After unpacking our suitcases and congratulating ourselves on choosing a great room in a great little hotel we thought we'd better check on the kids next door at Greenfields and see if they were having a similar reaction.I was actually feeling a bit hesitant about it all and hoping desperately that they were happy with what was essentially my choice of hotel.
Finally we tracked them down.Leon and Danielle were staying in the Bale Semanggen room on the upper floor overlooking the pool.Their room was one of the original rooms of the hotel.It had very ornate,handcarved doors and a huge daybed on their large balcony which also overlooked the same ricefields as we did,but were they happy?...Big smiles all round...phew!
Now,off to find Bianca and Matt.They were staying in the newer Bale Gede room closer to reception and on the ground floor,also with lovely ricefield views through lovely floor to ceiling windows.They too were very happy,so everything was off to a good start.Relief!
Dinner that night,we all decided,would be close to the hotel.It had been a long and tiring day and I think everyone just wanted a good feed and an early night so we headed for Siam Sally,a Thai reataurant about 200 metres away.
SIAM SALLY
I love the way the Balinese create wonderful ambience and mood in their restaurants and this place was no exception.With the usual roadside menu and very nice young waitresses inviting us to venture in,we chose a table on the top floor of this seductively lit open pavillion.The warmth of the wood panelling and the large lanterns really set the scene for a great first night in Ubud and the food was very,very good.
2 sm bintangs,frozen lychee martini,thai fish cake entree,satay chicken entree,pad thai,red duck curry,and the best coconut icecream 'siam' sundae I've ever had...Rp440,000 inc 15,5% tax and service.
Not exactly a cheap meal by local standards but a great evening nonetheless and everyone agreed,especially Leon who gave the martinis a bit of a nudge.
DAY ONE
We hadn't planned to do much that day,just get to know Ubud and have a bit of a walk around.I was on a bit of a mission as I had to find a bar that would show the FA Cup that night.
The girls' plan was to catch the hotel shuttle to the Ubud markets,shop 'til they dropped and then walk all the way down Monkey Forest Road back to the Tegal Sari via all the boutiques and foot massage places...and us boys had to carry the bags.
Ubud markets isn't exactly the cleanest place around (Sukawati markets are even worse) but the kids took it all in their stride and before long were right into the haggling.We'd already had 'haggling classes' long before we even got to Bali and I was casting a watchful eye over the flock,moving from couple to couple as we moved through the stalls,occasionally peering over a shoulder and chipping in with a cry of "oh bankrupt" and generally trying to make sure the flock didn't get too badly fleeced.They loved it! and before long they were on their own.I was quietly pleased.Leon,who had only ever been to Kangaroo Island in his whole life,within an hour was battling with hardened old Ubud women down to the last 5000 rupiah.
Walking home was the worst,but no surprise.Us boys waited obediently outside shop after shop like a bunch of bag laden packhorses tied to a pole out front while the girls 'boutiqued' in airconditioned comfort.
BINGO! Walked past the Lobong Cafe with a big sign out front saying TONITE 9.30 FA CUP LIVE.I walked in and reserved a big table right next to their plasma TV,front row seats for tonight.Not much further down the road was Cinta Grill (sister restaurant to Siam Sally) and with an offer of 15% discount we booked a table for 8.00 that night.
CINTA GRILL
Another very nice ambient place and part of the BaliGoodFood restaurant chain.
2 sm bintang,equil,crab cake entree,penne putanesca and the best baby back pork ribs EVER...Rp253,000 all up.That's more like it.
Later at the Lobong Cafe
EVERTON 1 CHELSEA 2