us to a furniture workshop that make natural wood style furniture. The Balinese are known for their elaborate carvings, but I just wanted something simple. ha ha
Here is a view of the open air workshop with huge slabs of Suar wood lying about. My husband and I looked all over the shop several times to find a small piece we liked.
Here I am, the happy customer with the artisan and my bill of sale.
I heard from my furniture maker about two months later. He sent a photo of the tables. They looked great but I realized I wanted the legs shortened on the smaller table, so that took a few weeks more.
Mid-November (I had ordered the tables in mid-August) I got a message from a shipper in Bali that three boxes were being sent to me and I had to have some special government form filled out and submitted BEFORE my boxes left on the boat or I would be charged something like $10,000 ... not kidding.
This was the beginning of hiring shipping agents and dock brokers, and lots of official and complicated papers being delivered to my house and emailed back and forth, etc.,etc. Basically, if you want to have just one thing shipped to the US that is too large for UPS or FedEx, they treat you like you are a giant corporation importing goods to fill a store. But, what's the alternative?? Not getting my tables?
But, now after all the extra fees and anxiety is over, I am so glad I did this. Might never do it again, but glad I did it this time.
But, you can see they did fit ... barely.
THANK YOU STRONG SON!!
I had to wash each piece with wood oil soap and was unable to remove all the mold from a couple of the table legs. I'm so grateful the bit of mold on the table tops came off completely.
From, Andrea ... the very happy customer.