Saturday 21st August we left Legian in our car and with Wayan Merta driving a second car at about 8.30.
We headed north to SD 3 Sobangan where we sponsor children.
Mum and Dad have been sponsoring since 2003. They only ever saw photos of the girls so it was very moving for Dad to meet the girls. Desi who lost her Mum in April this year, seemed very loving this time and was lovely to Dad. (Although in saying that, all Indonesians we met, seem to have great respect for older people and were all wonderful, respectful and kind towards Dad). I suggested to Mariani that the children do some singing which they did ever so happily. She usually gets a group on side to have some fun singing. (I got teary as the first song was 1. I love my mother, 2. I love my father, 3. I love my brothers and sisters, 4. I love everyone). After a couple more songs our group decided to sing to them. What a laugh! We couldn't think of a song to sing at first, then sang Kookaburra sits on an old gum tree, then Waltzing Matilda. The children did laugh a lot! After an hour we headed back south to the Mengwi senior high school for Dad to meet Lodi. What a tidy organised large high school. We were astounded at the number of motor bikes in the parking lots. Hundreds! I think about 700 children attend the school. Lodi spoke English very well and we chatted for a while.
Across to Tropical Bale for lunch in Ubud and as always delightful setting and beautifully presented meals.
Hel-gie visited later with our emailed orders and we met Tina too. A baby girl will be joining their family in November. What a delightful couple.
Election night in Australia and we were keen to hear the results as soon as available.
The TV in Bali Bagus kept us up to date with seats.
(I asked a friend at home to sms me when she knew the name of her leader. Funny about that, I never got the sms!)
TV at SuriWathi only has Indo channels so we never turn it on.
We had heavy rain overnight a few nights and one night the thunder was about a million decibels. I wished I got up and watched the lightening, but I dozed off.
We had gourmet break-i-athons at La lucchiola, Ma Joly and Breeze @ Samaya.
Although our breakfast is included in the tariff at SW, its basic, so we like to treat ourselves a few times. (Funny, but we'd never spent au$50 on breakfast for 2 at home, but in Bali, although over the top, we loved the beachfront location with excellent service and food.)
The staff at La Lucchiola is similar to last visit, excellent eye candy!
The beachfront at Tuban amazed us.
Last time we visited Ma Joly, probably 2 years ago, part of the front portico had fallen into the sea. Large rocks were placed attempting to restrict the erosion.
This visit the portico has been reinstated, a walkway separates the restaurant from about 50m of sand, to the waters edge. Looks fabulous. The sand was apparently obtained from Lombok. Funny, they have also planted shade trees, like the ones that have been cut down on Legian beach.
One night we piled into the APV and booked a table for 8 at Zanzibar. The boys ordered a 2 litre ‘container of beer'. The draught beer is poured into a centre glass tube and surrounded by ice. It stands more than ½ metre highnon the table and glasses are filled turning on the tap at the bottom of the ‘container'. The boys loved the icy cold beer and didn't have any trouble drinking their way through the first 2L.
Garlic lane restaurant in Jl Sahadewa has similar beer containers. (I think I saw advertised 350,000rp for 3L with French fries).
Garlic lane restaurant is one of our favourites for good food, good service, reasonably priced, close to our hotel and nice decor. We had a few lunches and a couple of dinners there.
Swish restaurant ex Indo National/Breeze/Moonlight was being extensively renovated over the couple of weeks we were in Bali, in Jl Sahadewa, opposite SuriWathi.
Gee it looks good. Pizza oven under the front verandah, lovely woodwork throughtout, new toilets, new kitchen. Apparently based on coffee shop format, with bar, pizzas, meals. The colour scheme looks very warm and totally different. I hope they also have wi-fi available as SW wi-fi ‘pinished', broken. Internet still works but you cant use your laptop at SW any longer. (I had to go over to Legian Cyber cafe to connect up by cable).
More another time....