Bubi Guling
We always invite two families of local friends to our hotel for a meal and this trip I thought I would make it a suckling pig meal. When I asked one of my friends if they thought the rest of the group would like that she said they would really love it and to keep it a surprise. She was right.There was great excitement when they all arrived. The Bumi Ayu hotel organized it all and as well as the pig there was salad, vegetable dishes an amazing sambal of dozens of spices etc and platters of fruit for dessert. The hotel also did a lot of decorating with umbrellas and hanging things so it looked quiet special. Both my group and the local friends loved it and the surprise was terrific. Myself, being a vegetarian ordered off the menu but it will definitely become a new tradition. Lots of leftovers to share with my friends and the staff.
Tulumben Snorkelling
I have been going to Tulumben for about 20 years and my kids and their partners also love it. This time we left by 8am and had a snack stop at Candidasa to eliminate the grumpy, needing food thing that sometimes happens with young men. The cafe and food were lovely and we would have liked to have had time to take up the offer of a fisherman to take us around the large rocks in his boat - maybe next time.
On the trips to Tulumben over the last ten years I get a young guy called Nunga to be our guide (not that you need one) but he is great to point things out and we usually bring him a few old fins and masks from trash n treasure or a rashie. While we only see him on one day once a year it still feels like a lovely friendship. The enormous school of Jackfish has been missing for a few months and we only saw a smaller school of them which was a shame as we have some good pics on canvas of the school. (Did see a lot for sale on the roadside, maybe they've been caught! Love feeding the huge parrot fish bananas. There was a large bed of garden eels which are amusing to swim over as they pop back under ground as you go over them. We did one swim and then had a meal directly opposite the car park entrance on the main road which was very nice and very cheap followed by another swim. I often find the morning swell is a bit less later in the day but it may be the time of year we go in.
We wanted to stop at Goa Lawah (the bat cave temple) to watch the newbie deal with the hawkers but we were a bit tired so headed back to Sanur. Much quicker trip back with the roadworks of past trips completed and we managed to not get the customary pull over by police to contribute to their funds.
Dinner was at Costa Rica, we had a couple of meals at this one and its sister restaurant down the road and the seafood and rib dishes were popular. Pina Colada only a 6/10. Creme brulees at the Commodore were curdled but the same menu of bbq seafood etc which were fine.
Paintings
After dinner we headed to see how some paintings were progressing. Each of the couples had paintings done from photos - one was of the pet dog (had one done 2 years ago also) - 3 were of my friends toddler that were outstanding and one of the 3rd couple taken at the wedding. The paintings were done at Talaga Tunjung Gallery which is at 226 Tamblingan, southern end. The prices were great, based on a cost per face. As we walked down the ramp to the gallery the ones of the toddler looked like she was really there, so captured her and accurate to the photos.
St Regis Sunday Brunch
While this has been described a number of times newbies don't always access the archives and it was a post here that encouraged us to go.
The St Regis is a beautiful hotel at Nusa Dua and it is worth a stroll when there to see the pools and so on. We enquired about rooms but thought $1,000 a night wasn't really us!
The brunch usually requires a booking and probably best to take your own driver as we got dropped off as our friend had an emergency trip to make to his village and the hotel is quite far from available drivers and the hotel car back was expensive.
The brunch starts at 11am and getting there on time is a good idea. We sat outside and enjoyed a number of cocktails from the choice of 7. They were all delicious. At 12.00 you move to the dining room and can choose from the huge buffets, from the menu or from the plates being offered by staff walking round the room.
One of our group didn't make too many trips to the buffet - the cocktails kept her seated for a while! So many choices - fresh oysters, smoked salmon, duck pancakes, lobster omelette, breads, gazpacho shots, salmon mousse shots, cheeses, salads,roast meats, hot and cold asian foods and so on. The desserts were also abundant = chocolate fountain with fruit or banana cake, macaroons, orange passionfruit brulee, choc mousse shots, tiramisu, fruits, ice creams and so on. I took a pic of most things and while my kids hate me taking food pics they thought these were worthwhile.
Numerous juices, teas etc can be ordered during the afternoon or one can choose to pay for a wine or cocktail drink package as extra. We couldn't have handled any more alcohol. The brunch is $52 Aus and is great value. The pianist and singer added some nice ambience and there was a kid's area with a clown, fairy floss, etc.
A few days later some friends arrived in Bali so the following week I offered to escort them to the brunch and it was just as good second time around! I wasn't the only one there from the previous week either - I think some may have been from the 'how the other half live' with their nannies in matching uniforms.
Rubbish dump village near Sanur
For a few years I have sponsored a child here (and now her five year old brother) and the school I teach at has sent many resources to the small private school set up to cater for the kids living in this area who can't afford schooling - uniforms and so on are provided for them. Bali Care is the small charity that oversees this. Most of the parents work on the dump recycling. I always love to visit the school and have even done a couple of lessons in the past. This trip I went to visit with a couple from Bega I had met at my hotel the previous year and they had been sponsoring since then. It was the first time they met the boy they sponsor and it was also his birthday. He opened a gift of a truck (after the kids had all been dismissed and left) and I have never seen eyes get that big before. There was also a mum we met with several children and a husband in jail and she was struggling financially and my friends have offered some help for her kids education also.
The school has now started a kind of playgroup and I was able to bring some resources for that.
I got to see one of my kids and his mum but the big sister now goes to a school catering for older primary students so I arranged a day to come back when all the family would be home. This was a lovely visit and my younger son and his fiancée and a couple of British travellers I had met also came. As I had graphically described the living conditions to my kids in the past they had previously avoided visiting. We took a lot of rice, foods, toiletries, clothing and gifts for several families that live in close proximity. I think it is important to not favour one family too greatly as it can cause problems. This way a large group can benefit and some of my friends also contribute cash to purchase the rice. We had a lovely time with my basic Indonesian and their basic English but playing with kids doesn't require much language. The kids were just as excited by new shoes and socks as pencils and toys. The family have moved since my January visit, just a short walking distance, to live with a brother I think and the conditions were improved so that was good. A few days later I dropped off the photos from the school visit and our visit and the whole family were hard at work sorting the recyclables from the dump. It is a side of Bali that you don't usually see and an area where there is real poverty (as also exists in some remote rural villages).
On another night I had some other local friends visit for a meal and was excited to find there is another baby on the way. We always keep the dictionary on the table as these two couples have very little English but are always willing to try and we laugh at each others stuff ups. One of the girls told me she had been dreaming about having a milk shake when they came for dinner but she called it milk sick, these meals are constant laughing. One of the boys wanted to know what 'fragile' meant as he was stenciling it on packages at his new exporting batik job.
I had brought some soft toys and a pillow pet for the toddler, however he was home unwell. The mum enjoyed playing with them as much as he would have I think. I guess they were something cute she had never experienced.
Other bits
Son wearing a "My wife is awesome" t shirt the day after their wedding was a laugh.
Finally went to Ace hardware but it didn't thrill me, I thought things were expensive
Finally went to some surf clothes outlets and found they have shops with regular clothes next door and upstairs worth a look
Loved the cajun prawns at Bubba Gumps.
Had some great shoes and boots made at Full Collection.
Had lots of clothes made at Goning Tailor at Sanur. Some great silk from Alta Moda which was expensive but turned into beautiful dresses. Things at Toko Central to add to clothes being made were great and the cheapest frangipani hair clips around.
Discovered the Sindhu market is twice the size as I thought - if you get to the back and turn there is another long row of shops and I didn't encounter any one being aggressive.
The leggings from Sarina's shop (NO 19) at $12 as someone posted here are great.
Sindhu Kempsey had great cheap bikinis as did Hardy's
Lots of great meals at Lilla's Warrung and Mona Lisa.
Great cappacinos at Luhtus and met new friends here also.
Sensational massages and hair dos at Ayu Spa which is next to Luhtus.
Wearing a kebaya and sarong is a great thing to do in Bali - never had so many compliments in my life,
Ran out of time to do the Baik bike ride as I usually do and I had wanted to do the Bamboo Shoots cooking course again and Biku again and then there's the butterfly park still waiting, a snorkel at Amed to be had, I'm missing friends and those babies will be born soon............ I feel another trip needs planning.
Cheers
Jan