A Last Look
These are some of my favourite images from the trip that did not fit into the narratives.
by HM
by HM
posted by blobbes at 1:25 AM
5 comments
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Day #7 - Going Home
With our flight at 1 p.m., there was not much we could do in the morning. I met Wayan at the reception, as I was settling our bill (1550000 Rp/S$310 for 4 nights’ accommodation). He volunteered to drive us to the airport.
As HM settled the last of the packing, I went out to Kakiang Bakery to get us some snacks for the wait at the airport: two corn buns and a lovely chewy brown loaf with walnuts and raisins. I had a last look around…
Room No. 11, our favourite for the view
A last look at the padi fields
View of Tegal Sari, from the rear
Then it was time to leave. The drive to the airport was mostly uneventful, except that Wayan got a call from his colleagues to say that we had left some item of clothing behind in our room. It would apparently go into the Lost and Found box, so that we could claim it the next time we were there. Even without that, we knew we were planning on returning.
Going through airport procedures was also painless this time round. Unlike the last time, we had put aside sufficient money in rupiah to pay the airport tax and have some left over for coffee. The airport was also considerably improved in terms of the number and variety of duty-free shops. Nevertheless, we found little to buy, being put off by the high prices. In the end we found a shop where the incense was only two times the price in Ubud, so we bought some just in case we had forgotten gifts for anyone back home.
As we drank our last cup of Bali kopi at one of the small cafes, we wondered whether the flight would go as planned. On my previous trip home, on a Garuda flight, some technical problem had been detected 15 minutes after take-off. The plane had to turn back to Denpasar where we had to wait three hours for a replacement plane to fly us out. Perhaps some similar problem would crop up and we’d have to stay an extra day in Bali! But it was wishful thinking. The flight took off as planned. Our Bali trip was over.
Small consolation - Lamb rendang
Flying home from Bali on SQ - Grilled fish
As HM settled the last of the packing, I went out to Kakiang Bakery to get us some snacks for the wait at the airport: two corn buns and a lovely chewy brown loaf with walnuts and raisins. I had a last look around…
Room No. 11, our favourite for the view
A last look at the padi fields
View of Tegal Sari, from the rear
Then it was time to leave. The drive to the airport was mostly uneventful, except that Wayan got a call from his colleagues to say that we had left some item of clothing behind in our room. It would apparently go into the Lost and Found box, so that we could claim it the next time we were there. Even without that, we knew we were planning on returning.
Going through airport procedures was also painless this time round. Unlike the last time, we had put aside sufficient money in rupiah to pay the airport tax and have some left over for coffee. The airport was also considerably improved in terms of the number and variety of duty-free shops. Nevertheless, we found little to buy, being put off by the high prices. In the end we found a shop where the incense was only two times the price in Ubud, so we bought some just in case we had forgotten gifts for anyone back home.
As we drank our last cup of Bali kopi at one of the small cafes, we wondered whether the flight would go as planned. On my previous trip home, on a Garuda flight, some technical problem had been detected 15 minutes after take-off. The plane had to turn back to Denpasar where we had to wait three hours for a replacement plane to fly us out. Perhaps some similar problem would crop up and we’d have to stay an extra day in Bali! But it was wishful thinking. The flight took off as planned. Our Bali trip was over.
Small consolation - Lamb rendang
Flying home from Bali on SQ - Grilled fish
posted by blobbes at 12:18 AM
1 comments
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Aside #2 - Did you know that...?
1. Balinese society is still very traditional, despite the influx of tourists and the onslaught of foreign influence. Although Ubud has so many hotels and homestays, up until recently, the people of Ubud refused to work in the hotels. According to Wayan, that is why he is the only local boy working in Tegal Sari. Everyone hails from somewhere else in Bali, including Nyoman who comes from Lovina! Even now, the staff members on night duty are all men. It is not considered respectable in Balinese society for women to work at night.
2. The Balinese have a very feminine concept of what a woman should look like. At least that is what I surmise from my observations of Balinese women and my experience with the Balinese. Almost all the Balinese women we saw were curvaceous, moved gracefully and had flowing long hair. Secondly, while HM has long hair and wears skirts and blouses, I am quite “butch”, both in appearance (short hair, always dressed in shorts and t-shirts) and manner (low voice, swaggering walk). I must not fit the Balinese mental model of womanhood because we were asked several times whether we were on honeymoon!
3. Japanese tourists love Bali. Momoko has been there 10 times. They love Ubud even more. In Sanur, we were asked if we were Singaporean. In Ubud, everyone greeted us with “konichiwa”. At Tegal Sari, staff members all seem to speak some Japanese, not surprisingly so, since the majority of their customers are from Japan. Little wonder though, since the Balinese and the Japanese cultures both have great reverence for beauty and aesthetics. The Japanese must love the Balinese resorts.
2. The Balinese have a very feminine concept of what a woman should look like. At least that is what I surmise from my observations of Balinese women and my experience with the Balinese. Almost all the Balinese women we saw were curvaceous, moved gracefully and had flowing long hair. Secondly, while HM has long hair and wears skirts and blouses, I am quite “butch”, both in appearance (short hair, always dressed in shorts and t-shirts) and manner (low voice, swaggering walk). I must not fit the Balinese mental model of womanhood because we were asked several times whether we were on honeymoon!
3. Japanese tourists love Bali. Momoko has been there 10 times. They love Ubud even more. In Sanur, we were asked if we were Singaporean. In Ubud, everyone greeted us with “konichiwa”. At Tegal Sari, staff members all seem to speak some Japanese, not surprisingly so, since the majority of their customers are from Japan. Little wonder though, since the Balinese and the Japanese cultures both have great reverence for beauty and aesthetics. The Japanese must love the Balinese resorts.
posted by blobbes at 11:48 PM
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Day 6 - Rush, rush, hurry, hurry
Our last day in Ubud was characterized by a desperate rush to accomplish as much as we could. There were still gifts to buy, restaurants to check out, massages to be enjoyed…
0730 h Had breakfast on the porch of Room No.15.
0830 h HM and I decided to split up so that we could get more things done. I stayed and packed up so that we could move to Room No. 8 in the afternoon. HM went for yoga at Balispirit Yoga Studios.
Balispirit Yoga Studio on Jalan Hanoman
1030 h Brunch at Batan Waru. We finally made it back there and the food was once again delicious.
Tum ayam
Urap pakis
Together with a cardamom lassi and a sweet lassi, the meal cost us a very reasonable 90090 Rp (S$18)
1200 h HM went for a Balinese massage with lulur and mandi, at Nur Salon. The therapist was more professional and experienced than those at Pertinen, she said, and it cost less than 200000 Rp (S$40).
Entrance to Nur Salon
Meanwhile, I continued looking for gifts and other things that we had been tasked to buy.
First, I found the Ticket to the Moon shop along Jalan Raya Ubud which sells hammocks made of parachute material. The list price said US$50 for a single and US$60 for a double, but the salesgirl quoted me 150000 Rp (S$30) and 200000 Rp (S$40) respectively, so I ended up buying three hammocks for a friend who had requested for them.
Then, I spotted some bikinis on sale. Made for tanning rather than swimming, the bikinis had fun prints on them and were only 40000 Rp (S$8) each, so into the shopping bag went one of those for a friend who fancies herself a beach babe.
After that, I got sidetracked by the bookshops. I ended up buying a copy of Wallace’s The Malay Archipelago, for only 75000 Rp (S$15), at Periplus which was having a big sale. I also bought a map of Ubud from Ganesha’s (30000 Rp/S$6), as a souvenir for myself.
1330 h The hunt resumed, with HM leading the way down Jalan Dewi Sita. From Hari Ini, we emerged with two pairs of silver earrings and one toe ring (256000 Rp/S$51). And from Kou, we bought some lovely scented organic soap, some minty green, some vanilla, some orange, for 33000 Rp (S$6.60). Phew, it was time for lunch.
1430 h We retreated to Casa Luna.
The view from Casa Luna
The Casa Luna dining area
Our menu:
• Vietnamese beef salad with lemongrass dressing
• Grilled Tenggiri* Tostada with eggplant paste on a tortilla
• Coconut ice cream
• Black rice ice cream
• Tea flores
• Comfort tea with nutmeg and ginger milk
• Bali kopi
*Tenggiri (Spanish Mackeral)
Who would have thought that grilled fish with eggplant paste on a tortilla would taste so good? The bill came up to 154100 Rp (S$31).
1600 h Time to head back to Tegal Sari with our spoils, but this time we couldn’t get through to Tegal Sari’s phone line. For once, the transport guys got the job and they were only too happy to oblige. The “fare” came up to only 10000 Rp (S$2).
Our new room, Room No. 8, was perfect after a long hard (!) day shopping.
The tub in Room No. 8
Another cosy sofa area, this time in Room No. 8
The sitting area in the porch
To the left of No.8
Looking ahead from No. 8
Of the three rooms, this had the most resort-like bathroom. The shower was paved with polished stones! A soak in the bathtub really hit the spot.
1800 h “Disaster” struck. My stomach felt all bloated; indigestion had set in. Not on our last night in Ubud, I agonized. We had yet to try Warung Enak, Mozaic, Murni’s, and so many other restaurants. But enough was enough - I didn’t think I could stomach another spicy/rich meal.
It was HM who suggested eating Japanese. Momoko, our walking companion from the day before who was holidaying in Bali for the tenth time, had in fact recommended the Ryoshi chain of restaurants. We hadn’t of course come to Bali for its Japanese cuisine, but then again, with the large number of Japanese tourists evident in Bali, especially in Ubud, the Japanese restaurants had to be good.
1930 h Dinner at Ryoshi, preceded by a small bout of shopping desperation. We bought some Bali coffee at a supermarket for a friend whom we hadn’t managed to get anything for up to that point and in any case we hadn’t a clue what to get.
Ryoshi turned out to be a good choice, and not just for an invalid! It was almost empty the night we were there, which was a pity because the ingredients were fresh, the cooking competent and the bill for two was only 174000 Rp (S$34).
Ryoshi in Ubud
Inside the restaurant
Chawan mushi
Zaru soba (cold soba)
Agadeshi tofu
Fresh strawberries (from Bedegul) with honey
2100 h Our ride from Tegal Sari arrived to pick us up. It was Made who had first driven us from Sanur to Ubud. We chatted on the short ride back to Tegal Sari. It was a bittersweet moment, for our time in Ubud was coming to an end. It was time for us to pack and go home.
0730 h Had breakfast on the porch of Room No.15.
0830 h HM and I decided to split up so that we could get more things done. I stayed and packed up so that we could move to Room No. 8 in the afternoon. HM went for yoga at Balispirit Yoga Studios.
Balispirit Yoga Studio on Jalan Hanoman
1030 h Brunch at Batan Waru. We finally made it back there and the food was once again delicious.
Tum ayam
Urap pakis
Together with a cardamom lassi and a sweet lassi, the meal cost us a very reasonable 90090 Rp (S$18)
1200 h HM went for a Balinese massage with lulur and mandi, at Nur Salon. The therapist was more professional and experienced than those at Pertinen, she said, and it cost less than 200000 Rp (S$40).
Entrance to Nur Salon
Meanwhile, I continued looking for gifts and other things that we had been tasked to buy.
First, I found the Ticket to the Moon shop along Jalan Raya Ubud which sells hammocks made of parachute material. The list price said US$50 for a single and US$60 for a double, but the salesgirl quoted me 150000 Rp (S$30) and 200000 Rp (S$40) respectively, so I ended up buying three hammocks for a friend who had requested for them.
Then, I spotted some bikinis on sale. Made for tanning rather than swimming, the bikinis had fun prints on them and were only 40000 Rp (S$8) each, so into the shopping bag went one of those for a friend who fancies herself a beach babe.
After that, I got sidetracked by the bookshops. I ended up buying a copy of Wallace’s The Malay Archipelago, for only 75000 Rp (S$15), at Periplus which was having a big sale. I also bought a map of Ubud from Ganesha’s (30000 Rp/S$6), as a souvenir for myself.
1330 h The hunt resumed, with HM leading the way down Jalan Dewi Sita. From Hari Ini, we emerged with two pairs of silver earrings and one toe ring (256000 Rp/S$51). And from Kou, we bought some lovely scented organic soap, some minty green, some vanilla, some orange, for 33000 Rp (S$6.60). Phew, it was time for lunch.
1430 h We retreated to Casa Luna.
The view from Casa Luna
The Casa Luna dining area
Our menu:
• Vietnamese beef salad with lemongrass dressing
• Grilled Tenggiri* Tostada with eggplant paste on a tortilla
• Coconut ice cream
• Black rice ice cream
• Tea flores
• Comfort tea with nutmeg and ginger milk
• Bali kopi
*Tenggiri (Spanish Mackeral)
Who would have thought that grilled fish with eggplant paste on a tortilla would taste so good? The bill came up to 154100 Rp (S$31).
1600 h Time to head back to Tegal Sari with our spoils, but this time we couldn’t get through to Tegal Sari’s phone line. For once, the transport guys got the job and they were only too happy to oblige. The “fare” came up to only 10000 Rp (S$2).
Our new room, Room No. 8, was perfect after a long hard (!) day shopping.
The tub in Room No. 8
Another cosy sofa area, this time in Room No. 8
The sitting area in the porch
To the left of No.8
Looking ahead from No. 8
Of the three rooms, this had the most resort-like bathroom. The shower was paved with polished stones! A soak in the bathtub really hit the spot.
1800 h “Disaster” struck. My stomach felt all bloated; indigestion had set in. Not on our last night in Ubud, I agonized. We had yet to try Warung Enak, Mozaic, Murni’s, and so many other restaurants. But enough was enough - I didn’t think I could stomach another spicy/rich meal.
It was HM who suggested eating Japanese. Momoko, our walking companion from the day before who was holidaying in Bali for the tenth time, had in fact recommended the Ryoshi chain of restaurants. We hadn’t of course come to Bali for its Japanese cuisine, but then again, with the large number of Japanese tourists evident in Bali, especially in Ubud, the Japanese restaurants had to be good.
1930 h Dinner at Ryoshi, preceded by a small bout of shopping desperation. We bought some Bali coffee at a supermarket for a friend whom we hadn’t managed to get anything for up to that point and in any case we hadn’t a clue what to get.
Ryoshi turned out to be a good choice, and not just for an invalid! It was almost empty the night we were there, which was a pity because the ingredients were fresh, the cooking competent and the bill for two was only 174000 Rp (S$34).
Ryoshi in Ubud
Inside the restaurant
Chawan mushi
Zaru soba (cold soba)
Agadeshi tofu
Fresh strawberries (from Bedegul) with honey
2100 h Our ride from Tegal Sari arrived to pick us up. It was Made who had first driven us from Sanur to Ubud. We chatted on the short ride back to Tegal Sari. It was a bittersweet moment, for our time in Ubud was coming to an end. It was time for us to pack and go home.
posted by blobbes at 11:08 PM
1 comments
Sunday, July 10, 2005
Day 5 - Big Day Out
We were up early again. For one thing, we had signed up for a walk with the Tegal Sari staff. For another, this was to be our last morning in Room No. 11. By the time we got back from our walk, we’d be in our new room, Room No. 15, a garden view room. Not only did we have to pack before leaving for the walk, we had to make the most of our lovely padi fields.
But first things first – breakfast on our porch!
Nasi goreng Tegal Sari
Sliced Tropical Fruit Salad
Bali kopi, dregs and all - love or hate it
"Poultry" in motion
Such peace and tranquility
At about 9.30 a.m., we met up with Wayan, our walking guide for the morning, and Momoko, our Japanese counterpart. Wayan, a local boy from amongst the Tegal Sari staff, was going to take us to Keliki Village to visit a local home and for an art lesson(!), followed by a walk through the surrounding countryside, after which lunch would be served.
It turned out to be an eye-opening look at life in a traditional family compound. According to Wayan, he too had grown up in an environment much like that. It was clear that life was pretty simple, and that people made do with far less than what we Singaporeans were used to.
Inside the kitchen
Still cooking with a wood fire
Firewood
The family well
The ceremonial area
The family temple
The Dolit family rooster
There, we visited with Dolit and his family. Dolit and his family are rice farmers by vocation, but like many of their neighbours, they produce art work in the so-called Keliki style for sale to tourists, so as to supplement their income. Dolit’s father had been a revered artist and, to this day, the family runs art classes for children from the neighbourhood. We were going to attend one of these classes.
The "art gallery"
Cottage industry in evidence
Dolit's family hard at work
Dolit's family
Young artists in the making
The artist of our newly acquired artwork, Dolit's brother
Art lesson in progress
First you draw the figures
Now you shade with ink
Wayan, our guide, giving it a shot
Two hours and one Bali kopi each later, we finally left Dolit’s home, armed with a whimsical picture of frogs taking part in a Balinese procession which we had bought for 200000 Rp (S$40). This we put away in Wayan’s Kijang, which two other Tegal Sari staff members had come to collect. They were going to pick us up from the next village, at the end of our walk.
The walk itself started innocuously enough. I didn't think a tourist-oriented walk was going to be difficult since it would have to cater to tourists of all shapes and sizes. At first it was indeed smooth-going and not a bit too hot. Accompanied by Dolit, we weaved our way through rice fields and fruit plantations.
Balinese rice drying in the sun
Balinese cattle
Sweet potato
In the rice fields
Planting rice is never fun
Shrine marking the boundary between the fields of two families
Bebek yet to be betutu
Ever-versatile Dolit preparing drinks for us
Young jackfruit or nangka
Soon to be lunch
So far so good. The only inkling thus far that this wasn’t going to be a walk in the park was this one moment where we had to tread gingerly on a mud wall between two water-logged padi fields. Unlike the previous mud walls we had traipsed along, this one was mushy and seemed to be in danger of falling apart under our weight. But, other than muddy toes, we survived that bit.
Then the fairly relaxed stroll, leisurely enough for me to take lots of photos, turned into a downhill scramble. We were no longer amongst the padi fields or plantations. We were amidst jungle vegetation. It was steep enough to require us to crouch and put our hands on the ground occasionally to steady ourselves. Each “step” was barely big enough to accommodate the whole foot. To make matters worse, the ground was covered with leaves and other organic matter that made the going slippery.
Wayan and Dolit of course were most unconcerned about the terrain themselves, barely breaking into sweat as they strode downhill. HM and Momoko seemed to be managing fine, as they scrambled from foothold to foothold. I seemed to be the only one struggling, as my Tevas sandals slipped ever so slightly every now and then, sufficiently so to make me real nervous about sliding all the way down and making a fool of myself. Fortunately, Dolit, the kind soul, noticed me falling behind and held my hand till we got to the bottom. ‘Twas most embarrassing!
Needless to say, the next thing we had to do was to climb all the way up to the next ridge. Again, the footholds were small and the incline was steep. It was a good thing the climb up was relatively short. Otherwise Dolit may have had to shove me up from below!
Finally, the tough part was over. Being the most unfit of the lot, I was a little dizzy from the exertion, but the final walk along the waterways and then through another small village allowed me to catch my breath. By the time we stopped at a rest point to await our transport back to Ubud, I was feeling well enough to partake of some light snacks with the others.
Friendly neighbourhood snack shop
Then, back it was, to Tegal Sari. We had indeed earned our lunch of babi guling from Ibu Oka, and so we tucked in with relish.
Ibu Oka Babi Guling - before
Babi Guling - tada!
Does that look yummy or what?
The babi guling was absolutely delicious. Not advisable for the fainthearted or the weak in stomach, it was a totally scrumptious blend of roast pork with this incredible crackling, spicy vegetables, rich blood sausage and some mystery bits and pieces. Someone should set up a babi guling stall in Singapore. I’m sure they will make a fortune selling this.
With Wayan and Dolit pointing out sights and explaining the local customs and practices, the entire experience which included lunch was really worth the price of 125000 Rp (S$25) per head.
After lunch, we retreated to our new room, Room No. 15. Alas, there would be no view of the padi fields to be had. But, No. 15 had its own charm. For one thing, the bathroom was bigger and nicer than Room No. 11’s. For another, it had a sofa area which was really lovely to lounge around in, perfect for couch potatoes. It also had its own garden which was quite pretty.
Room No. 15
The sofa area
The bathroom
The view from the porch of Room No. 15
But we didn’t spend much time in the room. Once we had freshened up, we decided to go visit the Pertinen Spa, owned and run by Tegal Sari’s management. I had a ½ hour scalp massage while HM had the 1 hour Balinese massage. The masseuses were very eager to please and we paid only 121500 Rp (S$24) for both massages. It was a fitting end to the day and apt preparation for the next thing on our schedule.
We hitched a ride from the Tegal Sari boys who were giving a couple a ride to the palace to watch the Ramayana Ballet. According to the husband, there was also going to be a kecak dance at a nearby village that night. But our agenda was quite different – we were going to have dinner at Lamak.
But first, as always, a little light shopping was a must. In the shops around Lamak, we managed to find incense holders made of granite (35000 Rp/S$7 each) and packets of sandalwood and chempaka incense (5000 Rp/S$1 each).
Lamak was a display of culinary excellence and design flair.
We sat in the upstairs dining area
Nice lampshades
What pretty placemats
Phillipe Starck inspired?
Carrot and ginger fizz
Balinese bouillabaise with turmeric and lemon grass broth, and BBQ seafood
Citrus marinated prawns with palm hearts and avocado slices
Curried yoghurt medallions of butterfish with lentil cakes
Fettucine with crabmeat and eggplant sauce
Ginger and orange brulee
Ginger and lemongrass ice cream
The airconditioned lounge with the groovy tiles
One last look at Lamak
Together with drinks (Equil Sparkling Water and peppermint tea), the bill came up to only 331455 Rp (S$66). For a similar experience in Singapore, we would have to pay at least S$50 to S$70 per head.
While I would whole-heartedly recommend Lamak to one and all, I must confess I was a little disappointed myself. To be fair to the restaurant, I had heard a lot about it and perhaps that was the problem. Was it an excellent dinner? You bet. Was it THE quintessential Balinese eating experience I thought it might be? I’m afraid not. I can’t put a finger on why not, except to say that it was too much Bali Chic/Australian fusion, and not enough Bali for me. For that, my choice, from the limited number of restaurants I had been too thus far, would have to be Indus or even Batan Waru. I still had a whole list of restaurants to check out and we had only one full day left...
But first things first – breakfast on our porch!
Nasi goreng Tegal Sari
Sliced Tropical Fruit Salad
Bali kopi, dregs and all - love or hate it
"Poultry" in motion
Such peace and tranquility
At about 9.30 a.m., we met up with Wayan, our walking guide for the morning, and Momoko, our Japanese counterpart. Wayan, a local boy from amongst the Tegal Sari staff, was going to take us to Keliki Village to visit a local home and for an art lesson(!), followed by a walk through the surrounding countryside, after which lunch would be served.
It turned out to be an eye-opening look at life in a traditional family compound. According to Wayan, he too had grown up in an environment much like that. It was clear that life was pretty simple, and that people made do with far less than what we Singaporeans were used to.
Inside the kitchen
Still cooking with a wood fire
Firewood
The family well
The ceremonial area
The family temple
The Dolit family rooster
There, we visited with Dolit and his family. Dolit and his family are rice farmers by vocation, but like many of their neighbours, they produce art work in the so-called Keliki style for sale to tourists, so as to supplement their income. Dolit’s father had been a revered artist and, to this day, the family runs art classes for children from the neighbourhood. We were going to attend one of these classes.
The "art gallery"
Cottage industry in evidence
Dolit's family hard at work
Dolit's family
Young artists in the making
The artist of our newly acquired artwork, Dolit's brother
Art lesson in progress
First you draw the figures
Now you shade with ink
Wayan, our guide, giving it a shot
Two hours and one Bali kopi each later, we finally left Dolit’s home, armed with a whimsical picture of frogs taking part in a Balinese procession which we had bought for 200000 Rp (S$40). This we put away in Wayan’s Kijang, which two other Tegal Sari staff members had come to collect. They were going to pick us up from the next village, at the end of our walk.
The walk itself started innocuously enough. I didn't think a tourist-oriented walk was going to be difficult since it would have to cater to tourists of all shapes and sizes. At first it was indeed smooth-going and not a bit too hot. Accompanied by Dolit, we weaved our way through rice fields and fruit plantations.
Balinese rice drying in the sun
Balinese cattle
Sweet potato
In the rice fields
Planting rice is never fun
Shrine marking the boundary between the fields of two families
Bebek yet to be betutu
Ever-versatile Dolit preparing drinks for us
Young jackfruit or nangka
Soon to be lunch
So far so good. The only inkling thus far that this wasn’t going to be a walk in the park was this one moment where we had to tread gingerly on a mud wall between two water-logged padi fields. Unlike the previous mud walls we had traipsed along, this one was mushy and seemed to be in danger of falling apart under our weight. But, other than muddy toes, we survived that bit.
Then the fairly relaxed stroll, leisurely enough for me to take lots of photos, turned into a downhill scramble. We were no longer amongst the padi fields or plantations. We were amidst jungle vegetation. It was steep enough to require us to crouch and put our hands on the ground occasionally to steady ourselves. Each “step” was barely big enough to accommodate the whole foot. To make matters worse, the ground was covered with leaves and other organic matter that made the going slippery.
Wayan and Dolit of course were most unconcerned about the terrain themselves, barely breaking into sweat as they strode downhill. HM and Momoko seemed to be managing fine, as they scrambled from foothold to foothold. I seemed to be the only one struggling, as my Tevas sandals slipped ever so slightly every now and then, sufficiently so to make me real nervous about sliding all the way down and making a fool of myself. Fortunately, Dolit, the kind soul, noticed me falling behind and held my hand till we got to the bottom. ‘Twas most embarrassing!
Needless to say, the next thing we had to do was to climb all the way up to the next ridge. Again, the footholds were small and the incline was steep. It was a good thing the climb up was relatively short. Otherwise Dolit may have had to shove me up from below!
Finally, the tough part was over. Being the most unfit of the lot, I was a little dizzy from the exertion, but the final walk along the waterways and then through another small village allowed me to catch my breath. By the time we stopped at a rest point to await our transport back to Ubud, I was feeling well enough to partake of some light snacks with the others.
Friendly neighbourhood snack shop
Then, back it was, to Tegal Sari. We had indeed earned our lunch of babi guling from Ibu Oka, and so we tucked in with relish.
Ibu Oka Babi Guling - before
Babi Guling - tada!
Does that look yummy or what?
The babi guling was absolutely delicious. Not advisable for the fainthearted or the weak in stomach, it was a totally scrumptious blend of roast pork with this incredible crackling, spicy vegetables, rich blood sausage and some mystery bits and pieces. Someone should set up a babi guling stall in Singapore. I’m sure they will make a fortune selling this.
With Wayan and Dolit pointing out sights and explaining the local customs and practices, the entire experience which included lunch was really worth the price of 125000 Rp (S$25) per head.
After lunch, we retreated to our new room, Room No. 15. Alas, there would be no view of the padi fields to be had. But, No. 15 had its own charm. For one thing, the bathroom was bigger and nicer than Room No. 11’s. For another, it had a sofa area which was really lovely to lounge around in, perfect for couch potatoes. It also had its own garden which was quite pretty.
Room No. 15
The sofa area
The bathroom
The view from the porch of Room No. 15
But we didn’t spend much time in the room. Once we had freshened up, we decided to go visit the Pertinen Spa, owned and run by Tegal Sari’s management. I had a ½ hour scalp massage while HM had the 1 hour Balinese massage. The masseuses were very eager to please and we paid only 121500 Rp (S$24) for both massages. It was a fitting end to the day and apt preparation for the next thing on our schedule.
We hitched a ride from the Tegal Sari boys who were giving a couple a ride to the palace to watch the Ramayana Ballet. According to the husband, there was also going to be a kecak dance at a nearby village that night. But our agenda was quite different – we were going to have dinner at Lamak.
But first, as always, a little light shopping was a must. In the shops around Lamak, we managed to find incense holders made of granite (35000 Rp/S$7 each) and packets of sandalwood and chempaka incense (5000 Rp/S$1 each).
Lamak was a display of culinary excellence and design flair.
We sat in the upstairs dining area
Nice lampshades
What pretty placemats
Phillipe Starck inspired?
Carrot and ginger fizz
Balinese bouillabaise with turmeric and lemon grass broth, and BBQ seafood
Citrus marinated prawns with palm hearts and avocado slices
Curried yoghurt medallions of butterfish with lentil cakes
Fettucine with crabmeat and eggplant sauce
Ginger and orange brulee
Ginger and lemongrass ice cream
The airconditioned lounge with the groovy tiles
One last look at Lamak
Together with drinks (Equil Sparkling Water and peppermint tea), the bill came up to only 331455 Rp (S$66). For a similar experience in Singapore, we would have to pay at least S$50 to S$70 per head.
While I would whole-heartedly recommend Lamak to one and all, I must confess I was a little disappointed myself. To be fair to the restaurant, I had heard a lot about it and perhaps that was the problem. Was it an excellent dinner? You bet. Was it THE quintessential Balinese eating experience I thought it might be? I’m afraid not. I can’t put a finger on why not, except to say that it was too much Bali Chic/Australian fusion, and not enough Bali for me. For that, my choice, from the limited number of restaurants I had been too thus far, would have to be Indus or even Batan Waru. I still had a whole list of restaurants to check out and we had only one full day left...
posted by blobbes at 12:27 PM
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Monday, July 04, 2005
Day 4 - Exploring Ubud
6.00 a.m. We got up early, to take full advantage of the early morning coolness. We also wanted to see what those padi fields looked like in the morning light sans rain.
By 6.30 a.m. we had ordered breakfast and were out on our porch to breathe in the fresh air and take in the sights. And what a sight Nature had prepared for us!
The padi fields, misty in the morning
Bird watching from our doorstep (taken by HM)
Our front garden was alive with birds, constantly flitting back and forth amongst the plants. There was even a nest which the adult birds took turns visiting, presumably ferrying bits of food for the baby birds. It was like watching the Discovery Channel while eating brekkie!
Breakfast was served by a smiling Tegal Sari staff, whom we didn’t get the name of but she smiled and smiled that day, and every day after that. That morning, our breakfast, included in the price of the room, consisted of:
Mie goreng ala Tegal Sari
Bubur ayam (chicken porridge)
I opted for an avocado juice in place of the tropical fruit. To round things up, we had Balinese coffee, made with the coffee powder and kettle supplied.
After breakfast, we made our way down Jalan Hanoman. The plan was for HM to go for yoga class at the Balispirit studio, and for me to do a little exploring, before meeting up at Batan Waru for a second breakfast. But when we got to the studio, we realised that we had gotten the time wrong; the morning class was at 8 a.m., not at 9!
There and then, we decided to go to the 10 a.m. yoga class at Indus Restaurant instead. But we didn’t fancy trekking there on foot, especially since we hadn’t a clue how long that would take. The other option was to go back to Tegal Sari, where we could get a ride to Indus, although that would mean having to backtrack. For some reason, we didn’t think of calling Tegal Sari and have someone pick us up from where we were.
We didn’t have long to dither though. We heard someone say, “Transport, transport?” For once, we were glad to be approached! After a little bargaining, we were on our way to Tjampuhan, where Indus is located. The cost of the ride was 20000 Rp (S$4) which was the rate quoted by Tegal Sari for a similar ride; Tegal Sari offers free rides around Ubud itself. Later on, I would find out that we could probably have gotten the price down to 15000 Rp or even 10000 Rp, but we were just glad to get going.
Indus the restaurant itself was beautiful and the view from the yoga space was just breath-taking.
First view of Indus Restaurant
The view from the Indus yoga space
Leaving HM there, I went for a walk around the area. From the garden outside the yoga space, we could see people walking along the ridge opposite. According to the yoga instructor, the ridge was accessible from the Tjampuhan bridge, but I was too chicken to try the walk on my own, especially since it was getting hot. Instead, I just traipsed around, looking for photo opportunities.
A cat, a comparatively rare sight in Bali
More padi fields, complete with duckies and coconut trees
Ooh, would we like to stay here and how!
Where we wouldn't get a chance to eat at, dang!
The Tjampuhan bridge
So many possibilities, so little time
Somewhat bizarre if whimsical architecture
Young rice
I get it - we're not in Ubud anymore!
The Art Zoo
When I returned to Indus, yoga class was over and it was time for brunch. We had to eat at Indus of course.
It was so pleasant sitting there, with that gorgeous view and the breeze.
View from Indus Restaurant
Everything was scrumptious. My favourite dish, without a doubt, was the Balinese paella, while HM really liked the iced flores tea. We both enjoyed the ice cream, which really resembles ice kachang rather than ice cream. I have to say, the rather coarse ice bits may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s hard not to adore the flavours of the coconut cream and black glutinous rice (bubur injin or bubur hitam). In total, the bill came up, unbelievably, to 146050 Rp (S$29).
Iced flores tea
Iced tea with papaya and pineapple
Giant keropok
Vietnamese rice paper rolls
Balinese paella
Coconut ice cream, dotted with jackfruit and green beans
Black rice ice cream
Emerging from the restaurant, we found the driver who had sent us there, waiting for us. We hadn’t asked him to wait, so I was a little annoyed, feeling that we were having our hand forced. I don’t think he would have made a scene if we had said “no”, but in the end, it just seemed easier to hop in and be chauffeured back to Tegal Sari. We just hoped that he wouldn’t still be there the next time we emerged from the hotel!
In the midst of the afternoon heat, it was a relief to chill out by, and in, the pool, and such a pretty pool it was. True, the sunken bar was unmanned, unlike the Griya Santrian pool, but hey, we weren’t paying US$84 per room!
Ahhh the Tegal Sari Pool
Revived by the swim, it was time to go shopping. By this time, we had learnt to use the alternative entrance/exit to Tegal Sari, via the rear of Greenfield Bungalows, which was really useful for avoiding any potential encounter with Mr Driver.
Coming from the land of shopping centres, shopping in an alternative setting is always a pleasant change. The streets of Ubud were lined with interesting little shops, some of which were so attractively decorated.
Clever packaging of traditional Balinese and Indonesian snacks
What a pretty shop - Sagu by Asialine
One of my favourite shops in this respect was Sagu Bali Snacks, where we spent at least half an hour sampling various goodies. We were tickled to find that some of the snacks were similar to what we had at home, those little gem biscuits with the icing on top, for instance. In fact, when we mentioned it to the staff there, they told us that their Japanese tourist customers had already pointed this out!
We finally walked out with 160000 Rp (S$32) worth of what we figured was more Balinese/Indonesian: boxes of ginger tea and ginger coffee with palm sugar, nutmeg slices shaped into flowers, ginger malted candy, pandan-wrapped biscuits, and banana chips. Quite unbeknownst to us, the banana chips - which were soft and chewy, quite different from the crunchy ones we get in Singapore - were to come in handy a little later in the day.
Our haul for the afternoon:
• Another blouse from Uluwatu Lace, for HM’s mum (approx. 200000 Rp/S$40)
• A family of cactus-shaped wooden candleholders for the house, from Asialine, sister shop to Sagu (206100 Rp/S$40 for the set of 3)
• Handcrafted silver earrings for various people (averaging 60000 Rp/S$12 each)
• Some funky wooden and shell accessories, as gifts for friends (averaging 15000 Rp/S$3 each)
• CDs of gamelan music (60000 Rp/S$12 each)
Incidentally, the Uluwatu Lace outlet in Ubud was our sixth for the trip: we had already been to one in Sanur and all four in Kuta!
It was almost time for dinner, but since we were just round the corner from the palace, we decided, on the spur of the moment, to go watch the legong dance instead. Having bought the tickets (50000 Rp/S$10 each), we went in search of easy-to-eat finger food like sandwiches or pastries to tide us over till dinner. Unfortunately we didn’t seem to be able to find any in the vicinity of the palace, and we did so want to get decent seats. In the end, we hoped our banana chips would suffice and settled down to watch the show.
The stage awaits
The musicians
Welcome Dance
The baris
The chondong from the Legong dance
The male bumblebee
The Old Man character from the Topeng
The curtain call
It was a lovely night out. The outdoor setting was surreal, especially with the architecture of the palace in the background. Gamelan music filled the air. The weather was cool, cold almost, and not at all humid.
The highlight for us was the legong kraton dance itself. The legong dancers were fascinating to watch, with those “shimmy” movements. To our untrained eye, the baris dancer who performed that night seemed very young and perhaps not so experienced; on our previous trip, we had seen an extremely captivating performance by a baris dancer with incredibly dramatic eye movements. Still it was a rewarding way to cap a Ubud-ian day.
The show ended after 9 p.m. by which time we were cold and ravenous. The easiest thing to do was to walk around the corner to Café Lotus, for dinner. By then, we were so tired we forgot to take photographs of the food and we didn’t claim the SQ boarding pass discount given by all Lotus outlets!
With the lit Water Palace in the background, we had green chicken curry, a fish dish (Be Pasih Lawah Goa), fresh strawberries from Bedegul, served with vanilla ice cream, and an iced coffee with vanilla ice cream. The chicken curry was a bit of a disappointment, being rather nondescript, but the fish, which reminded us of a giant otak-otak, was delicious. In all, the dinner cost 188000 Rp (S$37).
As dinner drew to a close, we decided to take advantage of Tegal Sari’s pick-up/drop-off service – the first time we had done so in two days – so that we would get back slightly earlier to rest up for another big day.
By 6.30 a.m. we had ordered breakfast and were out on our porch to breathe in the fresh air and take in the sights. And what a sight Nature had prepared for us!
The padi fields, misty in the morning
Bird watching from our doorstep (taken by HM)
Our front garden was alive with birds, constantly flitting back and forth amongst the plants. There was even a nest which the adult birds took turns visiting, presumably ferrying bits of food for the baby birds. It was like watching the Discovery Channel while eating brekkie!
Breakfast was served by a smiling Tegal Sari staff, whom we didn’t get the name of but she smiled and smiled that day, and every day after that. That morning, our breakfast, included in the price of the room, consisted of:
Mie goreng ala Tegal Sari
Bubur ayam (chicken porridge)
I opted for an avocado juice in place of the tropical fruit. To round things up, we had Balinese coffee, made with the coffee powder and kettle supplied.
After breakfast, we made our way down Jalan Hanoman. The plan was for HM to go for yoga class at the Balispirit studio, and for me to do a little exploring, before meeting up at Batan Waru for a second breakfast. But when we got to the studio, we realised that we had gotten the time wrong; the morning class was at 8 a.m., not at 9!
There and then, we decided to go to the 10 a.m. yoga class at Indus Restaurant instead. But we didn’t fancy trekking there on foot, especially since we hadn’t a clue how long that would take. The other option was to go back to Tegal Sari, where we could get a ride to Indus, although that would mean having to backtrack. For some reason, we didn’t think of calling Tegal Sari and have someone pick us up from where we were.
We didn’t have long to dither though. We heard someone say, “Transport, transport?” For once, we were glad to be approached! After a little bargaining, we were on our way to Tjampuhan, where Indus is located. The cost of the ride was 20000 Rp (S$4) which was the rate quoted by Tegal Sari for a similar ride; Tegal Sari offers free rides around Ubud itself. Later on, I would find out that we could probably have gotten the price down to 15000 Rp or even 10000 Rp, but we were just glad to get going.
Indus the restaurant itself was beautiful and the view from the yoga space was just breath-taking.
First view of Indus Restaurant
The view from the Indus yoga space
Leaving HM there, I went for a walk around the area. From the garden outside the yoga space, we could see people walking along the ridge opposite. According to the yoga instructor, the ridge was accessible from the Tjampuhan bridge, but I was too chicken to try the walk on my own, especially since it was getting hot. Instead, I just traipsed around, looking for photo opportunities.
A cat, a comparatively rare sight in Bali
More padi fields, complete with duckies and coconut trees
Ooh, would we like to stay here and how!
Where we wouldn't get a chance to eat at, dang!
The Tjampuhan bridge
So many possibilities, so little time
Somewhat bizarre if whimsical architecture
Young rice
I get it - we're not in Ubud anymore!
The Art Zoo
When I returned to Indus, yoga class was over and it was time for brunch. We had to eat at Indus of course.
It was so pleasant sitting there, with that gorgeous view and the breeze.
View from Indus Restaurant
Everything was scrumptious. My favourite dish, without a doubt, was the Balinese paella, while HM really liked the iced flores tea. We both enjoyed the ice cream, which really resembles ice kachang rather than ice cream. I have to say, the rather coarse ice bits may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s hard not to adore the flavours of the coconut cream and black glutinous rice (bubur injin or bubur hitam). In total, the bill came up, unbelievably, to 146050 Rp (S$29).
Iced flores tea
Iced tea with papaya and pineapple
Giant keropok
Vietnamese rice paper rolls
Balinese paella
Coconut ice cream, dotted with jackfruit and green beans
Black rice ice cream
Emerging from the restaurant, we found the driver who had sent us there, waiting for us. We hadn’t asked him to wait, so I was a little annoyed, feeling that we were having our hand forced. I don’t think he would have made a scene if we had said “no”, but in the end, it just seemed easier to hop in and be chauffeured back to Tegal Sari. We just hoped that he wouldn’t still be there the next time we emerged from the hotel!
In the midst of the afternoon heat, it was a relief to chill out by, and in, the pool, and such a pretty pool it was. True, the sunken bar was unmanned, unlike the Griya Santrian pool, but hey, we weren’t paying US$84 per room!
Ahhh the Tegal Sari Pool
Revived by the swim, it was time to go shopping. By this time, we had learnt to use the alternative entrance/exit to Tegal Sari, via the rear of Greenfield Bungalows, which was really useful for avoiding any potential encounter with Mr Driver.
Coming from the land of shopping centres, shopping in an alternative setting is always a pleasant change. The streets of Ubud were lined with interesting little shops, some of which were so attractively decorated.
Clever packaging of traditional Balinese and Indonesian snacks
What a pretty shop - Sagu by Asialine
One of my favourite shops in this respect was Sagu Bali Snacks, where we spent at least half an hour sampling various goodies. We were tickled to find that some of the snacks were similar to what we had at home, those little gem biscuits with the icing on top, for instance. In fact, when we mentioned it to the staff there, they told us that their Japanese tourist customers had already pointed this out!
We finally walked out with 160000 Rp (S$32) worth of what we figured was more Balinese/Indonesian: boxes of ginger tea and ginger coffee with palm sugar, nutmeg slices shaped into flowers, ginger malted candy, pandan-wrapped biscuits, and banana chips. Quite unbeknownst to us, the banana chips - which were soft and chewy, quite different from the crunchy ones we get in Singapore - were to come in handy a little later in the day.
Our haul for the afternoon:
• Another blouse from Uluwatu Lace, for HM’s mum (approx. 200000 Rp/S$40)
• A family of cactus-shaped wooden candleholders for the house, from Asialine, sister shop to Sagu (206100 Rp/S$40 for the set of 3)
• Handcrafted silver earrings for various people (averaging 60000 Rp/S$12 each)
• Some funky wooden and shell accessories, as gifts for friends (averaging 15000 Rp/S$3 each)
• CDs of gamelan music (60000 Rp/S$12 each)
Incidentally, the Uluwatu Lace outlet in Ubud was our sixth for the trip: we had already been to one in Sanur and all four in Kuta!
It was almost time for dinner, but since we were just round the corner from the palace, we decided, on the spur of the moment, to go watch the legong dance instead. Having bought the tickets (50000 Rp/S$10 each), we went in search of easy-to-eat finger food like sandwiches or pastries to tide us over till dinner. Unfortunately we didn’t seem to be able to find any in the vicinity of the palace, and we did so want to get decent seats. In the end, we hoped our banana chips would suffice and settled down to watch the show.
The stage awaits
The musicians
Welcome Dance
The baris
The chondong from the Legong dance
The male bumblebee
The Old Man character from the Topeng
The curtain call
It was a lovely night out. The outdoor setting was surreal, especially with the architecture of the palace in the background. Gamelan music filled the air. The weather was cool, cold almost, and not at all humid.
The highlight for us was the legong kraton dance itself. The legong dancers were fascinating to watch, with those “shimmy” movements. To our untrained eye, the baris dancer who performed that night seemed very young and perhaps not so experienced; on our previous trip, we had seen an extremely captivating performance by a baris dancer with incredibly dramatic eye movements. Still it was a rewarding way to cap a Ubud-ian day.
The show ended after 9 p.m. by which time we were cold and ravenous. The easiest thing to do was to walk around the corner to Café Lotus, for dinner. By then, we were so tired we forgot to take photographs of the food and we didn’t claim the SQ boarding pass discount given by all Lotus outlets!
With the lit Water Palace in the background, we had green chicken curry, a fish dish (Be Pasih Lawah Goa), fresh strawberries from Bedegul, served with vanilla ice cream, and an iced coffee with vanilla ice cream. The chicken curry was a bit of a disappointment, being rather nondescript, but the fish, which reminded us of a giant otak-otak, was delicious. In all, the dinner cost 188000 Rp (S$37).
As dinner drew to a close, we decided to take advantage of Tegal Sari’s pick-up/drop-off service – the first time we had done so in two days – so that we would get back slightly earlier to rest up for another big day.
posted by blobbes at 12:01 AM
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Sunday, June 26, 2005
Aside #1 - Mother Nature and Us
I have to confess: nature girls we are not. I was a little nervous; I wasn’t sure how well we’d cope with staying in the midst of padi fields.
Bali as a whole is a lot less developed, very much more a rural environment compared to Singapore. Living in high-rise apartments, we seldom encounter wildlife, certainly not more than the odd cockroach or small household lizard (we call ‘em chichaks) at home, or perhaps pigeons and stray cats in the neighbourhood. We would have to go out of our way, say, for a walk in one of our nature reserves or to the zoo, to meet anything “wilder”.
The thing is, nature can be an icky business. Day 1 in Ubud: on our first walk around, our eyes were glued to the ground, watching out for potholes, puddles of water, and other undesirable matter, when we saw it. There, in the drain, being buffeted by the torrent of rainwater, was a drowned rooster. It was a defining moment - “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore…”
Later that day, back at Tegal Sari, we demonstrated to ourselves how gormless we could be when it came to nature. We were out on our porch, still taking in that view. At some point, we noticed some bird that kept repeating the same call, quite monotonously. Couldn’t it sing something else? An hour or so later, a voice piped up in our front garden, “Hi, don’t mind us. We think there’s a lost duckling in your pond.” Our neighbours upstairs in Room 10 had apparently spotted a duckling in need from way up there and had come down to rescue the critter. Wow, good eyesight, we thought. Then it dawned on us, quite belatedly: what we had heard earlier had been the duckling’s distress call! D-oh…
Barely ten minutes later, we decided to move our rattan chairs further forward so that we could put our feet up on the balustrade. After we had moved HM’s chair, we started on mine, only to discover that, hidden behind my chair, was (A) what looked like a very dead and decomposing something or other, complete with a swarm of ants (B) a very live frog that was only too glad to hop away from us, down the stairs and into the garden pond. Ugh, gross. To think that I had been lounging in that chair the whole afternoon…
Mother Nature wasn’t done with us yet. That evening, just as we arrived back at our room after dinner and were about to unlock our room door, there was a very audible “plop!” sound. We looked down and, barely 30 cm away from my left foot, was a rather plump lizard that was, I swear, a foot long. It had apparently fallen from the ceiling. There was a pause during which lizard and humans were too stunned to move. Then the lizard came to its senses and promptly scuttled away. Good for it. We however were left to worry about falling lizards, especially while showering. It didn’t help that that thing behind the rattan chair looked an awful lot like ex-lizard.
And just to cap the evening off, we had a mosquito attack. Of course that was partly due to complacency on our part. Up to that point, we had been pleasantly surprised by the lack of mosquitoes. During our last visit, which had admittedly been during the wet season, we had not been so lucky. But that meant that we had to be suitably paranoid. We kept ourselves doused with insect repellent, lit mosquito coils and switched on all mosquito-repelling devices we were equipped with. This time, there seemed to be far fewer mosquitoes, especially in Sanur. Perhaps the strong wind was keeping them away. So, on our first night in Ubud, we thought it sufficient to go to sleep with just the mosquito coil burning. After all we had the aircon on and were well under the covers. We were wrong - we woke up with bites on our faces! The mosquito coil, it turned out, had accidentally gone out during the night.
As Melman the Giraffe from Madagascar would say: “Ahhhhh! Nature! It's all over me! Get it off!”
Footnote: The next evening, we used both the mosquito coil and the electronic device – problem solved!
Bali as a whole is a lot less developed, very much more a rural environment compared to Singapore. Living in high-rise apartments, we seldom encounter wildlife, certainly not more than the odd cockroach or small household lizard (we call ‘em chichaks) at home, or perhaps pigeons and stray cats in the neighbourhood. We would have to go out of our way, say, for a walk in one of our nature reserves or to the zoo, to meet anything “wilder”.
The thing is, nature can be an icky business. Day 1 in Ubud: on our first walk around, our eyes were glued to the ground, watching out for potholes, puddles of water, and other undesirable matter, when we saw it. There, in the drain, being buffeted by the torrent of rainwater, was a drowned rooster. It was a defining moment - “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore…”
Later that day, back at Tegal Sari, we demonstrated to ourselves how gormless we could be when it came to nature. We were out on our porch, still taking in that view. At some point, we noticed some bird that kept repeating the same call, quite monotonously. Couldn’t it sing something else? An hour or so later, a voice piped up in our front garden, “Hi, don’t mind us. We think there’s a lost duckling in your pond.” Our neighbours upstairs in Room 10 had apparently spotted a duckling in need from way up there and had come down to rescue the critter. Wow, good eyesight, we thought. Then it dawned on us, quite belatedly: what we had heard earlier had been the duckling’s distress call! D-oh…
Barely ten minutes later, we decided to move our rattan chairs further forward so that we could put our feet up on the balustrade. After we had moved HM’s chair, we started on mine, only to discover that, hidden behind my chair, was (A) what looked like a very dead and decomposing something or other, complete with a swarm of ants (B) a very live frog that was only too glad to hop away from us, down the stairs and into the garden pond. Ugh, gross. To think that I had been lounging in that chair the whole afternoon…
Mother Nature wasn’t done with us yet. That evening, just as we arrived back at our room after dinner and were about to unlock our room door, there was a very audible “plop!” sound. We looked down and, barely 30 cm away from my left foot, was a rather plump lizard that was, I swear, a foot long. It had apparently fallen from the ceiling. There was a pause during which lizard and humans were too stunned to move. Then the lizard came to its senses and promptly scuttled away. Good for it. We however were left to worry about falling lizards, especially while showering. It didn’t help that that thing behind the rattan chair looked an awful lot like ex-lizard.
And just to cap the evening off, we had a mosquito attack. Of course that was partly due to complacency on our part. Up to that point, we had been pleasantly surprised by the lack of mosquitoes. During our last visit, which had admittedly been during the wet season, we had not been so lucky. But that meant that we had to be suitably paranoid. We kept ourselves doused with insect repellent, lit mosquito coils and switched on all mosquito-repelling devices we were equipped with. This time, there seemed to be far fewer mosquitoes, especially in Sanur. Perhaps the strong wind was keeping them away. So, on our first night in Ubud, we thought it sufficient to go to sleep with just the mosquito coil burning. After all we had the aircon on and were well under the covers. We were wrong - we woke up with bites on our faces! The mosquito coil, it turned out, had accidentally gone out during the night.
As Melman the Giraffe from Madagascar would say: “Ahhhhh! Nature! It's all over me! Get it off!”
Footnote: The next evening, we used both the mosquito coil and the electronic device – problem solved!
posted by blobbes at 4:42 PM
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Saturday, June 25, 2005
Day 3 - Goodbye Sanur, Hello Ubud
It being our last day in Sanur, we woke up early to catch the sunrise.
Sunrise in Sanur
Early bird
Then it was time for breakfast. We shared an American breakfast set that included scrambled eggs on toast, two sausages, a basket of danishes and rolls, fruit juice, coffee, and a bowl of hot oatmeal. The oatmeal was strangely peppery which we didn’t discover till we had already added honey to it. The bill came up to 97500 Rp (S$20), perhaps not the best value for money.
After breakfast we had just enough time to take a last walk through the Griya Santrian grounds.
Still too early for a swim
All dressed up with nowhere to go
One last look
The garden wing was indeed prettier, if somewhat more melodramatic. Maybe next time, we should opt for a garden wing room.
Gateway to the garden wing
The garden wing pool
The garden wing rooms come with their very own "guardians"
Yet another garden wing porch
Stairway to heaven (the upstairs rooms)
Alas it was time for us to leave. Made from Tegal Sari had arrived to pick us up (at least I think that was his name!) It seemed a little early to be leaving. It was only 10 a.m. and there was a possibility that we would not be able to check in at Tegal Sari till 2 p.m. But we wanted to get to Ubud while it was still cool out.
As it turned out, we needn’t have worried. Grey clouds loomed as our Kijang wound its way north. Made told us that it had rained the night before in Ubud but he was confident that it would not rain that day. Barely fifteen minutes later, big fat raindrops pelted our windscreen and Ubud welcomed us with a tropical downpour.
The ride went by really quickly, Made providing useful commentary now and again. Once at Tegal Sari, we found out that no one had cancelled their bookings after all, so we would, as expected, have to stay in three different rooms in our four nights there. Looking on the bright side, we were poised to experience all that the hotel had to offer! And our room was not ready. Not inclined to waste energy lamenting, we settled down in the teeny-weeny restaurant area with our cups of Balinese coffee, to contemplate the front garden in the rain.
Our first impression of Tegal Sari - rain!
The moment the rain let up, we hoofed it out of the hotel to explore, armed with umbrellas courtesy of Tegal Sari. Immediately, we encountered the Ubud version of that Balinese game where one has to sidestep the dog poo, avoid falling into uncovered drains filled with rushing water and rubbish, and fend off drivers offering transport, all at the same time. This version had a higher level of difficulty because there was more to avoid, and the sidewalks or pavements were unusually high, requiring extra effort when hopping down and up from the road.
Down Jalan Hanoman we went, taking mental note of where the Balispirit Yoga Studio and the Nur Salon spa were, for future reference. We eventually made our way to Jalan Dewi Sita, for a leisurely brunch at Batan Waru.
Mie goreng and ginger fizz
Papaya ginger yoghurt and a carrot beetroot and ginger juice
Our take-away - a veggie burger with lentil and almond pattie
Again we were impressed by the quality of the food, and decided we’d go back again, time permitting. Lunch, plus a take-away veggie burger, came up to 101640 Rp (S$20).
We made our way up Monkey Forest Road. By this time, we knew what we were going to be doing for the next couple of days – shopping! So many pretty little shops, so little time…
Unfortunately the rain started again. As we rounded the corner of Monkey Forest Road, there was a deluge of water running down the slope towards us. We sloshed our way back to Tegal Sari, soaked to the skin even with our umbrellas, so it was a relief to find out that our room was ready. There’s nothing like a hot shower and a soak in the tub after being drenched.
Room Number 11
Room No. 11 turned out to be such a comfortable room, remarkably spacious actually, and with a view that took our breaths away. Our favourite part was, unsurprisingly, the dining area outside.(We’d find out later that, of all the three rooms we stayed in, this had the best view of the padi fields.) It was so green and lush that these two city “kids” just sat there in awe. In any case, with the rain, there was nothing to do except gaze out at the padi fields. No real hardship there, although about two hours of it was all we could take. Not a thing moved.
The view that Tegal Sari is justifiably famous
for - from Room No. 11
One of the perks of No. 11 - the pond in front
Bird magnet, as we discovered eventually
This was, for me, an apt moment to start reading A House in Bali. What evocative writing, about life in Bali! It was a truly peaceful afternoon, the epitome of a holiday.
Dinner that night was at Bebek Bengil 1, since we were too lazy to venture far. We should probably have arrived earlier, as by then, it was too dark to appreciate the view that BB1 is known for. Still, there was always the food.
Inside Bebek Bengil 1 (Dirty Duck 1)
Bebek betutu
Stuffed chicken breast with shitake mushroom
and vegetables
More urap urap
Accompanying side dishes
That was our first taste of bebek betutu which we quite enjoyed. Although others have complained that the duck can be rather dry, we found it moist enough under that crispy duck skin. The stuffed chicken was also yummy, if a bit deepfried. Including hot lemon ginger honey for two, the cost of the meal added up to 124740 Rp (S$24). Notch another one for the Balinese restaurant experience.
The only downside of Bebek Bengil 1, we felt, was the service. Whoever the elf was who served us that night, she was clearly grumpy. Throughout our trip, we experienced good service. Not all were warm and friendly, like the Tegal Sari staff. Some, like the Griya Santrian, were more formal, less personal, but our least favourite service experience was there that night. Perhaps she’d had a bad day.
With that, our first day in Ubud drew to a close.
Sunrise in Sanur
Early bird
Then it was time for breakfast. We shared an American breakfast set that included scrambled eggs on toast, two sausages, a basket of danishes and rolls, fruit juice, coffee, and a bowl of hot oatmeal. The oatmeal was strangely peppery which we didn’t discover till we had already added honey to it. The bill came up to 97500 Rp (S$20), perhaps not the best value for money.
After breakfast we had just enough time to take a last walk through the Griya Santrian grounds.
Still too early for a swim
All dressed up with nowhere to go
One last look
The garden wing was indeed prettier, if somewhat more melodramatic. Maybe next time, we should opt for a garden wing room.
Gateway to the garden wing
The garden wing pool
The garden wing rooms come with their very own "guardians"
Yet another garden wing porch
Stairway to heaven (the upstairs rooms)
Alas it was time for us to leave. Made from Tegal Sari had arrived to pick us up (at least I think that was his name!) It seemed a little early to be leaving. It was only 10 a.m. and there was a possibility that we would not be able to check in at Tegal Sari till 2 p.m. But we wanted to get to Ubud while it was still cool out.
As it turned out, we needn’t have worried. Grey clouds loomed as our Kijang wound its way north. Made told us that it had rained the night before in Ubud but he was confident that it would not rain that day. Barely fifteen minutes later, big fat raindrops pelted our windscreen and Ubud welcomed us with a tropical downpour.
The ride went by really quickly, Made providing useful commentary now and again. Once at Tegal Sari, we found out that no one had cancelled their bookings after all, so we would, as expected, have to stay in three different rooms in our four nights there. Looking on the bright side, we were poised to experience all that the hotel had to offer! And our room was not ready. Not inclined to waste energy lamenting, we settled down in the teeny-weeny restaurant area with our cups of Balinese coffee, to contemplate the front garden in the rain.
Our first impression of Tegal Sari - rain!
The moment the rain let up, we hoofed it out of the hotel to explore, armed with umbrellas courtesy of Tegal Sari. Immediately, we encountered the Ubud version of that Balinese game where one has to sidestep the dog poo, avoid falling into uncovered drains filled with rushing water and rubbish, and fend off drivers offering transport, all at the same time. This version had a higher level of difficulty because there was more to avoid, and the sidewalks or pavements were unusually high, requiring extra effort when hopping down and up from the road.
Down Jalan Hanoman we went, taking mental note of where the Balispirit Yoga Studio and the Nur Salon spa were, for future reference. We eventually made our way to Jalan Dewi Sita, for a leisurely brunch at Batan Waru.
Mie goreng and ginger fizz
Papaya ginger yoghurt and a carrot beetroot and ginger juice
Our take-away - a veggie burger with lentil and almond pattie
Again we were impressed by the quality of the food, and decided we’d go back again, time permitting. Lunch, plus a take-away veggie burger, came up to 101640 Rp (S$20).
We made our way up Monkey Forest Road. By this time, we knew what we were going to be doing for the next couple of days – shopping! So many pretty little shops, so little time…
Unfortunately the rain started again. As we rounded the corner of Monkey Forest Road, there was a deluge of water running down the slope towards us. We sloshed our way back to Tegal Sari, soaked to the skin even with our umbrellas, so it was a relief to find out that our room was ready. There’s nothing like a hot shower and a soak in the tub after being drenched.
Room Number 11
Room No. 11 turned out to be such a comfortable room, remarkably spacious actually, and with a view that took our breaths away. Our favourite part was, unsurprisingly, the dining area outside.(We’d find out later that, of all the three rooms we stayed in, this had the best view of the padi fields.) It was so green and lush that these two city “kids” just sat there in awe. In any case, with the rain, there was nothing to do except gaze out at the padi fields. No real hardship there, although about two hours of it was all we could take. Not a thing moved.
The view that Tegal Sari is justifiably famous
for - from Room No. 11
One of the perks of No. 11 - the pond in front
Bird magnet, as we discovered eventually
This was, for me, an apt moment to start reading A House in Bali. What evocative writing, about life in Bali! It was a truly peaceful afternoon, the epitome of a holiday.
Dinner that night was at Bebek Bengil 1, since we were too lazy to venture far. We should probably have arrived earlier, as by then, it was too dark to appreciate the view that BB1 is known for. Still, there was always the food.
Inside Bebek Bengil 1 (Dirty Duck 1)
Bebek betutu
Stuffed chicken breast with shitake mushroom
and vegetables
More urap urap
Accompanying side dishes
That was our first taste of bebek betutu which we quite enjoyed. Although others have complained that the duck can be rather dry, we found it moist enough under that crispy duck skin. The stuffed chicken was also yummy, if a bit deepfried. Including hot lemon ginger honey for two, the cost of the meal added up to 124740 Rp (S$24). Notch another one for the Balinese restaurant experience.
The only downside of Bebek Bengil 1, we felt, was the service. Whoever the elf was who served us that night, she was clearly grumpy. Throughout our trip, we experienced good service. Not all were warm and friendly, like the Tegal Sari staff. Some, like the Griya Santrian, were more formal, less personal, but our least favourite service experience was there that night. Perhaps she’d had a bad day.
With that, our first day in Ubud drew to a close.
posted by blobbes at 1:08 PM
0 comments
Thursday, June 23, 2005
Day 2 - Shopping Day in Kuta
Griya Santrian was really pretty in the early morning...
Wantilan Restaurant in the early morning
At peace in Griya Santrian
... but we decided not to have breakfast there, since, to ensure that we would be ready and waiting for the driver from Tegal Sari the next morning, we would have to eat in. Instead, we went in search of a little warung nearby that we had eaten at during the last trip - Made’s Restaurant. The waitress remembered HM from two and a half years ago!
Breakfast at Made’s Restaurant consisted of yoghurt with fruit and a plain pancake for HM, and for me, a breakfast set, with scrambled eggs (or any way you like ‘em), toast and jam and butter, pancake, juice and a pot of Balinese coffee big enough for two. The set, reputedly the cheapest on the stretch, cost 15900 Rp (S$3.20) while the total came up to approximately 30000 Rp (S$6.00).
Then it was off to Kuta for a day of shopping. We took a Bluebird taxi to Kuta Matahari. The cab driver claimed not to have sufficient change for a 50000 Rp note, so he gave himself a “tip” of 5000 Rp, which we really couldn’t do much about, not having any change ourselves. Coincidentally, it happened again later that day, with another cab driver, when once again we were caught short. I made sure we always had small change after that!
Shopping paradise
Oddly enough, despite prowling around for a whole morning and then some, we actually bought very little. At Surfer Girl, we only managed to buy two 9500 Rp (S$2) shopping bags, yes, those shopping bags with the Surfer Girl graphics. The problem was that what we really liked and wanted wasn’t that cheap, or was comparable to what we would have had to pay in Singapore, and so we felt we couldn’t justify the expense. Instead, we settled on buying what we wouldn’t be able to get back home, or at least not at those prices.
The spoils of the morning:
1. Two batik shirts, from Handy, for the two Dads (170000 Rp/S$34) – better material and tailoring for the same price
2. One kebaya top (317900 Rp/S$63)and one short-sleeved blouse (156500 Rp/$32), from Uluwatu Lace, for HM and my Mum respectively - handmade anything in Singapore is a rarity, unless you are willing to pay through the nose for it
3. 200000 Rp (S$40) worth of DVDs that aren’t being sold in Singapore for various reasons, shhhh…
We rewarded ourselves with lunch at Ketupat, off Jalan Legian, not that we had done anything to deserve it!
Ketupat in Jalan Legian, Kuta
Our keropok cunningly hidden
Iced ginger with lemon and honey
The whole spread!
Pisang Rai (steamed bananas with shredded coconut and
palm sugar syrup)
A quiet refuge away from the main drag
We discovered a new dish (for us) which was urap urap, namely steamed vegetables with shredded coconut. The soto ayam was rich and immensely satisfying. The nasi campur made up for what we had missed out on at Lotus Pond the night before, and HM is still talking about the pisang rai. Lastly, the cool, relaxed setting was a pleasure amidst the noise of Kuta, and all that for only 161000 Rp (S$32).
Before we left Kuta, we checked out Poppies. The cottages were all angled in such a way that each doorway and porch faced a different direction and, with suitably positioned foliage, an illusion of privacy was achieved for each cottage. Clever! The pool area was also very pretty. If we ever chose to stay in Kuta, it’d be a real option. Our only reservation? The surrounding area was a real warren of narrow lanes with a million motorbikes zooming around – not exactly the setting for a relaxing holiday.
Finally, still needing to satiate the urge for that elusive bargain, we decided to brave peak hour traffic to go to Surf Factory Outlet, on Jalan Bypass, Tuban. There we finally found one Roxy skirt (223000 Rp/S$45), one pair of Volcom three quarter pants (155000/S$31) and one Ripcurl haversack (130000 Rp/S$26) to buy. Yay! We could now retreat to Sanur in peace.
That evening, we decided to check out Apa Khabar’s grilled seafood basket for two. Having spent the day dodging traffic, drivers and touts in Kuta, HM declined to chance the hazards of Jalan Danau Tamblingan. Instead, we took the beach route that would take us through the famed grounds of the Bali Hyatt, beautiful by day, stunning by night. Must stay at the Bali Hyatt when we are rich and famous, we reminded ourselves.
Gamelan orchestra preparing to play at the Bali Hyatt
Bali Hyatt grounds
The other gamelan at the foyer of the Bali Hyatt
When we got to Apa Khabar, I was a little apprehensive initially. The first thing that happened was we got served these complimentary welcome drinks in shot glasses. Was this going to be one of those places that developed its fame from serving cheap food to customers too tanked up on cheap booze to tell the difference? As it turned out, it really was cheap and good, a thought that warms this Singaporean’s heart.
Grilled whole fish, baby lobster, tiger prawns, deepfried calamari rings, salad, stir-fried veggies, and seafood green curry with rice
The food was surprisingly light and non-greasy, considering it was a grilled seafood platter, and the seafood was fresh. The seafood green curry was tasty and went really well with the rice. The whole shebang, plus watermelon juice (again!), cost us no more than 124000 Rp (S$25).
In the end, the walk there and back turned out to be a wonderful idea. It was an extremely breezy night, blustery almost. We were both reminded why we love the sea. The breeze and the quintessential smell of the sea left us somewhat reluctant to leave the coast, but leave we had to, for the next day, we were heading to hilly Ubud.
Wantilan Restaurant in the early morning
At peace in Griya Santrian
... but we decided not to have breakfast there, since, to ensure that we would be ready and waiting for the driver from Tegal Sari the next morning, we would have to eat in. Instead, we went in search of a little warung nearby that we had eaten at during the last trip - Made’s Restaurant. The waitress remembered HM from two and a half years ago!
Breakfast at Made’s Restaurant consisted of yoghurt with fruit and a plain pancake for HM, and for me, a breakfast set, with scrambled eggs (or any way you like ‘em), toast and jam and butter, pancake, juice and a pot of Balinese coffee big enough for two. The set, reputedly the cheapest on the stretch, cost 15900 Rp (S$3.20) while the total came up to approximately 30000 Rp (S$6.00).
Then it was off to Kuta for a day of shopping. We took a Bluebird taxi to Kuta Matahari. The cab driver claimed not to have sufficient change for a 50000 Rp note, so he gave himself a “tip” of 5000 Rp, which we really couldn’t do much about, not having any change ourselves. Coincidentally, it happened again later that day, with another cab driver, when once again we were caught short. I made sure we always had small change after that!
Shopping paradise
Oddly enough, despite prowling around for a whole morning and then some, we actually bought very little. At Surfer Girl, we only managed to buy two 9500 Rp (S$2) shopping bags, yes, those shopping bags with the Surfer Girl graphics. The problem was that what we really liked and wanted wasn’t that cheap, or was comparable to what we would have had to pay in Singapore, and so we felt we couldn’t justify the expense. Instead, we settled on buying what we wouldn’t be able to get back home, or at least not at those prices.
The spoils of the morning:
1. Two batik shirts, from Handy, for the two Dads (170000 Rp/S$34) – better material and tailoring for the same price
2. One kebaya top (317900 Rp/S$63)and one short-sleeved blouse (156500 Rp/$32), from Uluwatu Lace, for HM and my Mum respectively - handmade anything in Singapore is a rarity, unless you are willing to pay through the nose for it
3. 200000 Rp (S$40) worth of DVDs that aren’t being sold in Singapore for various reasons, shhhh…
We rewarded ourselves with lunch at Ketupat, off Jalan Legian, not that we had done anything to deserve it!
Ketupat in Jalan Legian, Kuta
Our keropok cunningly hidden
Iced ginger with lemon and honey
The whole spread!
Pisang Rai (steamed bananas with shredded coconut and
palm sugar syrup)
A quiet refuge away from the main drag
We discovered a new dish (for us) which was urap urap, namely steamed vegetables with shredded coconut. The soto ayam was rich and immensely satisfying. The nasi campur made up for what we had missed out on at Lotus Pond the night before, and HM is still talking about the pisang rai. Lastly, the cool, relaxed setting was a pleasure amidst the noise of Kuta, and all that for only 161000 Rp (S$32).
Before we left Kuta, we checked out Poppies. The cottages were all angled in such a way that each doorway and porch faced a different direction and, with suitably positioned foliage, an illusion of privacy was achieved for each cottage. Clever! The pool area was also very pretty. If we ever chose to stay in Kuta, it’d be a real option. Our only reservation? The surrounding area was a real warren of narrow lanes with a million motorbikes zooming around – not exactly the setting for a relaxing holiday.
Finally, still needing to satiate the urge for that elusive bargain, we decided to brave peak hour traffic to go to Surf Factory Outlet, on Jalan Bypass, Tuban. There we finally found one Roxy skirt (223000 Rp/S$45), one pair of Volcom three quarter pants (155000/S$31) and one Ripcurl haversack (130000 Rp/S$26) to buy. Yay! We could now retreat to Sanur in peace.
That evening, we decided to check out Apa Khabar’s grilled seafood basket for two. Having spent the day dodging traffic, drivers and touts in Kuta, HM declined to chance the hazards of Jalan Danau Tamblingan. Instead, we took the beach route that would take us through the famed grounds of the Bali Hyatt, beautiful by day, stunning by night. Must stay at the Bali Hyatt when we are rich and famous, we reminded ourselves.
Gamelan orchestra preparing to play at the Bali Hyatt
Bali Hyatt grounds
The other gamelan at the foyer of the Bali Hyatt
When we got to Apa Khabar, I was a little apprehensive initially. The first thing that happened was we got served these complimentary welcome drinks in shot glasses. Was this going to be one of those places that developed its fame from serving cheap food to customers too tanked up on cheap booze to tell the difference? As it turned out, it really was cheap and good, a thought that warms this Singaporean’s heart.
Grilled whole fish, baby lobster, tiger prawns, deepfried calamari rings, salad, stir-fried veggies, and seafood green curry with rice
The food was surprisingly light and non-greasy, considering it was a grilled seafood platter, and the seafood was fresh. The seafood green curry was tasty and went really well with the rice. The whole shebang, plus watermelon juice (again!), cost us no more than 124000 Rp (S$25).
In the end, the walk there and back turned out to be a wonderful idea. It was an extremely breezy night, blustery almost. We were both reminded why we love the sea. The breeze and the quintessential smell of the sea left us somewhat reluctant to leave the coast, but leave we had to, for the next day, we were heading to hilly Ubud.
posted by blobbes at 11:03 PM
1 comments
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Day 1 - Sanur
Things were a lot better this time round. We were comfortable enough to take an airport taxi to our hotel in Sanur, rather than have the hotel pick us up. No problems there – 55000 Rp. Immediately after we had checked in at Griya Santrian, we went out for a walk to suss things out and see how different things were.
We walked along the beach, all the way from the hotel to the Le Mayeur Museum and back. The redevelopment that was just starting in December 2002 was over. The beach looked better, and there were new features such as breakwaters, walkways and lamp-posts.
Beach fronting Griya Santrian
It was definitely busier too. We saw more tourists walking around than we did the last time. This may account for why we felt less hassled by passing vendors and such - people were less desperate for business. I think we were also a little more adept at saying “no” and not feeling bad. “No, thank you! Not today. Don’t worry, I’ll remember you.”
Despite more people being around, Sanur as a whole felt very peaceful. Griya Santrian itself was a little noiser – kids in the pool and so on. HM thought it was a little too hustle-y and bustle-y, but the beach area in front of the hotel was quiet and deserted. No vendors even!
Had a relaxing lunch, poolside, once we got back to Griya Santrian.
Griya Santrian's pool area
Here's what we ate:
Watermelon juice tastes better in Bali
Nasi goreng with seafood kebabs and egg
Deepfried Stuffed Tofu with Peanut Sauce
Griya Santrian seemed quite untouched, with the exception of a new spa and pool table. We had opted to stay in the beach wing again. The rooms in the beach wing are decent, reasonably well-maintained, although you could say the interiors are somewhat past their prime if you look hard enough.
Superior beach wing room at Griya Santrian
The bathroom
Still, I'd recommend it to anyone who prefers a well-run sedate hotel. Party animals, stay clear.
Had a look at Besakih next door too. The pool area seems even nicer. Hmm, if the rooms are as well appointed or better, we will consider staying there for a change.
Pool at Besakih next door
The latest innovation at Griya Santrian – a seafood grill on Friday night ala Jimbaran Bay, with tables laid out in front on the beach and a decorated boat with fresh seafood laid out on ice.
Jimbaran Bay.... NOT...
The last time we were here, there was a gamelan band hanging around listlessly, because there was no one other than us. This time, staff members were setting up equipment for a band. Not our cup of tea so we went out for a walk and dinner instead.
The first thing we did was to hit the Uluwatu Lace shop. The interiors are so beautiful; my next house is going to look like that, assuming I can afford it! HM checked out the kebaya tops while I looked for some embroidered blouses for my Mum. There was a sale on, and for non-discounted items, we could use our SQ boarding passes for a 15% discount! But we decided to have a look at their other boutiques in Kuta first, before committing ourselves. I bought the Colin McPhee book, A House in Bali, from, of all places, the Hardy's supermarket.
To our disappointment, Lotus Pond was closed for renovations. Yes, it’s a little generic but we knew what to expect from it and it was one of the first places we had eaten at the last time. The Village hadn't been on my list of must-eat places because eating Italian wasn’t a priority. After all, Italian is common in Singapore, and pretty good Italian at that. I’d also heard that THE chef had left to start his own restaurant. Then again, The Village was literally at Griya Santrian’s doorstep, so what the heck, The Village it was. And it was good! Excellent, excellent value for money. The décor was comparable to more upmarket places in Singapore, places that charge two to three times as much.
The Village
Looks good even from the outside
Suitably chi chi
The food, while not quite of the same culinary standard as the afore-mentioned places, was definitely worth it. Ingredients were really fresh, portions were big (ok not Australian big but a good size). The warm octopus salad and ginger crème brulee stood out. Yummy!
Here's what we ate:
(We were too excited and forgot to take photos)
Foccacia with tomato pesto
Warm octopus salad with rocket and herbed potatoes
Homemade beef agnonelli with freshly made tomato sauce
Seared tuna sicillian style
Ginger brulee with cashew rum sauce, and panna cotta with mango and pear
The damage: 254100 Rp (S$50 - a steal!)
As they say in primary school compositions, we went to bed tired but happy.
We walked along the beach, all the way from the hotel to the Le Mayeur Museum and back. The redevelopment that was just starting in December 2002 was over. The beach looked better, and there were new features such as breakwaters, walkways and lamp-posts.
Beach fronting Griya Santrian
It was definitely busier too. We saw more tourists walking around than we did the last time. This may account for why we felt less hassled by passing vendors and such - people were less desperate for business. I think we were also a little more adept at saying “no” and not feeling bad. “No, thank you! Not today. Don’t worry, I’ll remember you.”
Despite more people being around, Sanur as a whole felt very peaceful. Griya Santrian itself was a little noiser – kids in the pool and so on. HM thought it was a little too hustle-y and bustle-y, but the beach area in front of the hotel was quiet and deserted. No vendors even!
Had a relaxing lunch, poolside, once we got back to Griya Santrian.
Griya Santrian's pool area
Here's what we ate:
Watermelon juice tastes better in Bali
Nasi goreng with seafood kebabs and egg
Deepfried Stuffed Tofu with Peanut Sauce
Griya Santrian seemed quite untouched, with the exception of a new spa and pool table. We had opted to stay in the beach wing again. The rooms in the beach wing are decent, reasonably well-maintained, although you could say the interiors are somewhat past their prime if you look hard enough.
Superior beach wing room at Griya Santrian
The bathroom
Still, I'd recommend it to anyone who prefers a well-run sedate hotel. Party animals, stay clear.
Had a look at Besakih next door too. The pool area seems even nicer. Hmm, if the rooms are as well appointed or better, we will consider staying there for a change.
Pool at Besakih next door
The latest innovation at Griya Santrian – a seafood grill on Friday night ala Jimbaran Bay, with tables laid out in front on the beach and a decorated boat with fresh seafood laid out on ice.
Jimbaran Bay.... NOT...
The last time we were here, there was a gamelan band hanging around listlessly, because there was no one other than us. This time, staff members were setting up equipment for a band. Not our cup of tea so we went out for a walk and dinner instead.
The first thing we did was to hit the Uluwatu Lace shop. The interiors are so beautiful; my next house is going to look like that, assuming I can afford it! HM checked out the kebaya tops while I looked for some embroidered blouses for my Mum. There was a sale on, and for non-discounted items, we could use our SQ boarding passes for a 15% discount! But we decided to have a look at their other boutiques in Kuta first, before committing ourselves. I bought the Colin McPhee book, A House in Bali, from, of all places, the Hardy's supermarket.
To our disappointment, Lotus Pond was closed for renovations. Yes, it’s a little generic but we knew what to expect from it and it was one of the first places we had eaten at the last time. The Village hadn't been on my list of must-eat places because eating Italian wasn’t a priority. After all, Italian is common in Singapore, and pretty good Italian at that. I’d also heard that THE chef had left to start his own restaurant. Then again, The Village was literally at Griya Santrian’s doorstep, so what the heck, The Village it was. And it was good! Excellent, excellent value for money. The décor was comparable to more upmarket places in Singapore, places that charge two to three times as much.
The Village
Looks good even from the outside
Suitably chi chi
The food, while not quite of the same culinary standard as the afore-mentioned places, was definitely worth it. Ingredients were really fresh, portions were big (ok not Australian big but a good size). The warm octopus salad and ginger crème brulee stood out. Yummy!
Here's what we ate:
(We were too excited and forgot to take photos)
Foccacia with tomato pesto
Warm octopus salad with rocket and herbed potatoes
Homemade beef agnonelli with freshly made tomato sauce
Seared tuna sicillian style
Ginger brulee with cashew rum sauce, and panna cotta with mango and pear
The damage: 254100 Rp (S$50 - a steal!)
As they say in primary school compositions, we went to bed tired but happy.
posted by blobbes at 10:00 PM
0 comments
Monday, June 20, 2005
A Look Back - Bali 2002
Our first trip to Bali had been a real eye-opener. We were a little taken aback by, what to us, was grime and squalor, coming as we did from squeaky clean Singapore. Don't get me wrong - we quite fancied ourselves the independent travellers. Not for us, the sanitised haven of Nusa Dua where most Singaporean visitors to Bali hide out. Too touristy, we said, we who could proudly claim to have stayed in a S$6 per night homestay in Tanjong Pinang, and a S$12 per night hut in Trikora, the local beach far removed from the comforts of Singapore-run Bintan International Beach Resorts. Somehow, we hadn't expected Bali, Island of the Gods, to be so... third-world.
How could the street just outside the immaculately clean and beautifully landscaped grounds of our hotel be lined with piles of rubbish and dog poo? Why, in the middle of a tourist district like Sanur, were the drains not properly covered, requiring pedestrians to do a hop, skip and jump every now and then? We just couldn't figure it out.
To make matters worse, there were the innumerable touts that pounced on us each time we stepped out of our hotel. It was December 2002, two months after the bombing, and the locals were clearly in dire need of customers, from Sanur to Lovina. Our worst experience was outside some restaurant at Lake Batur. We were tired after a long drive. The meal had been less than appealing, plagued as we had been by swarms of flies. The view had been non-existent; there was heavy fog that day. We really weren't up to being besieged by a crowd of desperate souvenir-selling "aunties" who, once it became clear that we were not about to purchase anything, gave us the evil eye.
So why visit Bali again, one may ask. Well, because it was impossible to ignore the incredible natural beauty of the place, once we learned to look past the dirt. Because, outside the main tourist areas, it was really quiet and relaxing, particularly in the more remote areas of Pemuteran and Amed. Because the Balinese did everything in such an aesthetically pleasing way. We loved the pretty gardens and charming rooms of the small hotels we stayed in, the lovely place settings in the simplest of restaurants. Because I liked how the tacky touristy bits sat side by side with what seemed to be deeply ingrained traditional practices.
Anyway, we figured things would be different this time round. We had a better idea what to expect. We were going to spend some time in Ubud - "one of the culinary capitals of Bali", yes! -which we had had to forgo the first time round. We were looking forward to staying at reputedly one of the best little hotels in Bali, Tegal Sari. I couldn't wait.
How could the street just outside the immaculately clean and beautifully landscaped grounds of our hotel be lined with piles of rubbish and dog poo? Why, in the middle of a tourist district like Sanur, were the drains not properly covered, requiring pedestrians to do a hop, skip and jump every now and then? We just couldn't figure it out.
To make matters worse, there were the innumerable touts that pounced on us each time we stepped out of our hotel. It was December 2002, two months after the bombing, and the locals were clearly in dire need of customers, from Sanur to Lovina. Our worst experience was outside some restaurant at Lake Batur. We were tired after a long drive. The meal had been less than appealing, plagued as we had been by swarms of flies. The view had been non-existent; there was heavy fog that day. We really weren't up to being besieged by a crowd of desperate souvenir-selling "aunties" who, once it became clear that we were not about to purchase anything, gave us the evil eye.
So why visit Bali again, one may ask. Well, because it was impossible to ignore the incredible natural beauty of the place, once we learned to look past the dirt. Because, outside the main tourist areas, it was really quiet and relaxing, particularly in the more remote areas of Pemuteran and Amed. Because the Balinese did everything in such an aesthetically pleasing way. We loved the pretty gardens and charming rooms of the small hotels we stayed in, the lovely place settings in the simplest of restaurants. Because I liked how the tacky touristy bits sat side by side with what seemed to be deeply ingrained traditional practices.
Anyway, we figured things would be different this time round. We had a better idea what to expect. We were going to spend some time in Ubud - "one of the culinary capitals of Bali", yes! -which we had had to forgo the first time round. We were looking forward to staying at reputedly one of the best little hotels in Bali, Tegal Sari. I couldn't wait.
posted by blobbes at 10:13 PM
1 comments
About Me
- Name: blobbes we-don't-have-last-names
- Location: Singapore
I like the anonymity of the internet, don't you? May add more, later...
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Previous Posts
- A Last Look
- Day #7 - Going Home
- Aside #2 - Did you know that...?
- Day 6 - Rush, rush, hurry, hurry
- Day 5 - Big Day Out
- Day 4 - Exploring Ubud
- Aside #1 - Mother Nature and Us
- Day 3 - Goodbye Sanur, Hello Ubud
- Day 2 - Shopping Day in Kuta
- Day 1 - Sanur
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