I finished my second Bali album
A kind strange at the beach offered to take pictures for me since I was by myself, which was pretty nice. Actually that's happened to me a couple of times when I've traveled by myself, it's pretty cool.
This morning I woke up early and had the hotel breakfast which was of course overlooking the water. It was wonderful to hear the sounds of the ocean last night lulling me to sleep. There was also a big tropical storm last night, which I quite enjoyed.
I said good-bye to Candidasa and took the shuttle bus to Padangbai, then back to Ubud. Then I got to the airport. I really enjoyed all the rides, despite the crowded bus. The scenery is just amazing.
Even looking out my window right now isn't so bad. The palm trees are swaying outside the airport.
My flight to Brisbane is a red-eye so hopefully I can get some sleep before I arrive in Australia tomorrow.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Candidasa
This morning I woke up early and was a bit sad to leave Ubud.
I took the shuttle bus to Candidasa. The drive was fantastic. Bali is so gorgeous- I kind of doubt there's an ugly part. Through rice paddies and jungle and coast and people farming and making offerings at the temples. I really enjoy scenic rides on boats or cars.
Most people got off at Padangbai because that's how you get to Lombok. I was the only one who headed to Candidasa which meant I got dropped straight off at a nice hotel my driver knew, and I'll get picked up straight from the hotel which is nice since I have heavy luggage.
My hotel is right over the water and I can see the ocean from my window. It doesn't get much better. Candidasa is kind of weird with lots of ocean front hotels without much sand or beach area (so no beachside strolling). It's gorgeous- clear water and all.
I decided to go to a white sand beach from Lonely Planet, Pasir Putih. According to LP, in 2004 there was literally no one here except fishermen. When they last updated my guide they said there are a few places to get drinks there. As of now, probably in part because of the LP guidebook, which rates Pasir Putih as a top beach, there are a few small warung (eateries).
It's still a bit tricky to get to which is probably why it's not overwhelmed with people. My hotel got me a motorbike taxi, a guy called Made (mah-day). He agreed to take me to the beach and wait there until I wanted to return. Not a bad deal!
Once again, getting there was half the fun. The scenery was breathtaking from my motorcycle perch. We wound up hills through jungle to overlook gorgeous rice paddies and the mountain in the background, until we could see the ocean.
Down "barely a road" and there was the beach. Spectacular. White sand, clear water that was incredibly blue and aquamarine. There were beach loungers and snorkels to rent, and guys who would gladly crack open a coconut for you.
My driver Made got me to sit in his friend's beach area, and he showed me where to snorkel. There was coral, lots of beautiful tropical fish, and even a barracuda! I did some swimming and some lounging, and had a coconut of course
I'm currently eating beside a lagoon, and then I think some seaside hotel lounging is in order.
I took the shuttle bus to Candidasa. The drive was fantastic. Bali is so gorgeous- I kind of doubt there's an ugly part. Through rice paddies and jungle and coast and people farming and making offerings at the temples. I really enjoy scenic rides on boats or cars.
Most people got off at Padangbai because that's how you get to Lombok. I was the only one who headed to Candidasa which meant I got dropped straight off at a nice hotel my driver knew, and I'll get picked up straight from the hotel which is nice since I have heavy luggage.
My hotel is right over the water and I can see the ocean from my window. It doesn't get much better. Candidasa is kind of weird with lots of ocean front hotels without much sand or beach area (so no beachside strolling). It's gorgeous- clear water and all.
I decided to go to a white sand beach from Lonely Planet, Pasir Putih. According to LP, in 2004 there was literally no one here except fishermen. When they last updated my guide they said there are a few places to get drinks there. As of now, probably in part because of the LP guidebook, which rates Pasir Putih as a top beach, there are a few small warung (eateries).
It's still a bit tricky to get to which is probably why it's not overwhelmed with people. My hotel got me a motorbike taxi, a guy called Made (mah-day). He agreed to take me to the beach and wait there until I wanted to return. Not a bad deal!
Once again, getting there was half the fun. The scenery was breathtaking from my motorcycle perch. We wound up hills through jungle to overlook gorgeous rice paddies and the mountain in the background, until we could see the ocean.
Down "barely a road" and there was the beach. Spectacular. White sand, clear water that was incredibly blue and aquamarine. There were beach loungers and snorkels to rent, and guys who would gladly crack open a coconut for you.
My driver Made got me to sit in his friend's beach area, and he showed me where to snorkel. There was coral, lots of beautiful tropical fish, and even a barracuda! I did some swimming and some lounging, and had a coconut of course
I'm currently eating beside a lagoon, and then I think some seaside hotel lounging is in order.
Aug 29th: Ubud
This morning I mostly planned my Australia trip. I am leaving for Brisbane in a couple of days, as it turns out! I ate lunch at Nomad again.
I tried to make the most of my now last day in Ubud. I did some shopping, and then I treated myself to a massage spa treatment. Now by treated myself I mean I splurged and spent $15 whole dollars US to get the usual hour-long Balinese massage, followed by a spice bath. First there was a scrub made with Indonesian spices. The hot bath that followed was really a giant tea cup for a person to soak in: there was a huge bag full of spices and herbs. It was pretty amazing.
I had a nice dinner and dessert at a restaurant that had a live cover band doing requests from the audience, which was fun. A Balinese fish dish and bananas flambe for dessert.
I decided that since I'm leaving for Australia so soon I don't really have time to go up to Lovina, so I'm going to go to either the East Coast seaside areas of Padangbai or Candidasa for my last night in Bali. I want to be ocean side again before I leave Bali.
I tried to make the most of my now last day in Ubud. I did some shopping, and then I treated myself to a massage spa treatment. Now by treated myself I mean I splurged and spent $15 whole dollars US to get the usual hour-long Balinese massage, followed by a spice bath. First there was a scrub made with Indonesian spices. The hot bath that followed was really a giant tea cup for a person to soak in: there was a huge bag full of spices and herbs. It was pretty amazing.
I had a nice dinner and dessert at a restaurant that had a live cover band doing requests from the audience, which was fun. A Balinese fish dish and bananas flambe for dessert.
I decided that since I'm leaving for Australia so soon I don't really have time to go up to Lovina, so I'm going to go to either the East Coast seaside areas of Padangbai or Candidasa for my last night in Bali. I want to be ocean side again before I leave Bali.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Photos
I finished off my first album, which now has 200 photos of Ubud, Sanur, and Kuta
Second Album of Ubud photos
Second Album of Ubud photos
Aug 28th: Ubud
After my amazing lunch at Nomad, I headed to my gamelan lesson at the Pondok Library and Learning Center, which is a really cool place by the way. I reviewed my old song and remembered it surprisingly well, then learned a new song along with its harmony part. If I go to another lesson I can work more on that, which I might do.
I spontaneously decided to get a massage at Bodyworks, which is in a family compound. It was really nice and I got to keep the extra massage oil, which I chose- cempaka. It's an amazing floral scent. It will probably always remind me of Bali now.
For dinner I headed to Warung Enuk, which I'd seen on one of my walks around. It's a really cool funky restaurant, out near the rice paddies. It's very classy but fun- it has chandeliers with brightly colored lampshades, and funny art. The waitstaff was amazing. I love that in Bali I can eat at somewhere and feel really fancy but still get a delicious meal for under ten bucks.
I had Balinese tea with ginger and milk, and a perfectly fried crab cake with rice and spicy pepper sauce. It was sooooo good.
I am trying to decide what to do tomorrow. I thought about doing a tour or a cooking class but I'm having a bit of a hard time being one person- they usually want at least two people for those things. I can probably find a cooking class for one on one if I looked a bit harder so I might do that before I leave. I am thinking about doing another art museum, maybe another music lesson, and I'm really tempted to have another meal at Nomad.
I spontaneously decided to get a massage at Bodyworks, which is in a family compound. It was really nice and I got to keep the extra massage oil, which I chose- cempaka. It's an amazing floral scent. It will probably always remind me of Bali now.
For dinner I headed to Warung Enuk, which I'd seen on one of my walks around. It's a really cool funky restaurant, out near the rice paddies. It's very classy but fun- it has chandeliers with brightly colored lampshades, and funny art. The waitstaff was amazing. I love that in Bali I can eat at somewhere and feel really fancy but still get a delicious meal for under ten bucks.
I had Balinese tea with ginger and milk, and a perfectly fried crab cake with rice and spicy pepper sauce. It was sooooo good.
I am trying to decide what to do tomorrow. I thought about doing a tour or a cooking class but I'm having a bit of a hard time being one person- they usually want at least two people for those things. I can probably find a cooking class for one on one if I looked a bit harder so I might do that before I leave. I am thinking about doing another art museum, maybe another music lesson, and I'm really tempted to have another meal at Nomad.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Aug 27th: Ubud
I had the usual breakfast on my porch and then walked to a small textile museum to look at some beautiful handwoven cloth. The family compound also had a restaurant, Lonely Planet recommended. It was cheap and delicious Indonesian food with a slightly sour fresh mango juice.
In the evening I went to a free yoga class at Yoga Barn. I love the international crowd of men and women you get there. It was pretty fun except for all the mosquitos, which managed to bite me even through my leggings. Despite all the mosquito repellent.
I've been starting to try to plan my Australia part of the trip, and trying to find cheap flights. I'm sure it will all work out fine.
Aug 28th: Ubud
Today I slept in and am currently at Nomad, an organic and locally-grown produce cafe. It's amazingly good. I had handmade pumpkin ravioli, which was so delicious, with black iced tea spiced with ginger. I couldn't help but try the local black rice pudding dessert, which was served with a bit of ice cream and banana. Mmmm. Plus there's free wi-fi.
I have another gamelan lesson soon so I'm busy planning the rest of my trip until then. I've sold some of my books to a used bookstore and need to get more reading before I get to the apparently bookshopless Lovina. I am zooming through Stieg Larsson's books. I probably read about 300 pages yesterday and finished "The Girl Who Played With Fire."
In the evening I went to a free yoga class at Yoga Barn. I love the international crowd of men and women you get there. It was pretty fun except for all the mosquitos, which managed to bite me even through my leggings. Despite all the mosquito repellent.
I've been starting to try to plan my Australia part of the trip, and trying to find cheap flights. I'm sure it will all work out fine.
Aug 28th: Ubud
Today I slept in and am currently at Nomad, an organic and locally-grown produce cafe. It's amazingly good. I had handmade pumpkin ravioli, which was so delicious, with black iced tea spiced with ginger. I couldn't help but try the local black rice pudding dessert, which was served with a bit of ice cream and banana. Mmmm. Plus there's free wi-fi.
I have another gamelan lesson soon so I'm busy planning the rest of my trip until then. I've sold some of my books to a used bookstore and need to get more reading before I get to the apparently bookshopless Lovina. I am zooming through Stieg Larsson's books. I probably read about 300 pages yesterday and finished "The Girl Who Played With Fire."
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Aug 26th: Ubud
This morning I was a bit lazier than I have been and slept in a bit later. I had breakfast and read and drank tea on my porch, and then headed to the post office to mail some letters. I got coffee and went on the internet at a cafe for a while. I had a nice inexpensive Indonesian lunch and walked around some of the streets I hadn't been to yet. I did a bit of shopping. I got some nice handmade batik items.
This afternoon I went to the Pondok Library and Learning Center. It's a cool place with books and cultural classes. I met my music teacher and I learned how to play the metal gamelan instrument (as opposed to bamboo). It looks like a xylophone. The tricky part is it rings a lot so you must silence the previous note with your left hand while simultaneously hitting the next note with the hammer in your right hand. I basically practiced one melody. I got the hang of it, although sometimes I'd get confused and mess up.
My teacher is cool and asked if I'd come back for another lesson tomorrow. So I signed up for another lesson. When else am I going to get to take Balinese gamelan lessons for $7 an hour? If I stay in Ubud until Sunday I can come see him perform as well. Hmm. Maybe.
Tonight I went to see a shadow puppet show. It was at a musical instrument shop. First the gamelan players banged out some music and then the puppet show began, quite seriously and with Balinese singing. Then the characters, all voiced by one puppeteer, started to talk in English. There were funny jokes about Bali and tourism here. There were some cool fight scenes with puppets throwing and stabbing each other. It was a lot more fun than I expected and quite enjoyable. Afterwards we got to go behind the screen and see the beautiful puppets and the two gamelan players.
I think I might stay in Ubud for a few more days. I kind of want to end my Bali trip near the beach, and Lovina sounds nice for that.
This afternoon I went to the Pondok Library and Learning Center. It's a cool place with books and cultural classes. I met my music teacher and I learned how to play the metal gamelan instrument (as opposed to bamboo). It looks like a xylophone. The tricky part is it rings a lot so you must silence the previous note with your left hand while simultaneously hitting the next note with the hammer in your right hand. I basically practiced one melody. I got the hang of it, although sometimes I'd get confused and mess up.
My teacher is cool and asked if I'd come back for another lesson tomorrow. So I signed up for another lesson. When else am I going to get to take Balinese gamelan lessons for $7 an hour? If I stay in Ubud until Sunday I can come see him perform as well. Hmm. Maybe.
Tonight I went to see a shadow puppet show. It was at a musical instrument shop. First the gamelan players banged out some music and then the puppet show began, quite seriously and with Balinese singing. Then the characters, all voiced by one puppeteer, started to talk in English. There were funny jokes about Bali and tourism here. There were some cool fight scenes with puppets throwing and stabbing each other. It was a lot more fun than I expected and quite enjoyable. Afterwards we got to go behind the screen and see the beautiful puppets and the two gamelan players.
I think I might stay in Ubud for a few more days. I kind of want to end my Bali trip near the beach, and Lovina sounds nice for that.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Aug 25th: Ubud
This morning I woke up and had tea and banana pancakes on my porch again, for breakfast. Then I headed down to the tourist office for my tour. It was me, two other lone woman travelers, one from Japan and one from Belgium, a German couple, and a Russian mother and son. Lots of countries represented in our little group. Our guide, Agung, drove us to several temples first. The famous and quite nearby Goa Gajah, the Elephant Cave Temple. Of course because we're in Asia like all sites it involved lots of stairs. It was a cave and a temple in the jungle, basically. The Japanese girl and I got a bit lost trying to find a temple and were late to meet up with our group.
Next we went to Pejeng. More temples. You must wear a sarong to go into all these sites, by the way (guys and girl who aren't wearing long pants. If you wear pants you must wear a sash.). After that we went to Gunung Kawi, which was an amazing experience. You climb down the stairs, and as you go down the hills you descend into gorgeous rice terraced scenery, with a river trickling by. You go down and then you hear this captivating, haunting music from the ceremony- both gamelan and singing. It was truly beautiful. You pass women carrying offerings down to the temple on their heads.
The temple had a ceremony for the full-moon, so the temple was busy with people preparing food and fruit for offerings.
After I climbed back up I arrived before everyone else, so I began chatting with our guide. I learned that it was his birthday today! I asked him what he would do to celebrate and he said that he'd just have a small celebration with his family. They would make a large offering to the gods and then eat their dinner, decorated with flowers on the plate. He explained to me how Balinese people make the offerings daily because they want to. Their day feels incomplete without prayer or offering.
It was a pretty fascinating conversation as we went on to other topics. He commented how prices keep going up and the guidebooks don't keep up, so everything is more expensive than the books claim. In just the last six months, for example, the entrance fee for the temples has doubled. Also, like everywhere, electricity and water have become more expensive.
I asked him where most of the tourists who come to Bali are from. I was surprised at first that people didn't see many Americans- usually Americans seem to be everywhere when I travel. He said in July and August they get a lot of Europeans. September and October are mostly Japanese, due to the holidays, and Australians for the Christmas holidays. Apparently the quietest time is from January to April, because no one is on vacation, I suppose. He attributes the lack of Americans to the bombings and fear of terrorism. However, the word around Bali is that after the “Eat, Pray, Love” movie comes out, people will see how gorgeous Bali is and want to come.
He told me that Balinese people feel discriminated against, since they are the minority within the whole of Indonesia (a 95% Muslim country). I got the idea that he was conveying the message that Balinese, like Americans, fear Islamic terrorist attacks as well. He told me that he feels that Balinese people have no power, despite the fact that their tourism generates a lot of income for Indonesia. For example, the airport tax all of us visitors pay does not go to Bali but Indonesia. Balinese must pay for school and health care but according to my guide, Islamic Indonesians get all that for free. He told me that the Balinese really appreciate the tourism, especially after the bombing when it suffered a lot. According to my Lonely Planet, some people think that Bali relies too much on tourism. After what I've seen so far, you can see how Westerners would get entranced with Bali. It's “charismatic,” as Agung my guide said.
Bali is really special and you can feel the pride they have for their culture. It's amazing that you look at paintings from a hundred years ago and much of Bali looks the same- it's not being modernized in the same way much of China is, although it certainly is to some degree. Balinese attitudes remind me a bit of Hong Kong or Taiwan: HK or Taiwanese people definitely say they are NOT from China, and they have a certain amount of pride about their differences, much like Bali from Indonesia. Also being small places overpowered by a larger, overseeing country.
Next we headed to Tampak Siring, the Holy Spring Temple. It has a bubbling Holy Spring and a temple. There was some kind of professional filming going on of an older Western lady getting blessed by a local priest, I presume. I later saw the same people filming, coincidentally, at the dance performance I went to.
After this we headed to a coffee plantation. I really enjoyed this section of the tour. This is part of the “agro-tourism” all over Bali. Our guide pointed out cacao, kopi (Balinese coffee) beans, cinnamon tree, and other herbs and spices that the plantation grows. Then we learned about the “poop coffee.” Yes, a mongoose can apparently find the best coffee beans, and they make a fancy-schmancy coffee from these beans. Then we saw how they make the coffee. They roast the beans over a fire and grind them with a stone and pestle. No machinery. It's all organic and natural.
We got a free taster overlooking the jungle. Ginger tea, lemongrass tea, Bali kopi, hot chocolate, and the delicious Bali kopi with ginseng- our guide told us they call this “Balinese Red Bull.” It was all really good, and then of course we did our shopping.
After that we drove to a restaurant for lunch, overlooking the volcanic Mount Batur and Mount Agung. It was gorgeous. I ate with my fellow female travelers and we discussed our world travels. You always meet the coolest people when you travel Asia.
We went to view the rice terraces last. They are so beautiful. The color green is so bright, it's unreal. Much different than the Chinese terraces- of course they're very tropical and lush. There are “rice terrace” restaurants on the patios overlooking it all. My camera once again failed to properly capture the beauty.
The tour was over and I got dropped off at my home. I decided to attend the Kecak Fire and Trance Dance at a venue on the street I live on here.
First was another version of the Ramayana epic- but instead of a gamelan instrumental orchestra, there is a chorus of men who chant and sing, circling the performers. Second was the trance dance. Two young girls dance with their eyes closed while men and women chant behind them. Occasionally they fall down on the floor and are lifted back up. They don't open their eyes 'til the very end.
Finally and most dramatically is the fire dance. An ancient man dumped out a load of coconut husks, lighter fluid, and then lit the thing on fire. The men chant and another man rides a horse puppet around the bonfire. Suddenly, he dances in the fire, kicking it about. Everyone in the audience gasped in shock as the man danced in the embers.
Tomorrow, my only planned activity is the Balinese music lesson I signed up for. Only $7 US to learn gamelan, in a private lesson. I could hardly pass up such a cool thing.
I have to admit, I'm slowly but surely falling in love with Bali. I'm already thinking in the form of, “When I come back, I'll do this...”
Next we went to Pejeng. More temples. You must wear a sarong to go into all these sites, by the way (guys and girl who aren't wearing long pants. If you wear pants you must wear a sash.). After that we went to Gunung Kawi, which was an amazing experience. You climb down the stairs, and as you go down the hills you descend into gorgeous rice terraced scenery, with a river trickling by. You go down and then you hear this captivating, haunting music from the ceremony- both gamelan and singing. It was truly beautiful. You pass women carrying offerings down to the temple on their heads.
The temple had a ceremony for the full-moon, so the temple was busy with people preparing food and fruit for offerings.
After I climbed back up I arrived before everyone else, so I began chatting with our guide. I learned that it was his birthday today! I asked him what he would do to celebrate and he said that he'd just have a small celebration with his family. They would make a large offering to the gods and then eat their dinner, decorated with flowers on the plate. He explained to me how Balinese people make the offerings daily because they want to. Their day feels incomplete without prayer or offering.
It was a pretty fascinating conversation as we went on to other topics. He commented how prices keep going up and the guidebooks don't keep up, so everything is more expensive than the books claim. In just the last six months, for example, the entrance fee for the temples has doubled. Also, like everywhere, electricity and water have become more expensive.
I asked him where most of the tourists who come to Bali are from. I was surprised at first that people didn't see many Americans- usually Americans seem to be everywhere when I travel. He said in July and August they get a lot of Europeans. September and October are mostly Japanese, due to the holidays, and Australians for the Christmas holidays. Apparently the quietest time is from January to April, because no one is on vacation, I suppose. He attributes the lack of Americans to the bombings and fear of terrorism. However, the word around Bali is that after the “Eat, Pray, Love” movie comes out, people will see how gorgeous Bali is and want to come.
He told me that Balinese people feel discriminated against, since they are the minority within the whole of Indonesia (a 95% Muslim country). I got the idea that he was conveying the message that Balinese, like Americans, fear Islamic terrorist attacks as well. He told me that he feels that Balinese people have no power, despite the fact that their tourism generates a lot of income for Indonesia. For example, the airport tax all of us visitors pay does not go to Bali but Indonesia. Balinese must pay for school and health care but according to my guide, Islamic Indonesians get all that for free. He told me that the Balinese really appreciate the tourism, especially after the bombing when it suffered a lot. According to my Lonely Planet, some people think that Bali relies too much on tourism. After what I've seen so far, you can see how Westerners would get entranced with Bali. It's “charismatic,” as Agung my guide said.
Bali is really special and you can feel the pride they have for their culture. It's amazing that you look at paintings from a hundred years ago and much of Bali looks the same- it's not being modernized in the same way much of China is, although it certainly is to some degree. Balinese attitudes remind me a bit of Hong Kong or Taiwan: HK or Taiwanese people definitely say they are NOT from China, and they have a certain amount of pride about their differences, much like Bali from Indonesia. Also being small places overpowered by a larger, overseeing country.
Next we headed to Tampak Siring, the Holy Spring Temple. It has a bubbling Holy Spring and a temple. There was some kind of professional filming going on of an older Western lady getting blessed by a local priest, I presume. I later saw the same people filming, coincidentally, at the dance performance I went to.
After this we headed to a coffee plantation. I really enjoyed this section of the tour. This is part of the “agro-tourism” all over Bali. Our guide pointed out cacao, kopi (Balinese coffee) beans, cinnamon tree, and other herbs and spices that the plantation grows. Then we learned about the “poop coffee.” Yes, a mongoose can apparently find the best coffee beans, and they make a fancy-schmancy coffee from these beans. Then we saw how they make the coffee. They roast the beans over a fire and grind them with a stone and pestle. No machinery. It's all organic and natural.
We got a free taster overlooking the jungle. Ginger tea, lemongrass tea, Bali kopi, hot chocolate, and the delicious Bali kopi with ginseng- our guide told us they call this “Balinese Red Bull.” It was all really good, and then of course we did our shopping.
After that we drove to a restaurant for lunch, overlooking the volcanic Mount Batur and Mount Agung. It was gorgeous. I ate with my fellow female travelers and we discussed our world travels. You always meet the coolest people when you travel Asia.
We went to view the rice terraces last. They are so beautiful. The color green is so bright, it's unreal. Much different than the Chinese terraces- of course they're very tropical and lush. There are “rice terrace” restaurants on the patios overlooking it all. My camera once again failed to properly capture the beauty.
The tour was over and I got dropped off at my home. I decided to attend the Kecak Fire and Trance Dance at a venue on the street I live on here.
First was another version of the Ramayana epic- but instead of a gamelan instrumental orchestra, there is a chorus of men who chant and sing, circling the performers. Second was the trance dance. Two young girls dance with their eyes closed while men and women chant behind them. Occasionally they fall down on the floor and are lifted back up. They don't open their eyes 'til the very end.
Finally and most dramatically is the fire dance. An ancient man dumped out a load of coconut husks, lighter fluid, and then lit the thing on fire. The men chant and another man rides a horse puppet around the bonfire. Suddenly, he dances in the fire, kicking it about. Everyone in the audience gasped in shock as the man danced in the embers.
Tomorrow, my only planned activity is the Balinese music lesson I signed up for. Only $7 US to learn gamelan, in a private lesson. I could hardly pass up such a cool thing.
I have to admit, I'm slowly but surely falling in love with Bali. I'm already thinking in the form of, “When I come back, I'll do this...”
Aug 24th: Ubud
My second day in Ubud (oo-bood).
Last night I walked around a bit more before heading home, so I could wake up early. I went to yoga at 7 am. Yoga Barn is down a side street. It's an open barn overlooking the rice paddies. I was the first one there (they said arrive 15 minutes early!). I thought this might be the venue where I'd see the Elizabeth Gilbert fanladies, but at first it was all dudes! Then some women joined but I was kind of impressed with the gender balance.
We had a local instructor. I haven't been to an actual yoga class in many years, only done it on my own with videos, so I was a bit nervous. It generally stuck to it's “basic” label. Until our teacher stood on her head. I thought that headstand pose was a joke from the deleted scene in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” but apparently it's a real thing. I could barely even do the modified, easy, grandmother version. Overall it was pretty good and I might try to go again while I'm in Ubud.
It was a rainy morning and I walked back to my bungalow, which is conveniently close to Yoga Barn. A friendly man from my compound brought me hot tea and I decided to order banana pancakes for breakfast. It's probably the best $1 US breakfast I'll have for a while: unlimited Balinese tea, fresh fruit, and hot banana pancakes. It began to pour so I sat on my balcony, ate breakfast, and finished my novel.
My next goal of the day was to eat at the famous Babi Guling Warung. Babi guling is suckling pig, and this place is supposed to have the best suckling pig in Bali. I walked up Monkey Forest Road and looked at the Royal Palace and the Water Palace, which are both near the babi guling place. The Balinese palace is surprisingly simple. The Water Palace has a beautiful lotus pond and a temple. I then went back to check on my pig, and they were unloading the porkers, still steaming, from the trucks.
I sat down and ordered the spesial, which has the best cuts of the pig. This is at 11 am by the way, and they had just opened. About $3.50 American for my pork, rice, and iced tea. The skin was perfectly crisp, and you wouldn't believe the meat is pork, it's so tender. This place is highly recommended by Lonely Planet so everyone is there, but the locals still have lunch there too so you know it's good. It was an experience I felt I had to have while in Bali, especially after watching the Anthony Bourdain Indonesia episode, in which you see how they cook the pig all day, hand-turning it to perfection.
After my early lunch, I decided to make my way back down to my bungalow and also toward the Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA). On the way I did some shopping. I got a massage at Fresh!, which advertises itself as a cute spa that uses organic and all-natural materials. I went with a head and shoulder massage, which was pretty nice.
My shopping was very organic, hand-made, and all-natural themed. I bought some handmade paper, and various soap products. Kou is a famous organic soap store, and I had to stop there. It's kind of addicting once you get started shopping. The shops in Ubud are really funky, cute, and boutique-y.
Then I walked down to ARMA. It's a lovely museum, very peaceful. Entrance fee also gets you a free coffee or tea at the lovely Kafe Arma. There are two buildings of art surrounded by gardens and rice paddies. There is everything from traditional to modern art, by both local artists and foreigners. It's the only museum that has the works of Walter Spies, which are really interesting. I recommend looking up the story of Agung Rai, the museum's founder, and Walter Spies, a German artist and musician.
I got my free Balinese kopi at the Kafe, which had a cinnamon stick as a stirrer. Mmm.
After that, I headed to a place down the street called Kafe that has free wi-fi to get a drink and get some internet time.
For dinner I went right down the street from my bungalow to the Dirty Duck Diner. Now I say diner, and you are probably not picturing a gorgeous patio overlooking rice fields and gardens and fountains and lotus ponds. But that's what it is. I got the specialty, crispy duck. Amazing. Half a duck cooked to a perfect crisp, with vegetables and rice. This was probably my most expensive meal so far but it was still under ten bucks American, including iced tea.
After that it was time to head to the palace for a traditional dance performance: Legong and Ramayana Ballet. I chose this partly because the palace is supposed to be a nice venue, and also because I'm interested in the Ramayana story. One of my favorite movies is still A Little Princess, and in it there's the story within a story of Rama.
I got there nerdily early with the grandparents, but I got a great seat in the front row so it was totally worth it. First there was a gamelan number, which was really cool to listen to. I want to learn more about gamelan music while I'm here. The ballet was mesmerizing. I got really into the plot actually and enjoyed it a lot. It's so different from anything I've ever seen. Well, maybe it's somewhat similar to Chinese opera with the masks and jerky movements and movements of the eyes. But it's still unique. This all in a lovely, outdoor venue. It was about an hour and a half so after the walk home I'm pretty tired.
Have I mentioned yet how many French people are here, by the way? I swear, there is no one in France at the moment because they are all in Bali. I've seen as many “Bali et Lombok” LPs as English ones.
I signed up at the Ubud Tourist Office for a tour tomorrow, so that will take up much of my day. I should get a lot of good pictures and cover a lot of sites that I wouldn't be able to do as easily on my own.
Last night I walked around a bit more before heading home, so I could wake up early. I went to yoga at 7 am. Yoga Barn is down a side street. It's an open barn overlooking the rice paddies. I was the first one there (they said arrive 15 minutes early!). I thought this might be the venue where I'd see the Elizabeth Gilbert fanladies, but at first it was all dudes! Then some women joined but I was kind of impressed with the gender balance.
We had a local instructor. I haven't been to an actual yoga class in many years, only done it on my own with videos, so I was a bit nervous. It generally stuck to it's “basic” label. Until our teacher stood on her head. I thought that headstand pose was a joke from the deleted scene in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” but apparently it's a real thing. I could barely even do the modified, easy, grandmother version. Overall it was pretty good and I might try to go again while I'm in Ubud.
It was a rainy morning and I walked back to my bungalow, which is conveniently close to Yoga Barn. A friendly man from my compound brought me hot tea and I decided to order banana pancakes for breakfast. It's probably the best $1 US breakfast I'll have for a while: unlimited Balinese tea, fresh fruit, and hot banana pancakes. It began to pour so I sat on my balcony, ate breakfast, and finished my novel.
My next goal of the day was to eat at the famous Babi Guling Warung. Babi guling is suckling pig, and this place is supposed to have the best suckling pig in Bali. I walked up Monkey Forest Road and looked at the Royal Palace and the Water Palace, which are both near the babi guling place. The Balinese palace is surprisingly simple. The Water Palace has a beautiful lotus pond and a temple. I then went back to check on my pig, and they were unloading the porkers, still steaming, from the trucks.
I sat down and ordered the spesial, which has the best cuts of the pig. This is at 11 am by the way, and they had just opened. About $3.50 American for my pork, rice, and iced tea. The skin was perfectly crisp, and you wouldn't believe the meat is pork, it's so tender. This place is highly recommended by Lonely Planet so everyone is there, but the locals still have lunch there too so you know it's good. It was an experience I felt I had to have while in Bali, especially after watching the Anthony Bourdain Indonesia episode, in which you see how they cook the pig all day, hand-turning it to perfection.
After my early lunch, I decided to make my way back down to my bungalow and also toward the Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA). On the way I did some shopping. I got a massage at Fresh!, which advertises itself as a cute spa that uses organic and all-natural materials. I went with a head and shoulder massage, which was pretty nice.
My shopping was very organic, hand-made, and all-natural themed. I bought some handmade paper, and various soap products. Kou is a famous organic soap store, and I had to stop there. It's kind of addicting once you get started shopping. The shops in Ubud are really funky, cute, and boutique-y.
Then I walked down to ARMA. It's a lovely museum, very peaceful. Entrance fee also gets you a free coffee or tea at the lovely Kafe Arma. There are two buildings of art surrounded by gardens and rice paddies. There is everything from traditional to modern art, by both local artists and foreigners. It's the only museum that has the works of Walter Spies, which are really interesting. I recommend looking up the story of Agung Rai, the museum's founder, and Walter Spies, a German artist and musician.
I got my free Balinese kopi at the Kafe, which had a cinnamon stick as a stirrer. Mmm.
After that, I headed to a place down the street called Kafe that has free wi-fi to get a drink and get some internet time.
For dinner I went right down the street from my bungalow to the Dirty Duck Diner. Now I say diner, and you are probably not picturing a gorgeous patio overlooking rice fields and gardens and fountains and lotus ponds. But that's what it is. I got the specialty, crispy duck. Amazing. Half a duck cooked to a perfect crisp, with vegetables and rice. This was probably my most expensive meal so far but it was still under ten bucks American, including iced tea.
After that it was time to head to the palace for a traditional dance performance: Legong and Ramayana Ballet. I chose this partly because the palace is supposed to be a nice venue, and also because I'm interested in the Ramayana story. One of my favorite movies is still A Little Princess, and in it there's the story within a story of Rama.
I got there nerdily early with the grandparents, but I got a great seat in the front row so it was totally worth it. First there was a gamelan number, which was really cool to listen to. I want to learn more about gamelan music while I'm here. The ballet was mesmerizing. I got really into the plot actually and enjoyed it a lot. It's so different from anything I've ever seen. Well, maybe it's somewhat similar to Chinese opera with the masks and jerky movements and movements of the eyes. But it's still unique. This all in a lovely, outdoor venue. It was about an hour and a half so after the walk home I'm pretty tired.
Have I mentioned yet how many French people are here, by the way? I swear, there is no one in France at the moment because they are all in Bali. I've seen as many “Bali et Lombok” LPs as English ones.
I signed up at the Ubud Tourist Office for a tour tomorrow, so that will take up much of my day. I should get a lot of good pictures and cover a lot of sites that I wouldn't be able to do as easily on my own.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Ubud
I made it to Ubud after a pretty brief shuttle ride from Sanur. It was scenic with lots of wood and stone carving and furniture stores along the ride, as well as some rice paddies and coconut trees. The first thing I noticed when I got into the Ubud area was all of the art galleries or less formal art studios. It's so cool. For some reason I thought after reading about Ubud it might be a bit more modernized but it's still quaint, in its way. It's kind of nice. I got off the shuttle and since I had two heavy bags, I went with a bungalow owner who took me right to his place nearby. It's pretty nice and about $10 US a night, so pretty cheap. I was thinking about having a search to switch to cheaper/more convenient accomodation but it will be hard to move my bags and perhaps it's not really worth it. There are about a bazillion places to stay here from homestays to bungalows to villas. And I haven't seen the half of it, I'm sure.
I find Ubud a bit overwhelming- not in a bad way. It's large and there's a lot of visual stimuli: galleries, spas, handicraft shops, batik sellers, book shops, music shops, tourist info centers, cafes, restaurants. I'm not really sure what I want to do! I might stay for a while because this is also a central place for making day trips. I definitely want to see at least one dance and gamelan show, and I'd like to do some kind of rice paddy trip. I would also like to do some yoga and massage. There's tons to do here though. Tours, art, music, dance, shadow puppets, workshops and classes.
Now, Lonely Planet warned me that Ubud would be overrun with 30-something women- Eat, Pray, Love disciples who walk around, well to quote LP, with "a mixture of self-satisfaction, entitlement, and too much yoga, with maybe just a hint of desperation that they haven't yet found their Felipe." So far in my few hours here it seems like mostly run of the mill tourists and backpackers.
Currently I'm in Juice Ja, a hippie-dippie cafe with fresh juices and organic, healthy, vegetarian food. Ubud is pretty hippie-dippie. I like it so far.
I find Ubud a bit overwhelming- not in a bad way. It's large and there's a lot of visual stimuli: galleries, spas, handicraft shops, batik sellers, book shops, music shops, tourist info centers, cafes, restaurants. I'm not really sure what I want to do! I might stay for a while because this is also a central place for making day trips. I definitely want to see at least one dance and gamelan show, and I'd like to do some kind of rice paddy trip. I would also like to do some yoga and massage. There's tons to do here though. Tours, art, music, dance, shadow puppets, workshops and classes.
Now, Lonely Planet warned me that Ubud would be overrun with 30-something women- Eat, Pray, Love disciples who walk around, well to quote LP, with "a mixture of self-satisfaction, entitlement, and too much yoga, with maybe just a hint of desperation that they haven't yet found their Felipe." So far in my few hours here it seems like mostly run of the mill tourists and backpackers.
Currently I'm in Juice Ja, a hippie-dippie cafe with fresh juices and organic, healthy, vegetarian food. Ubud is pretty hippie-dippie. I like it so far.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Leaving Sanur
My blog entries backed up due to lack of internet access. So start reading about 3 days back to get updated.
This morning I woke up early again and took a morning walk, watching the locals harvest seaweed and confirming my pick-up for my boat ride back to Sanur. I had banana pancakes for breakfast at my hotel among the roosters crowing and swaying palm trees.
The speed boat ride was less unpleasant this time. Maybe because I sat nearer to the front and faced forward, or maybe the waves were less choppy. Anyways, I made it back to Sanur in one piece with my heavy bags and I'm taking the Perama Shuttle to Ubud in about an hour. After I finish eating my banana fritters and drinking my fresh juice beachside in Sanur, of course.
This morning I woke up early again and took a morning walk, watching the locals harvest seaweed and confirming my pick-up for my boat ride back to Sanur. I had banana pancakes for breakfast at my hotel among the roosters crowing and swaying palm trees.
The speed boat ride was less unpleasant this time. Maybe because I sat nearer to the front and faced forward, or maybe the waves were less choppy. Anyways, I made it back to Sanur in one piece with my heavy bags and I'm taking the Perama Shuttle to Ubud in about an hour. After I finish eating my banana fritters and drinking my fresh juice beachside in Sanur, of course.
August 22nd: Lembongan Island
Today I woke up, had breakfast, and repacked before I checked out of the Watering Hole in Sanur and was picked up by my Scoot speed boat shuttle. They drove me the very short distance to the beach and carried my bags. Now, the speed boat is the fastest way to get to Lembongan but I doubt it's the most pleasant. The fumes are noxious and it's a fast and bumpy ride. Don't eat a big breakfast like me before.
As we arrived in Lembongan, at first I was beginning to reprimand myself for even wanting to come (you have a lot of internal dialogue when you travel alone). This isn't that great, I thought. And it's a lot of hassle to get here. And I only want to spend one night. Everyone thinks that's strange and not enough time to stay.
Well I'm really glad I came, and once you see the pictures you'll understand. The Scoot boat people helped me find a pretty cheap, budget-range hotel. It's not on the beach like most but it's about 30 seconds away, and it's lovely and well-kept. Everything is carefully tended and cleaned, and like most here it's a homestay of sorts- the family decided to build some bungalows on their property. It's beautiful and I sort of feel bad that I'm the only person staying here at the moment.
I set out, with my map and my Lonely Planet, for Mushroom Bay Beach first. I followed the coast from the budget accomodation area, walking along the beach full of fishing boats and past the speed boat drop off. Then I walked through the villas area, which had a nice view down the cliff, and down to a small beach. Gorgeous already- white sand, clear water. Then I hiked up a path and around to another small beach area. I had to keep following the coast and then ask for directions to Mushroom Bay. I took a dirt trail up a hill and then smelled ocean. There was a cliff and a small, sort of enclosed beach. This didn't seem to be the main beach but it was beautiful. So I scrambled down the cliff like a monkey and stopped for a dip in the clear blue waves and a rest in the sand. Secret Beach.
I then headed back up, and got lost a bit before I found Mushroom Beach, which the Secret Beach (this is my name, not an official one) is right next to and must be a part of. Mushroom Beach has restaurants and hotels and boats. I ate lunch on the beach with a perfect view. Indonesian satay with fresh fish. After lunch I went to hang out at Secret Beach for a while, since it was nice and quiet with no hotels or restaurants. I discovered the tide was coming in and you could walk around the cliff instead of scrambling up and down to get into Secret Beach, which was easier.
Then I decided to look for Dream Beach, another beach on my map. I headed to the main, paved road of the village (only motorbikes though) and walked for a while. I passed houses and cows and roosters and palm trees and old women farming. It was a cool walk. There are white pointy signs that tell you the way to Dream Beach. I followed them and eventually made it.
I hung out at Dream Beach for a bit. It's another small white sand beach with an expansive view of the choppy waves. Then I decided to find Devil's Tear. I saw another small white sign for it, and Wikitravel had told me it was a cool landmark. I followed a dirt path. This is probably my favorite part of today. The whole Devil's Tear cliffside area. The cliff juts out and waves pound a small inlet. It's the most incredible aquamarine color I've ever seen in nature. It's amazing. Plus when I was out there very view people were around. I spent a good part of the time standing on the cliff alone, being cooled by the mist from the pounding waves.
Actually Lembongan hardly feels crowded. There are lots of tourists but on my walk around the island it was pretty solitary and quiet except for clucks and moos from the animals. The people are friendly and cute kids say “hello” (though some of them are trying to sell you a seashell).
I think Lembongan was definitely worth it for just one night. I did my hike around the island, which was really enjoyable. I ate dinner at around sunset next to the beach. Now I'm on the porch of my lovely bungalow, with the family cleaning up dinner and listening to the nighttime insects and animals. The weather is lovely. What a cool place to visit, really.
As we arrived in Lembongan, at first I was beginning to reprimand myself for even wanting to come (you have a lot of internal dialogue when you travel alone). This isn't that great, I thought. And it's a lot of hassle to get here. And I only want to spend one night. Everyone thinks that's strange and not enough time to stay.
Well I'm really glad I came, and once you see the pictures you'll understand. The Scoot boat people helped me find a pretty cheap, budget-range hotel. It's not on the beach like most but it's about 30 seconds away, and it's lovely and well-kept. Everything is carefully tended and cleaned, and like most here it's a homestay of sorts- the family decided to build some bungalows on their property. It's beautiful and I sort of feel bad that I'm the only person staying here at the moment.
I set out, with my map and my Lonely Planet, for Mushroom Bay Beach first. I followed the coast from the budget accomodation area, walking along the beach full of fishing boats and past the speed boat drop off. Then I walked through the villas area, which had a nice view down the cliff, and down to a small beach. Gorgeous already- white sand, clear water. Then I hiked up a path and around to another small beach area. I had to keep following the coast and then ask for directions to Mushroom Bay. I took a dirt trail up a hill and then smelled ocean. There was a cliff and a small, sort of enclosed beach. This didn't seem to be the main beach but it was beautiful. So I scrambled down the cliff like a monkey and stopped for a dip in the clear blue waves and a rest in the sand. Secret Beach.
I then headed back up, and got lost a bit before I found Mushroom Beach, which the Secret Beach (this is my name, not an official one) is right next to and must be a part of. Mushroom Beach has restaurants and hotels and boats. I ate lunch on the beach with a perfect view. Indonesian satay with fresh fish. After lunch I went to hang out at Secret Beach for a while, since it was nice and quiet with no hotels or restaurants. I discovered the tide was coming in and you could walk around the cliff instead of scrambling up and down to get into Secret Beach, which was easier.
Then I decided to look for Dream Beach, another beach on my map. I headed to the main, paved road of the village (only motorbikes though) and walked for a while. I passed houses and cows and roosters and palm trees and old women farming. It was a cool walk. There are white pointy signs that tell you the way to Dream Beach. I followed them and eventually made it.
I hung out at Dream Beach for a bit. It's another small white sand beach with an expansive view of the choppy waves. Then I decided to find Devil's Tear. I saw another small white sign for it, and Wikitravel had told me it was a cool landmark. I followed a dirt path. This is probably my favorite part of today. The whole Devil's Tear cliffside area. The cliff juts out and waves pound a small inlet. It's the most incredible aquamarine color I've ever seen in nature. It's amazing. Plus when I was out there very view people were around. I spent a good part of the time standing on the cliff alone, being cooled by the mist from the pounding waves.
Actually Lembongan hardly feels crowded. There are lots of tourists but on my walk around the island it was pretty solitary and quiet except for clucks and moos from the animals. The people are friendly and cute kids say “hello” (though some of them are trying to sell you a seashell).
I think Lembongan was definitely worth it for just one night. I did my hike around the island, which was really enjoyable. I ate dinner at around sunset next to the beach. Now I'm on the porch of my lovely bungalow, with the family cleaning up dinner and listening to the nighttime insects and animals. The weather is lovely. What a cool place to visit, really.
Aug 21st: Sanur
Sanur again. I woke up at 6:30 and went for a walk. If you know me you may not believe that I both got up early and exercised but it's true. The beach faces East so sunrise time is going to be much better than sunset at Sanur. There were more people than I expected out, but I suppose the old people like to get up early and go for a walk too. People were friendly and said things like “Good morning.” I feel like people tend to do that more at these calm, beachy places.
I had a nice breakfast at a hotel beach side, of course, with a friendly waiter. The people here are generally very friendly with a lot of fun personalities. Often they are trying to sell you something, which gets annoying. I went to the main street to look for some shopping. I ended up going to Hardy's Grosir, which is a big supermarket. But it was perfect for the shopping I wanted to do. I really hate bargaining even though I know you have to. Here, though, the marked prices seemed reasonable and then they'd always give you a discount off that of 10-20%. I'm sure that's not what the locals would pay but it's pretty good. There's jewelry, sarongs, clothes, shoes, handicrafts, bags, etc. All your Bali souvenir stuff. Just to give you an idea I got a pair of sandals, a batik purse, a bracelet, a hat, and a sarong for under $30 US. Not bad. Handmade things are always nice.
I had another beachside meal, laid on the sand, and had a dip in the warm, shallow, water. I rented a bike for a ride all the way down the beach. It was nice to see the whole stretch of it.
I decided to go to Lembongan Island tomorrow. I arranged a speedboat there, partly because the company does hotel transfers and I have a big, heavy suitcase. Plus I'll get there quickly and have more time to enjoy the island. After I return I'm going to try to head straight to Ubud. We'll see how that pans out.
I had a nice breakfast at a hotel beach side, of course, with a friendly waiter. The people here are generally very friendly with a lot of fun personalities. Often they are trying to sell you something, which gets annoying. I went to the main street to look for some shopping. I ended up going to Hardy's Grosir, which is a big supermarket. But it was perfect for the shopping I wanted to do. I really hate bargaining even though I know you have to. Here, though, the marked prices seemed reasonable and then they'd always give you a discount off that of 10-20%. I'm sure that's not what the locals would pay but it's pretty good. There's jewelry, sarongs, clothes, shoes, handicrafts, bags, etc. All your Bali souvenir stuff. Just to give you an idea I got a pair of sandals, a batik purse, a bracelet, a hat, and a sarong for under $30 US. Not bad. Handmade things are always nice.
I had another beachside meal, laid on the sand, and had a dip in the warm, shallow, water. I rented a bike for a ride all the way down the beach. It was nice to see the whole stretch of it.
I decided to go to Lembongan Island tomorrow. I arranged a speedboat there, partly because the company does hotel transfers and I have a big, heavy suitcase. Plus I'll get there quickly and have more time to enjoy the island. After I return I'm going to try to head straight to Ubud. We'll see how that pans out.
Aug 20th: Sanur
This morning I left Kuta for Sanur. I got a shuttle bus from my hotel. The driver had to navigate his way out of the narrow Kuta streets in this huge van, which was sort of insane at times. The Kuta/Legian touristy area is so big. I saw so much more than I realized even existed. Tons of really beautiful hotels and bungalows, all kinds of funky cafes, backstreets and alleys. We finally got out on the road and everything was different. Trees lined the roads and everything seemed open. I lost my hat though, as a driving breeze picked it up and carried it right out the window. Oh well.
We arrived in Sanur and I'm the only one who got off the shuttle (everyone else was headed to Ubud). I was a bit worried since Wikitravel characterized Sanur as a place for old people and families (as opposed to the young party scene of Kuta). But I'm glad I came here. It's beautiful. There's a reef so the water at the beach is calm and clear, with waves breaking in the distance. As soon as I stepped off the shuttle I felt a vast calmness. Ah. Peace. Kuta's frenetic pace can be fun but this is more what I want right now. You can actually hear the wind rustling the trees, wind chimes tinkling, and only the occasional tout hassling you. The beach is completely peaceful. There are fishermen, women carefully crafting their offerings (little baskets of flowers and other things to put out for the gods), and kids swimming in the water. It's still touristy but with a more calm and local feel than Kuta.
I knew it was a different vibe when I went to lunch at a beachfront cafe. I peacefully watched kite-surfers skim the ocean while acoustic Coldplay played. Whenever I ate in Kuta it was with a bass-heavy dance mix pumping (or Lady Gaga's album).
I guess it is a lot of old people and families to but I don't really mind. I'm staying at a place that was just down the street from where the shuttle dropped me off, conveniently. Very beautiful garden and minutes away from the beach.
I did some beach reading and lounging, which Sanur is perfect for. I took a long walk way down the beach. There's a nice beachfront path here with restaurants and hotels lining it. You can eat right on the beach. Nothing like a waterfront view, and good, cheap food. I usually get a Western or Indonesian dish, a fresh fruit juice, and sometimes dessert for $4-5 US at these beachfront cafes. Tomorrow I want to rent a bike, because the beach path is just too perfect for biking.
So I'm going to stay here and chill out for at least another day. Trying to decide whether to go to Nusa Lembongnan, an island with white sand beaches that's supposed to be gorgeous. Or maybe move on to Ubud. Or maybe stay here another day. I'm going to try to post some pictures soon, but I don't really go on the internet unless I can find a restaurant with wi-fi or take some time to go to an Internet cafe. So we'll see.
In my travels I hear all sorts of languages being spoken. There were lots of French people at my hotel and there seem to be lots here. They must all be on holiday. French is a gorgeous language. The people next to me are speaking French and it sounds amazing. But isn't it sort of crazy how English is the universal language? I hear Japanese and German people and so on speak to the Indonesian people in English, though it's no one's native language. Strange.
We arrived in Sanur and I'm the only one who got off the shuttle (everyone else was headed to Ubud). I was a bit worried since Wikitravel characterized Sanur as a place for old people and families (as opposed to the young party scene of Kuta). But I'm glad I came here. It's beautiful. There's a reef so the water at the beach is calm and clear, with waves breaking in the distance. As soon as I stepped off the shuttle I felt a vast calmness. Ah. Peace. Kuta's frenetic pace can be fun but this is more what I want right now. You can actually hear the wind rustling the trees, wind chimes tinkling, and only the occasional tout hassling you. The beach is completely peaceful. There are fishermen, women carefully crafting their offerings (little baskets of flowers and other things to put out for the gods), and kids swimming in the water. It's still touristy but with a more calm and local feel than Kuta.
I knew it was a different vibe when I went to lunch at a beachfront cafe. I peacefully watched kite-surfers skim the ocean while acoustic Coldplay played. Whenever I ate in Kuta it was with a bass-heavy dance mix pumping (or Lady Gaga's album).
I guess it is a lot of old people and families to but I don't really mind. I'm staying at a place that was just down the street from where the shuttle dropped me off, conveniently. Very beautiful garden and minutes away from the beach.
I did some beach reading and lounging, which Sanur is perfect for. I took a long walk way down the beach. There's a nice beachfront path here with restaurants and hotels lining it. You can eat right on the beach. Nothing like a waterfront view, and good, cheap food. I usually get a Western or Indonesian dish, a fresh fruit juice, and sometimes dessert for $4-5 US at these beachfront cafes. Tomorrow I want to rent a bike, because the beach path is just too perfect for biking.
So I'm going to stay here and chill out for at least another day. Trying to decide whether to go to Nusa Lembongnan, an island with white sand beaches that's supposed to be gorgeous. Or maybe move on to Ubud. Or maybe stay here another day. I'm going to try to post some pictures soon, but I don't really go on the internet unless I can find a restaurant with wi-fi or take some time to go to an Internet cafe. So we'll see.
In my travels I hear all sorts of languages being spoken. There were lots of French people at my hotel and there seem to be lots here. They must all be on holiday. French is a gorgeous language. The people next to me are speaking French and it sounds amazing. But isn't it sort of crazy how English is the universal language? I hear Japanese and German people and so on speak to the Indonesian people in English, though it's no one's native language. Strange.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Kuta, Bali
8-18 and 8-19
Yesterday I had my second day of surfing lessons. It seemed more difficult than the first somehow, but then I was on a smaller board. The smaller the board the more difficult to ride. I saw one of the same guys that had been at my lesson the previous day. Turns out he was born in China but grew up in Canada. I was excited because he knew Guiyang, and not even Chinese people will know Guiyang. We were both doing the 3 day set of lessons together, and he had traveled around Bali for a while so he could offer me some tips. After the lesson I walked down the beach. The beach is incredibly long. I stopped for swimming and body surfing along the way. I got a massage before bed.
This morning I went to an early surfing lesson at 8 am. It was actually really nice to be up early. Breakfast was quiet at my hotel, and when I was walking I didn't get hassled by touts or guys offering me "transport?" Also, in Bali the women leave little baskets of offerings to the gods, and these are fresh in the morning. Plus the beach was less crowded with beginning surfers all crashing into one another. I'm starting to think waking up early is the way to go, if I can manage it. I think it's safer as a solo female traveler, plus I get to see all the cool stuff that happens before everyone else gets up.
I had fun and I think I improved today. I think I need to work on my fitness (though surfing is helping already). I might continue to rent boards other places that have good beginner's surf.
When I went body-surfing later the other body-surfer's were this really old man and middle-aged women. And they were way better at it than me. Rock on. I want to be a cool old person like that, throwing myself into really strong powerful waves.
I love the beach, as you probably know, but I'm ready to move on from Kuta. It's so busy and crowded and frantic. I'm going to go to Sanur, another beach area in South Bali, tomorrow. It's only 30 minutes away. Then I'm going to decide where to go from there. Luckily Bali is pretty small so getting between places isn't that big of an ordeal. Definitely on to Ubud later and maybe do some central and North Bali after that.
Kuta Travel Tips:
-Only swim between the red and yellow flags on the beach. Only surf everywhere else. Don't surf in the swimming area. It's pretty safe with lifeguards everywhere (and a crowded beach). But it's probably not good if you are not a strong swimmer. There are lots of rips and waves are powerful.
-People basically hassle you all day long. My method is to ignore everyone and not make eye contact. It seems harsh but I think it's the best way to get people to leave you alone. Everyone calls me "darling" (men and women). In China it was "mei nu" (beautiful woman in Chinese). Of course they want you to buy something.
-I went shopping in Matahari in Kuta Square which is a souvenir shopping place with all the Bali stuff and marked prices. So unless you love bargaining (I'm not a fan), shopping here is a nice alternative.
-I did surfing lessons at Bali Learn to Surf in the Hard Rock. I think they were pretty good and I basically got 2-1 student-teacher which was nice. The lesson times change due to the tides. If you get to choose between two times I would go for the morning generally- less crowded.
Yesterday I had my second day of surfing lessons. It seemed more difficult than the first somehow, but then I was on a smaller board. The smaller the board the more difficult to ride. I saw one of the same guys that had been at my lesson the previous day. Turns out he was born in China but grew up in Canada. I was excited because he knew Guiyang, and not even Chinese people will know Guiyang. We were both doing the 3 day set of lessons together, and he had traveled around Bali for a while so he could offer me some tips. After the lesson I walked down the beach. The beach is incredibly long. I stopped for swimming and body surfing along the way. I got a massage before bed.
This morning I went to an early surfing lesson at 8 am. It was actually really nice to be up early. Breakfast was quiet at my hotel, and when I was walking I didn't get hassled by touts or guys offering me "transport?" Also, in Bali the women leave little baskets of offerings to the gods, and these are fresh in the morning. Plus the beach was less crowded with beginning surfers all crashing into one another. I'm starting to think waking up early is the way to go, if I can manage it. I think it's safer as a solo female traveler, plus I get to see all the cool stuff that happens before everyone else gets up.
I had fun and I think I improved today. I think I need to work on my fitness (though surfing is helping already). I might continue to rent boards other places that have good beginner's surf.
When I went body-surfing later the other body-surfer's were this really old man and middle-aged women. And they were way better at it than me. Rock on. I want to be a cool old person like that, throwing myself into really strong powerful waves.
I love the beach, as you probably know, but I'm ready to move on from Kuta. It's so busy and crowded and frantic. I'm going to go to Sanur, another beach area in South Bali, tomorrow. It's only 30 minutes away. Then I'm going to decide where to go from there. Luckily Bali is pretty small so getting between places isn't that big of an ordeal. Definitely on to Ubud later and maybe do some central and North Bali after that.
Kuta Travel Tips:
-Only swim between the red and yellow flags on the beach. Only surf everywhere else. Don't surf in the swimming area. It's pretty safe with lifeguards everywhere (and a crowded beach). But it's probably not good if you are not a strong swimmer. There are lots of rips and waves are powerful.
-People basically hassle you all day long. My method is to ignore everyone and not make eye contact. It seems harsh but I think it's the best way to get people to leave you alone. Everyone calls me "darling" (men and women). In China it was "mei nu" (beautiful woman in Chinese). Of course they want you to buy something.
-I went shopping in Matahari in Kuta Square which is a souvenir shopping place with all the Bali stuff and marked prices. So unless you love bargaining (I'm not a fan), shopping here is a nice alternative.
-I did surfing lessons at Bali Learn to Surf in the Hard Rock. I think they were pretty good and I basically got 2-1 student-teacher which was nice. The lesson times change due to the tides. If you get to choose between two times I would go for the morning generally- less crowded.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Kuta, Bali: Surfing
Today I moved hotels and then went for my first surfing lesson. I had booked 2 nights ahead of time at the hotel I was staying at. It was okay but noisy (I'm used to noise, but still), and right above a market with rather annoying touts trying to sell me stuff every time I came and went.
I signed up for 3 days of surfing lessons with the school in the Hard Rock Cafe. First we did practice on land and in the pool, before heading out to the ocean. At first I thought it would be incredibly hard work and I was incredibly out of shape. But the pool has no waves. It's almost easier once you get out on the water with the momentum of the waves.
The instructors pushed us out into the waves. I felt pretty good since I was able to get up on my knees or get low, but that's wrong. Now my knees hurt a lot because you are just supposed to stand up. I did stand up a few times somewhat properly and I know I still have two more days with the teachers, so that's good. It's much more exhausting having the board than just swimming and body-surfing. Plus hoisting myself up on the board and using my arms a lot is quite different for me.
I had lunch, and tried an avocado juice, which I'd read about. It's delicious! Try it if you get the chance, seriously. I tried to body surf again later but I could feel the rip currents so I could only safely swim in the shallow parts.
I wanted to do yoga while I was here but there don't seem to be many studios close by. Which I think is strange. I think I'll have better luck in Legian. I'm thinking I'll head to Legian next. It's supposed to have a more relaxed atmosphere than Kuta. There are yoga studios there, and by then I should have the basics to rent myself a board and practice surfing myself. Like anything surfing just seems to take a lot of practice. I have no natural talent at most sports either. The instructor asked me what sports I do at home (uhh....). For the past year? I walked from my room to the classroom door?
One thing I don't really understand is the people who spend all day tanning by our hotel pool or at the Hard Rock Cafe pool. I mean, you have this world famous ocean right there man. I guess you can do what you want on vacation- but really?
Anyways, I have at least 2 more days here. I should get some of the photos from my surfing lessons- hopefully of me standing up on some waves- by the end.
I'm off to get another massage.
I signed up for 3 days of surfing lessons with the school in the Hard Rock Cafe. First we did practice on land and in the pool, before heading out to the ocean. At first I thought it would be incredibly hard work and I was incredibly out of shape. But the pool has no waves. It's almost easier once you get out on the water with the momentum of the waves.
The instructors pushed us out into the waves. I felt pretty good since I was able to get up on my knees or get low, but that's wrong. Now my knees hurt a lot because you are just supposed to stand up. I did stand up a few times somewhat properly and I know I still have two more days with the teachers, so that's good. It's much more exhausting having the board than just swimming and body-surfing. Plus hoisting myself up on the board and using my arms a lot is quite different for me.
I had lunch, and tried an avocado juice, which I'd read about. It's delicious! Try it if you get the chance, seriously. I tried to body surf again later but I could feel the rip currents so I could only safely swim in the shallow parts.
I wanted to do yoga while I was here but there don't seem to be many studios close by. Which I think is strange. I think I'll have better luck in Legian. I'm thinking I'll head to Legian next. It's supposed to have a more relaxed atmosphere than Kuta. There are yoga studios there, and by then I should have the basics to rent myself a board and practice surfing myself. Like anything surfing just seems to take a lot of practice. I have no natural talent at most sports either. The instructor asked me what sports I do at home (uhh....). For the past year? I walked from my room to the classroom door?
One thing I don't really understand is the people who spend all day tanning by our hotel pool or at the Hard Rock Cafe pool. I mean, you have this world famous ocean right there man. I guess you can do what you want on vacation- but really?
Anyways, I have at least 2 more days here. I should get some of the photos from my surfing lessons- hopefully of me standing up on some waves- by the end.
I'm off to get another massage.
Kuta, Bali, Indonesia
8-16-10
On my last night in Hong Kong, I was able to meet up with my HKU friend Cindy which was nice. We ate some good food (amazing sushi) and caught up. It's always nice when I get to meet up with people on the road.
After that it was off to Bali. I slept most of the way to Jakarta. You buy your visa on arrival on Indonesia and there was a long line for customs. I barely made my flight and my backpack was killing my back but it was all worth it because I got bumped up to business class for the flight to Bali! I've never flown anything other than economy so this was fantastic. By the way, I flew Garuda Indonesia for both flights. It probably sounds a bit sketchy but economy was pretty nice. Pretty big seats, good service, your own TV. Business class was awesome. Tons of leg room with a foot rest, comfy chair, and a table cloth to put over your tray table. I feel like after flying so many crappy economy class flights I had a true appreciation for this.
I arrived in Bali late, got to my hotel, and got some much needed sleep I haven't really been getting. I woke up at 2 today, but I think I still did a lot. I signed up for surf school for the next 3 days. I went swimming in the ocean. I got a massage.
I'm at the Kuta Beach area at the moment. I'm not really sure what I think of it yet. It's sort of like the beach areas I've been to in the Philippines except way bigger, so it's a bit overwhelming. I find, though, when I'm traveling solo my sense of direction becomes about a million times better, just because it has to. There are the usual people trying to sell you everything, but that's everywhere touristy you go so I'm used to that. It's similar to the Philippines in that there are lots of souvenir shops selling the beachy stuff, outdoor restaurants and cafes, and spas. Not that there is anything wrong with this type of beach area- it's all quite cheap and enjoyable.
I got to the beach and I understood. The waves are just the shape that you imagine a wave to be- I haven't seen anything quite like it before. Perfectly round and curling. I did some swimming and body surfing around that late afternoon time just before sunset. It's a huge, broad beach. It strikes me as pretty safe with all the lifeguards and people. And it's covered in surfers and surfboards.
My massage was really nice (an hour for about $9 US). It was a full body massage and sort of similar to the massage I got in China, with a combination of pressure and stretching and bone cracking as well as the usual rubbing down of the muscles.
Of course this is all great, and I love the beach, but I'm sort of glad I can move on whenever I want. I want to get more of a sense of Bali and I don't think I will get it very strongly here.
At the least I should meet some people at surf school which will probably be very helpful.
On my last night in Hong Kong, I was able to meet up with my HKU friend Cindy which was nice. We ate some good food (amazing sushi) and caught up. It's always nice when I get to meet up with people on the road.
After that it was off to Bali. I slept most of the way to Jakarta. You buy your visa on arrival on Indonesia and there was a long line for customs. I barely made my flight and my backpack was killing my back but it was all worth it because I got bumped up to business class for the flight to Bali! I've never flown anything other than economy so this was fantastic. By the way, I flew Garuda Indonesia for both flights. It probably sounds a bit sketchy but economy was pretty nice. Pretty big seats, good service, your own TV. Business class was awesome. Tons of leg room with a foot rest, comfy chair, and a table cloth to put over your tray table. I feel like after flying so many crappy economy class flights I had a true appreciation for this.
I arrived in Bali late, got to my hotel, and got some much needed sleep I haven't really been getting. I woke up at 2 today, but I think I still did a lot. I signed up for surf school for the next 3 days. I went swimming in the ocean. I got a massage.
I'm at the Kuta Beach area at the moment. I'm not really sure what I think of it yet. It's sort of like the beach areas I've been to in the Philippines except way bigger, so it's a bit overwhelming. I find, though, when I'm traveling solo my sense of direction becomes about a million times better, just because it has to. There are the usual people trying to sell you everything, but that's everywhere touristy you go so I'm used to that. It's similar to the Philippines in that there are lots of souvenir shops selling the beachy stuff, outdoor restaurants and cafes, and spas. Not that there is anything wrong with this type of beach area- it's all quite cheap and enjoyable.
I got to the beach and I understood. The waves are just the shape that you imagine a wave to be- I haven't seen anything quite like it before. Perfectly round and curling. I did some swimming and body surfing around that late afternoon time just before sunset. It's a huge, broad beach. It strikes me as pretty safe with all the lifeguards and people. And it's covered in surfers and surfboards.
My massage was really nice (an hour for about $9 US). It was a full body massage and sort of similar to the massage I got in China, with a combination of pressure and stretching and bone cracking as well as the usual rubbing down of the muscles.
Of course this is all great, and I love the beach, but I'm sort of glad I can move on whenever I want. I want to get more of a sense of Bali and I don't think I will get it very strongly here.
At the least I should meet some people at surf school which will probably be very helpful.
Friday, August 13, 2010
China -> Hong Kong
Sorry not to have been blogging but this past week has been a whirlwind. I finished teaching my classes, took pictures of all my classes, and then Sunday night our boss took Wayne and I out for a farewell meal. All of the foreign and Chinese staff came and even my precocious 12-year-old student Mike, who is hilarious by the way, joined us.
On Monday Julian invited us to go swimming in the river and sit at a nice patio bar outside. It was a perfect day for it and we went about 30 minutes outside the city (Ping Qiao I think it's called?). The river was crowded with kids in floaty tubes and old men with tiny floaties on. Chris, Joline, Matt, and I met Julian and his Irish roommate. It was really nice and relaxing. The river was pretty cold but it felt really nice and this huge outdoor bar area had a stage for live music as well.
Tuesday was my last day in Guiyang. I ate lunch with Matt and the new teacher, Aaron, who is my replacement. We went to the Guiyang syle hamburger restaurant (little steaks covered in lajiao with Chinese bread as the buns), which is always good. Garry joined us which was nice. Then we had one last night out together with Chris, Matt, and Aaron.
I left Wednesday morning and I haven't done too much thrilling stuff in Hong Kong so far. Just arranging things and buying stuff I need for my trip. I am leaving on Sunday for Bali, I've decided. 2-3 weeks bumming around Bali (and Lombok) before Australia! It's always amazing to be back in Hong Kong. I once again got that weird culture shock of feeling like I blend in so well here. Things are well-run and efficient here and it's nice to get the huge variety of (very good!) food options. Hong Kong's beautiful. Still convinced it's the best city in the world.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Drinking Tea by the River
Last week, Leah, an American from the Zunyi branch of our school, came
with me to a garden by the river. The "symbol of Guiyang" is the
Jiaxiu Tower by the river. Next to the tower, there is a garden. It's
only 2 kuai to enter. There are lots of places to sit and different
tea houses. You can walk around and there might be some old ladies
doing tai chi or calligraphy. They have some local specialty teas, and
you can sit and drink tea all afternoon. I wish I'd discovered it
earlier because you can find a spot and be relatively unconspicuous.
It's a nice change from being constantly stared at like a monkey in
Qianling Park. The river is generally a quieter spot to get away from
the constant city noise. I went again today, got some kind of Zunyi
green tea, which was lovely, and sat at a table and planned some
lessons.
with me to a garden by the river. The "symbol of Guiyang" is the
Jiaxiu Tower by the river. Next to the tower, there is a garden. It's
only 2 kuai to enter. There are lots of places to sit and different
tea houses. You can walk around and there might be some old ladies
doing tai chi or calligraphy. They have some local specialty teas, and
you can sit and drink tea all afternoon. I wish I'd discovered it
earlier because you can find a spot and be relatively unconspicuous.
It's a nice change from being constantly stared at like a monkey in
Qianling Park. The river is generally a quieter spot to get away from
the constant city noise. I went again today, got some kind of Zunyi
green tea, which was lovely, and sat at a table and planned some
lessons.
It's a cool Guiyang thing to do. Sit in the garden and drink tea all
afternoon and go see Jiaxiu Tower at night, when it's all lit up.
I'm preparing to leave next Wednesday morning. only one more parents' weekend.
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