Well we got back last Wednesday after nearly a month in Bali. We being myself with about 3/4 of an eye between the two (waiting for cataract surgery) and my seeing eye husband Brian.
I had one cataract removed on Tuesday and I'M BACK!!!! Mind you I have discovered on taking off the dressing that Brian is actually not a young Indonesian fella!! Yes it's true. What a deception!! Ah well I think I'll keep him because I've become quite attatched to him. After all he did keep me from falling in any drains, off any kerbs, up any steps or anywhere really. He also carried my bakso across the beach to my chair for me and didn't once sneak the fuller glass of wine, well maybe once but I had a swig out of his when he went to the toilet so nothing lost!!!
I knew I could still enjoy Bali even with bad vision, after all I have seen it before one or thirty times but I didn't dare to hope I'd enjoy it more than ever. "How can that be?" I ask myself but don't get a sensible answer. Yesterday I got busy on the phone and computer and booked us to go back for Christmas. Well we did come back to the news from my favourite accountant (and most estemed son in law formerly known as "that b****** wh0 married my daughter" but now promoted) that we both got tax refunds that just happen to add up to the cost of a trip to Bali, well nearly. Oh I forgot that I don't need to justify this to you lot because you know this is perfectly normal behaviour.
Anyway I digress, back to Bali.
We spent the first week at Bali Ayu and had a great time. The staff and location as always were great and the other guests around the pool friendly and absolutely no cringe factor which has bothered me a couple of times before.
What a great place for eating options. We ate Warung Tante Ida and a nameless warung where the taxi drivers eat, opposite the tofu cafe just to the left as you leave Bali Ayu, for lunches of great Indonesian home style food At night we had terrific meals at Bonita and met the great Bonita himself. Warung Sobat, as usual, terrific food at crazy prices and great ambience, to be found on Jln. Batu Belig.
We also ate at Rumours, all good again and tried Mykonos for the first time after hearing rave reviews of this forum. That is simply the best Greek food I ever ate, even in Greece and Melbourne. Absolutely fell in love with the place.
We then moved on for 2 night at Pacung Indah. What a beautiful tranquil place. We enjoyed meeting David and Moira and also enjoyed the lunchtime buffet and two evening meals there. We had the room with the loo with a view and what a view. God knows what it must be like if you can actually see it clearly!!! We rode the local public bemo down to lake Bratan and ate Bakso Ayam by the lake. Lucky we like Bakso Ayam because all of the kaki lima numbering 15 or so sold guess what? Bakso Ayam. Must be a local speciality or something, anyway it was yummy. Then back to Candi Kuning for a turn around the market and a couple beers and half a footy match at Crackers bar. Actually I wanted to take mine into the loos to drink it but it was a bit far for refills.
OK on the road again to Ubud. We haven't stayed there for years and quite enjoyed it but I don't think I'll ever be an Ubudite. We stayed at Hotel Yulia opposite Ubud Village Inn which may have been a better, if more costly, choice. Nothing wrong exactly with Yulia but I think it's struggling after the quiet times. Not many staying there, in fact they only put out 2 or 3 pool towels at a time and I can see why. The poolview rooms were nice however and everything worked and was clean. Breakfast was a little eccentric unless you like slices of scrambled eggs and happen to have a steak knife handy for the toast. Ah well still enjoyed ourselves but went up the street for breakfast the next day!!!
Lots of good eating options slong Monkey Forest road and Ubud was really buzzing at night. We ate at a warung down towards the forest one night and it just reminded me of Bali in the old days. Naively I ordered spaggetti carbonara and just like the old days it came back Bali style. It was spagetti somehow magically turned into mie goreng ala spag. The thing was, also like the old days, it was absolutely mouth wateringly good!! Not, however, as mind blowingly yummy as the garlic bread which turned out to be a a garlic sandwich, which was toasted. Oh what a culinary delight with the combination of sweet Indonesian bread and garlic (a lot of garlic)and butter. God only knows what we smelled like!! We really enjoyed that night's journey down memory lane.
From Ubud we went back to Brian's beloved Legian and Kumala Pantai. Very full as usual and very good too. Contrary to quite a few people we ate a couple of times at the new Italian restaurant and really enjoyed it and it was packed from lunchtime through til late. Although after the garlic sandwich confession who's going to be taking my restaurant recommendations? Love their black rice pudding with a scoop of vanilla icecream in it.
We eat most lunches on the beach and on any day that could be Nasi campur from the little warung (new or never noticed it before) bakso, chicken soup or nasi Ayam bukus. All yummy, no upset tums.
At night there are really just too many options, all good. We always like Tekor but could't get in there at first with Lanai and Zanzibar out of action but when Zanzibar reopened we got back to Tekor. Big menu and so hard to choose.
We also like The Flying Piano. What a perculiarly Bali feeling, to be sitting in a Swiss owned cafe in a Bali street eating pasta while an Indonesian quartet plays "Achey Breaky Heart"!! I'm using a lot of !!!!!s in this JBR but it was that kind of trip.
Yutz was good as usual. Warung Asia has Thai food to die for once again at crazy prices. AAAAh, the Pad Thai.........
Warung Murah, still murah and stil delicous Indonesian food.
If it sounds as though we did spend a lot of time eating, well that's because we did!!!
Flight home with Garuda went with no hitches and really all I can say is "Bring on the next time!" and add a few!!!!!!!!!!!s
eom. still to get new reading glasses!!