Day Four (30/3/2006 - Thursday *Nyepi day)
Sunrise in Bali is almost one hour earlier compared to where I live in Kuala Lumpur - West Malaysia.
6:30am, I woked up and opened the glass sliding door(wooden #18). The cool fresh air gushed into our room. Overlooking the green padi field, is so quite (only sound of birds chirping and crickets) and is so peaceful out there... Couple of heron flew pass the Padi field, the day is windy, light wind blowing the padi creating waves of green...The sky is cloudy and it drizzle...is a great day to stay in the hotel.
Our breakfast was served to our room at 8:30am. I made a Balinese Coffee (tea and coffee making facilities provided in the room) and seeping away at the balcony enjoying the peaceful ambiance...The time just went pass so quickly and is 10:00am.
I went over to the reception area, and was told that massage services available at the Bale next to the pool or in the room at RP75K/hour. Very popular and most time slot was booked and only able to confirm slot at Bale for 2 person at 6PM. I booked the slot for 2 persons (for the 2 old ladies). Filled up our bottle of drinking water at dispenser next to the reception counter. (big bottle RP2000, small bootle RP1000).
We borrowed a couple of Chinese books from the library above the reception area and a boardgame back to our room. Apparently, the small little library up there have some good collection of books in Chinese, Japanese and English. I was told that these books were left by ex-hotel guest from all over the world. A desktop PC is also provided at the corner for dial-up internet access for the convenient of hotel guest.
We went back to our room, I made another coffee....have a couple of round of boardgame with my daugther...It rains intermittently...Is a rare moment where we just sat on the daybed and relax and enjoy, the next time we check the time was 12:30 noon. We got back to the reception area waited for a table for lunch. The restaurant is very busy since all the hotel guest will be dining in-house, the friendly restaurant crew set up our table for 5. We ordered different menu item from the Indonesian Section...again, no complaint about our meal, everything were just so good and delicious ! But onething we noticed, (you may not agreed or we may be wrong), the unique taste of balinese food came from the herbs, particularly the ginger, I chewed the ginger and the tip of my tongue got the numbly sensation and the taste of the ginger is quite unique and strong compared to those from our country Malaysia...Anyway, we like it..
Back to the room, we read and relax at the balcony and again another coffee..! Kind of addicted to their coffee, I called the reception and checked the brand and is called "Kupu Kupu Dunia" - (Butterfly and Globe)....Noted down in my shopping list for next day. Apart from its good aroma, the preparation is hassle free, the coffee beans grinded into fine power and just mixed a spoonful of coffee power with hot water, stir and wait for the sediment to settle down and drink, coffee filter is not required.
We spend the whole lazy afternoon reading and nap. The 2 old folks getting ready for their massage at 6PM waited at our balcony. The hotel staff started to distribute the small candle plate to every rooms. The shade for the candle plate is made of layer taken from shoot of a banana tree. Nicely curled up with the candle placed inside. We were also exicited about the night hoping to see some fire flies in the Padi fields at night. Nyoman, the hotel told us that there was fire flies on Monday night, where they brought the kids to watch them.....My daughter was dissapointed the past 2 nights since the fire flies did not appeared at night...Just hoping can have a glimpse tonight...
Is total darkness outside, the lights around the hotel compound were off, to keep the light minimal, turn off the light at the balcony, but keeping the light in the room on with curtain down. For safety of my pregnant wife, I called for room service and to have our dinner in the room. For dinner we ordered the non-listed item, the Balinese fried chicken.....
Outside was dark, other than the sound of cricket, frogs (from the lotus pond beside the gym area) and unknown creatures.. we also heard the long loud wailing cry of dogs from nearby....I walk down the stair of our unit with light from the candle
light, try to check if any fire flies....but another dissapointment....the air (or my feeling) is chilly.....
..to be continue..