We've booked a driver for today to go to the Kupu-Kupu (butterfly) park outside of Tabanan city today. We used Wayan, the driver who picked us up for the Bamboo Shoots cooking school. His village is in the same vicinity & he knows the area well so we figure he'll be a good guide.
The entry into Tabanan is beautiful - parks & gardens surround it and the road in is lined with statues and beautiful tropical plants. We stop off at a Dunkin Donuts for coffee & morning tea. I can't say I'm too impressed with the breakfast at Kumala Pantai. I'd ordered a mixed omelette at breakfast & it was inedible so I'd had toast & vegemite instead. The previous day hubby had some pancakes - also inedible. They tasted of rancid oil & the syrup was revolting.
The coffee & honey glazed donut made up for breakfast though :-)
Entry to the butterfly park cost around AU $12 for the 3 of us. The gardens are beautiful & it was amazing to see all the different varieties of butterflies fluttering around. I had told Miss 5 about how they would put some on her dress & we'd take photos but when it came to crunch time, she wasn't keen. Typical!! They put them on me instead & hubby (who fancies himself as an amateur photographer but has no talent) takes the pics. I'd taken some of him holding the huge praying mantis & leaf insect earlier. Later when we are back in the car I look at the photos he's taken. Great shot I say - of some headless person in a black top with butterflies covering it. Could be anyone LOL. At least he got some close ups of the ones on my head & face.
From the butterfly park we head up to Jati Luwih and the vistas of rice fields. Not far from the butterfly park we pass a sign for hot springs. Damn, I've always wanted to visit a hot spring but thought it was too far to drive with Miss 5. I should've had a better look at my map before we left - we have no bathers or towels with us. Oh well, there's always next time!
The road up into Jati Luwih is rough & full of potholes. I start worrying about Miss 5 as she gets car sick on long & bumpy rides. No problems this time though thank goodness. The views are spectacular & we stop a few times for photo taking (me in charge of the camera this time LOL). We decline Wayan's suggestion that we stop at Billy's for lunch, although the views from up there are special. I want to go to Echo Beach for a late lunch/early dinner at La Sal del Mar (our favourite restaurant from when we stayed out there last Oct).
As we leave Jati Luwih Miss 5 starts complaining - we've been in the car since 9.15am and it's now around 1.00pm and she's reached her limit. She complains of being hungry, tired & feeling sick in rotation every 5 mins. Hubby tells her to lay down on the back seat and within minutes she's asleep. Aaaah bliss, now I can just relax & enjoy the countryside going by.
We intended to stop at Tanah Lot before heading to Canggu but we're getting hungry so head straight for Echo Beach instead. When we arrive, we're disappointed to find that La Sal del Mar has closed. The locals tell us that La Sal in Seminyak is still open though (great I think, another hour long taxi ride!). We had lunch at Sticky Fingers overlooking the surf. The 3 of us shared 2 pizzas, Miss 5 just about polishing off the cherry tomato & bocconcini one on her own!). We had a water & a couple of soft drinks & the bill was just under RP 200,000. I really love it out there, and we will definitely go back for a stay at Kubu Rama again in the future.
The traffic back into Seminyak/Legian is at a standstill along the main drag. I joke to Wayan that I could get out & do some shopping, dropping off my bags to the car as it crawls along Jl Raya Seminyak. Well he thinks I'm joking LOL. We stop off at Bintang supermarket so we can pick up some Vodka (the local stuff - AU $10 for 500ml) and I stock up on some boring essentials to take home - the outdoor candles with the plastic covers that stop them blowing out, some soft pack refills of Lux bodywash and a small knife & chopping board to use in the room for chopping up fruit). So cheap the knife & block only cost $1 each and a pack of 12 candles is less than $2. Miss 5 also picks up a pair of groovy purple kids sunglasses for RP 12,000 :-)
Back to the hotel for a quick rest, then I've promised Miss 5 a shopping trip to the Fairy Shop. Hubby heads off for a manicure & pedicure (I'll clarify... no nail polish LOL). The Fairy Shop is a 5 year old girl's heaven! We buy a 2 piece mermaid costume, with matching crown & wand decorated with pearls, a pair of lycra ballet slippers and a leotard with attached tutu and a matching headband. Total RP 425,000
There is a full length princess dress she wants too but I've run out of cash. You'll have to ask Dad I tell her :-)
We head back to the hotel, have a quick swim & a short time later hubby arrives. We decide to order room service as it's nearly 8.00pm by now. We had a fish & chips (Miss 5), a tagliatelle with crab (hubby) and I have the penne with eggplant, ricotta & bacon. 2 x tiramasu for dessert. Total was just under RP 200,000 which is pretty good for hotel prices I think. My penne was very good, probably the best of the 2 pasta dishes.
After dinner I make a visit to the internet place across the road to catch up on my BTF posts & then it's back to the hotel for bed. I need some rest as I plan to hoof it around shopping in the morning!