Three words to sum up Sanur (Saah-Nuurrrr) - Dutch Riding Bikes. I came to Sanur expecting to see many geriatric Aussies wearing Bintang singlets and swigging beers (Bogans Boozing Bintang - sorry but I don't mean to be offensive, just amusing myself) - but mainly we saw - Dutch Riding Bikes!
We have stayed at Sanur before (but only dared to after we had both turned 50) so expected to see Europeans, but didn't expect to see so many Dutch people. In some restaurants (eg Ratatouille one night) they appeared to have booked out the whole place, and there was (presumably) Dutch live music as they were all on the dance floor when we walked by - dancing (as you do on a dance floor) some (presumably) Dutch dance, a dance which somehow seemed familiar, but the music confused me and I couldn't put my finger on it. All in a line, then a little turn, then a clap and some foot moves, then a turn again and some hand moves. Aha - Now I know what was, it was the Dutch version of the Nutbush! Full marks to some establishments for identifying and catering to a market and cashing in on it. Many restaurant menus we saw had Dutch dishes - many had 'bitterballen' (whatever they are, I did mean to try them) right next to the Indonesian offerings of lumpia and satay.
I always think it's odd that many nationalities like to spend time with each other whilst away (some Aussies no exception) rather than interacting with locals or seeking out different nationalities to their own to chat about their lives; whether in broken English or not. And want to eat exactly the same food as they have back home.
You can tell that Dutch (of all ages) probably ride bikes in Holland all the time (properly called The Netherlands is it not?). They confidently rode on the main road, sometimes even two abreast, didn't worry about bike lights at night, often carrying on a conversation with their fellow riders in front or in behind or next to (in total contrast to me at the beginning, who was riding on the main road single file, close eye on all the traffic around me, unable to do anything but hang on tight to the handlebars and concentrate on not falling off). But actually, that common saying you never forget to ride a bike - is true, and after a while I was almost a (Dutch) pro. I was terribly impressed that all other traffic, be it motor bike, taxi, car, bemo or bus, happily gave way and were patient with all bike riders, be it Dutch, or local, or us. Dutch people are all so tall - me being a shorty, could tell a Dutchman (or woman) coming from behind (when walking, not riding) - their shadows would come first (‘cos they are so tall haha) and then I could hear that specific rasping, gutteral accent that is so specifically Dutch (and at the end of every sentence "Ya Ya" or often "O-kay"). Oh I forgot to mention in previous JBR the lovely older Dutch couple who were our friendly neighbours in Bali Agung - they were there for a total of 45 nights (in the one place!). We had some nice conversation, and they did take some suggestions from me (down in writing) of where to go and where to eat, but during our time there, I never saw them leave the ‘village' (no bike riders in Seminyak), happy to have their very simple routine of eating, reading and relaxing. Although having said they had travelled to Indonesia before, they were very insular in their view of the world. When I greeted my security guard (with a Selamat Pagi/Soiree/Malan) they said "oh you are so clever, you can speak Balinese". Seriously! Who doesn't learn to say hello in the language of the place they are visiting?
So, we decided to join the Dutch riding brigade one fine morning and hired a couple of bikes near Villa Shanti on the beach path (last two bikes left) for 50,000rp for the two (first price, no need to haggle) and set off north. Had barely gone 20 metres and hubby's chain fell off, fixed it once, then it fell off again. Aha, that's why the bikes were so cheap, this one is a lemon! We walked the bike back and asked for another, and another magically appeared from behind the beach wall. So off we went, hubby always in the front so he could use his bell for warning the pedestrians, and me behind. I had one of those large loud hooter horns - think of the hooter on a clown's bike. I was loath to use it, I didn't want to scare the bejesus out of anyone or give someone a heart attack as I rode up to them from behind. Locals along the beach path must have known about this particular bike and hooter because many encouraged me to blow it, and some tried to run alongside me to honk it; I nearly stacked it once when that was happening.!
Just past the Inna Grand Bali Beach Hotel (I think that's what it is called - that big multi-storey [ugly] one that you can see when flying when you fly in via Sanur) we felt a couple of drops of rain. We stopped at a reggae cafe (Sunrise I think it was called) and asked a friendly guy to take a pic of the both of us which I posted up on my Facebook with the caption 'Tour de Bali'. Well I thought it was funny! (Tour Down Under was on at the same time in Adelaide). Soon those drops turned into big drops, and then a real downpour. No problem - we sat down with our new reggae friend Eka to wait it out with a great mango smoothie, and then beers (once it hit 12 noon). Well the rain looked fairly set in after an hour or so, so we decided to rug up (we had beach towels with us in case the nice cleaner-than-Seminyak beach tempted us). I had mine over and around my head and shoulders like a giant yellow and orange striped burkha, and hubby had his around his waist like a sarong (because his bike didn't have mud guards and he thought the mud from the rain would splash his legs - but we went slow, so it didn't). We rode back to Puri Sading (from the beach path though the Besakih) to the main road and then resumed our ride a bit later, going south this time and stopping at Paradise Beach for a nasi goreng and beer, and to watch the water sports. I'd never seen the ‘flying fish' - it looked like great fun and maybe next time I'll give it a try.
Our home for four days in Saah-nurrrrr was the Puri Sading, directly across from the Griya Santrian (at which we have stayed previously but has now increased in price substantially - probably to finance their new big wing - and is now not within our budget). Puri Sading at (also) $58 per night was exactly $100 cheaper than the Griya. We love the location here, that is a big plus, also the staff are fantastic and very (very) accommodating - we paid an extra $30 for late checkout until 6.00pm as we had a 1am flight, "late checkout - no problem, stay as late as you like" - so we did - until 10pm!. No problems with the room at all for the price. Again nice balcony, good WiFi, air conditioning, and everything worked. Minuses - basic bathroom (grey towels followed us here), pool not as inviting and clear/clean as the Bali Agung and the breakfast was just so-so. I do like my coffee, and even like Bali coffee made well, but the coffee here was crap. No problemo - Starbucks across the road and 'one double expresso frappacino, hold the syrup, to go please' kept me happy. 'Actually make that two' - one for the hubby. Also had an almond croissant from here and it was soooo good.
Places we ate at Sanur:
From my Tripadviser research I thought I'd try the No 1 rated restaurant in Sanur - Kayu Manis. Although I remember it was a perfectly nice meal with very nice presentation, and a very friendly chef who came out to all the tables, I'm not sure why this has such a high rating. We had something, something, then duck, then something else, then dessert. When I can't remember a meal a week later, then it is obviously not memorable for me.
I know Mona Lisa is well regarded by many, and it was full every night so they must be doing something right, but my worst meal of the trip was breakfast there - I couldn't eat more than one mouthful of the eggs benedict - the look and taste was terrible (should have stayed with the so-so hotel breakfast). That was the first morning of the Starbucks and croissant.
Massimo's still make a great pizza; decor could do with an overhaul. Props to them though when we asked for two beers 'dingin sekali' (very cold), they brought them to us in a large ice bucket. We walked to Massimo's, which if you know Sanur, is just south of the Hyatt. The Hyatt is currently under renovation (until 2015). I had been researching the internet the last few months prior to this trip and when 'Sanur - Killer Python' came up on the news at home, well did my ears prick up! So we all (perhaps) know that a security guard (from a nearby restaurant) tried to catch the 4.5 metre snake (or am I exaggerating it's length - anyway it was very, very long) which was - picking the best time of the day at 3.00am - when all was quiet- to cross the road minding its own business. The security guard tried to catch the snake - he had hold of its head and its tail, however the snake then, defending its life as so it should, wrapped its body around the man and strangled him and he died. Our driver (Nenyah - local Sanur man, see later) told us his version of the story. According to him, the motive to catch the snake was monetary, rather than to keep the community safe. Apparently 3M rupea ($300 AUD) could be made by selling the dead snake for its skin and also the flesh for food. Locals standing by would not interfere to 'save' the guy because it would be bad karma for them as the snake was a sacred temple Python (according to Nenyah). I agree - for the snake it was 'kill or be killed'! Anyway, suffice to say, I walked quite quickly along that long dark stretch of road by the Hyatt, eyes glued to each side of the road, in flight mode ready to take off if I so much saw a rustle in the grass.
The best meal/s we had in Sanur was/were at the Little Bird Warung on the main strip. Excellent Indonesian food at excellently cheap prices (and no ++). So fresh and clean flavours; it's popular for a reason . Had the best Nasi goreng special, with all the trimmings and they made it exactly to my specifications (a little bit spicy please, and egg sunny side up, but not too runny terimah kasih).
It's funny that the two best meals I had in nine days were the most expensive and the least expensive.
We had never been to the east coast and hired a driver, Nenyah, for the day. We negotiated 450K but paid him 500K + lunch. Nenyah was a very polite, informative and careful driver - a Sanur local. We first visited some waterfalls (can't remember the name of them) and they were not that impressive, but it was a nice stop off anyway. Then we went to the Sukawati markets. We didn't go to the fresh produce part, just the market part and were immediately surrounded by the crochet tablecloth lady sellers 'Please buy one, just for good luck?'. Well I don't use crochet tablecloths, so they were wasting their time. 'Buy one for present then, please madam, for good luck?'. The speciality at these markets were woodcarvings and paintings and we saw artists plying both of these trades, so whilst they are sort of mass-produced (ie many of the same thing), each article really is really crafted individually here. It was the first time we have been to these markets and I kind of compare them to the Ubud markets, to which we have been before, but which have now, I understand, been more 'sanitised' and in fact the new building has glass frontages. I don't think this is what the tourist really wants? We thought the Sukawati markets were superior to the Ubud markets we had visited last year, they were clean(ish), there were even signposted toilets, and prices were cheap. I bought a couple of small trays, one laminated bamboo and the other made of those pearly shells (do you know the type I mean?). Now that we are home, I wish I'd bought more of them at a mere 50,000rp each.
We then stopped at a 'Traditional Balinese Village'. I was a bit dubious (always a cynic), an obvious tourist stop. You enter a large car park, pay your 20,000 rupea and are given a little slip with a house number on it (ours was 64). The ‘village' is set along a long sloping road - no sepeda-motor allowed, only sepeda (bike). The set up is like a normal street as we know it, sort of, with houses and gates on each side and house numbers (is this really what a traditional Balinese village is like?). There seemed to be many 'houses' - well I guess here must have been at least 64. We duly found our allocated house and the woman of the house briefly showed us around. Actually she only showed us the kitchen - there was some cooking going on by her mother, who I assume cooks for all the family, and the mother also sleeps in that room. The kitchen/bedroom room was slightly raised, and very dark and dingy inside. What was cooking in the pot, bubbling away quite heartily, was a mixture predominantly made of rice, flavoured with pandan leaves; it was a dessert. I did ask the name, but the language barrier was a bit much. We were shown the finished product which was a hard mixture, shaped like a little sausage but pointy at both ends, wrapped in a banana leaf (I think). We were offered a taste, but declined (chickens!!). The other area we saw was at the back where the man of the house was plying the trade for which this village is known - making woven matting. And at the back I met my first real bali pigs. I had always throught bali pigs were small, pink and dainty, a la the finished babi guling product. No, these were big, fat, black, smelly, snorty pigs, wallowing around in their own poo in separate concrete boxes. Abit depressing really (especially for them!) - we didn't extend our visit there too long.
Our next stop was Padang Bai. Padang Bai - Now whenever I hear or read of this little place, I think back to Filo's writings of many years back and how he so eloquently described the ‘sound' of Padang Bai and how those words roll off your tongue. I always think of this when I hear Padang Bai and make the sound in my head - Padang (pause) Baiiiii. We had never been there before. Our driver expertly negotiated us down a narrow one way road - albeit with a white line marking down the middle - winding down from the top of the hill after we had passed the rice paddies of Sideman. We rounded a corner near the top of the hill and the beauty of this little bay unfolded from above (small gasp!). A lovely little fishing village, with boats bobbing in the twinkling blue sea of a sheltered harbour. There is not too much there, it is mainly a base for diving and snorkelling, and an access point for the ferries to Lombok and The Gilis. Once down to sea level, we went for a little walk, there were kids swimming in the protected bay and it had a lovely sandy shore. I then took the best photo of the trip, me next to a traditional Balinese (Jukung) boat with my name exactly inscribed on the side (btw my real name is not Korrie) - perfect new Facebook profile pic sorted! The main beach strip of Padang Bai wasn't as long as I had imagined it, only say 500 metres from end to end. It didn't take us long to walk it, and I must confess we had a morbidly curious look at the Padang Bai Resort and Buddha Bar to see if there were any patrons there (yes there were).
We stopped for a late lunch in Candidassa at LaZat which had a lovely outlook over the water. We had our usual Bali meals which we know they can't stuff up, ie a Nasi and a Mie goreg; but having had the Little Bird versions of both to compare, they were just ok, and that's that. We didn't stay long in Candidassa, and probably wouldn't think to stay there for any extended period as we do prefer a bit more activity, and this seemed like a real sleepy place.
This was our last full day and, unfortunately, we are now on the countdown to Going Home.
I think I will have one last JBR to come - Last Bits - just because I have a few more things to tidy up, and I am encouraged and thank you for your positive comments on JBR 1 (I know how I always look forward with anticipation when I see JBR - and especially when I see JBR - (long)!
So, until then
Cheers
Korrie (aka Corrie - but the forum for a reason unbeknown to me won't let me post under my original registered name, which I thought was still current, or thought I could at least re-activate)