Tuesday
Power walking along Seminyak beach in trainers doesn't work, not with the river Ganges opening out to sea every 100 metres or so. We'll either have to stick with the beach and thongs or the road and trainers.
After our delicious breakfast in the villa (juice, fruit, pastries, omelette and bacon for me, banana pancakes for her) we stick with our plan for a relaxing 'no shopping' holiday and ride to Legian to find Total Cushions (as recommended on this forum by quite a few) to look into getting some covers and cushions for our day bed at home. Dolie seemed a friendly chap and very good with accents (including my North Midlands/Aussie version), although he clarified that he can understand David Beckham but Stevy G, no chance, he then launches into his effort at a scouse accent which was quite hilarious. I assumed he was referring to Steven Gerrard.
Anyway I'm sold, easy to do business with, I haggled a little but 2 day bed covers in a canvas material and 3 embroidered cushion covers for 1,850k seems a good deal to me, hope they work out.
On the way to JP's for a beer, we ride past Homeboys, a place a mate of mine put me onto and we stop to see if I can get some jeans. I'm not very good at this Duchy says as I'm huffing and puffing in the changing room, trying most of the jeans in the shop. I eventually sort out a couple of pairs, give up on buying shirts as they are boy not man size, but pick out a nice T for my nephew. I don't have enough cash on me for these unexpected purchases, so they put them to one side for me but after all that effort I don't want to leave it too long to get back.
So we finally make it to JP's for a quick Binnie and lunch (2 Bintangs, 1 aqua, Mie Goreng and Soto Ayam - 160k). The same regular is here in his usual seat. I've previously speculated that he runs a G8 economy from his laptop in JP's. If this is indeed the case it must be the French, based on his phone calls and things aren't going well given that he is doing much frowning, mumbling and throwing of stuff onto the table. Mmmm think I'll get out of French government bonds when I get home.
Where does the time go? We've just got back home, time is 1:26, we have a massage booking in our room (complimentary!!) for 2 and I have to get from Petitenget to Homeboys (between Bintang and Double Six) via the money changer and back for 2.00pm. Can I make it? Well a piece of bike riding has not been seen since that Scottish actor who did Star Wars went riding somewhere with his mate who's name I definitely can't remember because he's not even famous. I wasn't just over and undertaking, I was up and side taking too. I must have looked a picture as I flew along with my helmet strap flapping in the wind. I'm expecting a call from Honda at any time to get me onboard for their latest promotional advertising piece - "40 and free on a Vario".
In truth I got stuck behind a Kijang for most of the way and kept getting overtaken by girls riding side saddle! I fly in the door at 2:01 though, just did it. I'd filled up on Vodka earlier (the bike not me, they sell petrol in old Absolut bottles at the side of the road to save you going to the servo) but after that jaunt i need to find another offy. (off licence) One minute I'm high on monoxide and with grit in my eyes, next minute I'm showered with my face in the hole. Massage was just ok, but still relaxing and we bombed out for an afternoon kip.
We had Mama San booked for tonight so the yummy looking Duchy and I, sans helmets take off back up Laksmana, I can't help but keep noticing the advertising sign for a spa along here, at least I hope it's advertising a spa! It depicts a woman sitting in a bath having red wine poured over her. How rich do the Balinese think we are! We can't afford to drink wine over here never mind bath in it. Even the "Margaret River/Bali" wine I spotted on a menu the other day is out of our price range. Boy is that a confused Terrior by the way.
Mama San's was great. It's still relatively empty when we get there just after 7 yet we are taken to the table right at the back near the kitchen. I display my best frown and say no way. I employ the same theory with hotels rooms, they always seem to see us as the suckers to give away the table/room that no one else wants. I later notice 2 other couples do a touch-and-go at that table, glad I'm not the only fussy one. Anyway back to important matters, the ambience is good, toilets fab. (The Balinese sometimes have a bit of fun with the toilets don't they? At Mama San there is an attendant, beautiful hand pressed copper basins. At JP's earlier we noticed that instead of a mirror behind the wash basin it opened straight into the men's/ladies, depending on your perspective!)
The food is just Fab...... Where to start, the Beef and bamboo dumplings with chilli and hot bean sauce as recommended by Rob Broadfield (I think) were just a melt in the mouth flavour explosion. The Pork Char Sui with five spice sauce was tasty and the Thai fish cakes with sweet chilli sauce and pickled cucumber as good as we've ever had in Thailand. The mains to follow also good. We had the Burmese short rib beef curry with chilli garam masala and potatoes and the Chick pea and eggplant Dhal with chilli and fresh coriander plus Asian greens and Roti. We over ordered, can you tell? It was all delicious and they happily gave us a doggy bag, so I've got a nice midday snack around the pool lined up for tomorrow assuming I get to sit around the pool tomorrow. I mustn't forget to mention the chilli and lime margaritas, with Tequila, honey, pressed lime and pineapple, which are the reason I think I have a 'thick head' this morning. They were delightful. We must go back for the Creme brulee with Vietnamese coffee affogato. Cost all up was 920k.
We thought we'd push on tonight and check out the bar at the new W hotel. I'd noticed on our first morning walk a hotel being built near here called the 'L' hotel. Won't be long me thinks before there is an 'A', 'B', 'C'...... hotel in Seminyak. The hotel is half a mile from the road, no joke and it's quite a dramatic entrance. The walk from the car park up a cobbled drive way, certainly not suitable for heels I'm told, takes a good 5 minutes. They have really gone to town, there is amazing detail everywhere. We check out all the restaurants, which look lovely but very expensive and a little 'cold'. There is absolutely nothing Balinese about this place at all, you could be anywhere in the world. It's just a little soulless. We had a drink at the beachfront bar which was only sparsely populated and when we asked if we could sit at the front overlooking the beach were imperiously told 'no, for hotel guest only'. Seats were wet anyway, presumably from earlier pool swimmers, but not a particularly welcoming feel. We had a drink, felt like we were getting the soul sucked out of us and left. (350k ouch) As we left we realised that maybe the bar near reception would have been a better bet, as it has a great view of the hotel all lit up, and rolling surf. We won't rush back though.