This is a continuation from my HNR1 which is probably down the bottom of the page if you want to see the start!
Anyway, continuing on....
Breakfast is not provided at Beach Melati so it gives us a chance to wander around the area and find something we like. First day stop was Shandys. I was interested in going here as I understood it to be the old cafe from the front of Beach Melati just moved down the road - I ended up disappointed. Cost Rp243,000 (3 x 2 weetbix, full cooked breakfast, poached eggs, 2 milkshakes, 2 juices and 1 bali coffee). My poached eggs were watery with runny white and it was 2 eggs on 1 piece of toast in the middle of a big plate, the toast was soggy from poorly drained eggs which is a personal gagging moment for me! Husband said the sausages in his full breakfast were inedible. The kids liked the familiarity of weetbix, but its not worth the familiarity to have the breakfast there again.
Spent all day Thursday at Waterbom park, although with the amount of traffic between Jl Padma Utara and Waterbom I started wondering whether it would still be open when we got there! Finally arrived and paid - Rp1,118,00 for 2 adults, 1 child (4 year old free because little person area is closed for renovations) and for Rp500,000 to be put on the wrist band for spending. Once inside we hired the family locker for Rp35,000 with a Rp30,000 deposit and a regular gazebo for Rp150,000 with a Rp75,000 deposit. We then found our way to the gazebo, settled in and started the usual activities! Kids loved lazy river, Master 7 loved the Jungle Fever waterside which scared me! There was a small section open for small children that had 3 little waterslides and a wading pool that we spent most of our time at. Lunch cost Rp194,000 (nasi goreng, club sandwich, pizza, soda water, tonic water and aqua). Everything tasted great and we loved delivery to gazebo. Stayed until about 4.30 when adults had enough!
Dinner that night was at Mozarella by the Sea - FANTASTIC is the only word for it! Location great, staff attentive without being intrusive, service fast and accurate, food amazing. Cost Rp584,000 (chicken & mushroom pasta, rib eye steak, garlic bread, steamed rice, chocolate cake, chocolate lava, cream caramel, crepes, icecream, 2 waters, 1 virgin mojito and 2 drunk mojitos - it was 2 for 1 cocktail night!). This was a great meal and we cannot recommend this restaurant enough!
Friday bought Bamboo Shoots Cooking School. Driver Adi arrived at 6.45am to pick us up and take us to Sindhu Market to meet with Irma and Dewi for shopping. I loved looking around at this market and amaze at the fruits and vegetables we don't usually see and the interesting methods of meat, fish and chicken storage/handling. The kids complained about the smell - mainly fish I think, but it was a good experience for them. Once shopping done its back into the car to head for SBV and breakfast. An enjoyable breakfast poolside while the girls prepped for class, we later headed over to get started.
Bamboo Shoots is a purpose built kitchen at the rear of SBV. It has its own facilities and is a great little spot. Irma and Dewi run a great class with a good mix of instruction and interraction. A great range of dishes are made, 5 in total with full explanation and of course eating! A bound booklet is provided at the end of the class with all the recipes for making at home. The class ends around 12 and by that time we were so full we could barely move! I certainly recommend the cooking class and have been told that if you go back to do it again they will present different dishes to avoid repetition.
We had Adi drop us off at Matahari Kuta Sq instead of the hotel so we could do some shoe shopping. Master 7 loves wearing slides, he liveds in Adidas rubber ones at home so we take the opportunity in Bali to buy him 'going out slip ons' (tongue in cheek) in leather when here. Matahari have a great range of childrens shoes and we always come out happy. Spent Rp569,000 and came out with 2 pairs boys leather slides (pair to fit now and next size up) 2 pairs of girls patent leather mary janes, 1 pair of girls ballet slippers in patent leather and 1 pair girls sandles. This is such great value. The clothing is also great value for money, as is the makeup but this will be a return trip alone to take advantage of them!
After walking most of Legian St back toward Legian, Master 7 and I gave in to the biting sun and heat and jumped in a cab back to hotel and straight into the pool for an afternoon swim. Husband and Miss 4 joined us a little later after walking for longer but also giving in and catching a cab!
Afternoon slighty ruined by the new resident who checked into the apartments and after being there for less than an hour came out and asked that I keep the children quieter in the pool as the noise was going into his living area! My kids were playing a make believe game and putting on voices and simply playing in a manner that has not annoyed anyone else for our entire trip - I am very careful about my children screeching or fighting etc but I cannot ask them to remain silent when playing harmlessly in the pool (and we only ever swim between the hours of 12 - 4 for the comfort of others). We will see how that neighbour relationship pans out over the coming days!
Dinner that night at LaMonde, such a comedown from previous nights dinners! I am sure that many people love going to LaMonde but we have decided that its not really for us. The menu is so huge that we have trouble finding anything that jumps out, and the one on Jl Padma Utara is quite stuffy especially when the chain smoking brigades move in. Dinner only cost Rp149,000 (2 pizzas, 1 lemon cooler, waters and 1 large bitang) but the pizzas were tasteless which was a real shame.
Did some shopping on the way back, still early shopping days for us so still unsure of pricing - paid Rp240,000 for 4 pairs of the elastic topped full length pants - I am happy with Rp60,000 per pair as I can't get them made for less than this (have had similar made in the past), but will see if I can get them slightly less later as I still have a quantity to buy for friends who love them! Miss 4 has her heart set on a butterfly pendant necklace that we are yet to find and both kids want butterfly and dragonfly to hang on their bedroom walls.
Another day done, the weekend coming up and I am hoping to do the night tour, dinner and show at the Zoo Saturday night and we are looking forward to heading back to TJ's and Pappas for dinners....will update again in a few days :)