Bali 2013 - Day 5

Today is the day we move to our regular Bali home - Londo Bungalows.  But first, the market!  We let the kids sleep when we went the other day, and today they get to experience the chaos.  We bought the Javanese cake things again, this time laying down 5,000 Rp and receiving a package of 10.  We also tried a sweet rice cake (more like a very thin rice crispy treat, only not as sweet), bought some fried peanuts and 10,000 Rp worth of grapes.  We only got a small handful of grapes, but we found out later that they were imported - probably from California - and very expensive.

With treasures in hand, we went back for our last breakfast at Puri Saraswati.  Ibu had not been in the temple yet, so after breakfast, we dressed (for temple) and grabbed the cameras for another look around.  Ibu shot video and I took lots more still shots, then it was time to pack for our move.

By the time Made got there, we had almost everything out on the porch.  He just stood there and stared.  After all these years, he shouldn't be surprised at the amount of stuff we have.  After he determined that we would fit in the car along with all of our junk, he loaded everything in.  We stopped at reception to check out and settle our bill.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that we didn't owe anything.  Some other places we've been charged for the bottled water in the rooms, and apparently since I made my phone calls from the reception desk, they were free as well.

We all squeezed into the car and took off for the printers.  We ended up having to choose new cardstock because both of our cards were made with stock that is now finished.  We ordered 500 cards for each of the three businesses, then asked about labels.  Yay!  They can do them in time, and there is only a 1000 piece minimum.  So all of this for less than $120, and they'll be done in about a week.  Wouldn't happen at home.

After the printer, Made asked if we needed to stop at the store for any supplies.  We figured it would be a good idea, so he took us to the Bintang supermarket just up the hill from the Campuhan Hotel.  We picked up snacks, beverages, cereal & milk, art supplies and shop supplies to take home, and burgers, bacon, onion and rolls for the dinner I'd promised Jake I would cook.  Then, finally, loaded like pack mules, we were dropped off for the walk up the path to Londo.

All of the bungalows have been renovated since our last visit.  I've always preferred the Frangipani because it was the only one with a balcony.  Now, all but the newest bungalows have balconies, most have indoor kitchens and renovated bathrooms.  This time, the kids are too big for all four of us to share two bedrooms, so Ibu and Jake stayed in Kolam, and Macaela and I ended up in Bintang, the new bungalow.  More on this later in a separate post.

Kadek came to see us with the younger children Vika and Komang.  Vika was just a baby last time we were here, and this was our first meeting with Komang.  We visited and chatted and doled out all the clothing and gifts we had brought for our Bali family, then walked down the path to Ibu Putu's for a late lunch.  Ibu Putu's daughters were home visiting from America, and her son Ketut sat down with us for a while and told us about the recycling program he has helped to put in place.  It was great to be able to visit with most of the family and catch up with what everyone has been doing.

The kids headed back home to play cards and use the computer, while Ibu and I walked down the path to check out what's happened beyond the main path.  There is a new restaurant here called Yellow Flower that Kadek has recommended.  It is small and cozy, looks and smells good, and has good prices.  Since we've just eaten, we'll have to check it out later.

Back at the bungalows, we set up the computer for a slide show for Kadek.  We showed her pictures of our home, some of the kids activities, snow, and flowers from home.  Around 8:00, Putu (the oldest daughter) dropped in to say hi and visit for a while.  She was just getting home from school, and still had homework to do, so everyone agreed it was time to break up the party.

Bali 2013 - Puri Saraswati

Puri Saraswati is not a hotel I would have considered if I were choosing on my own.  It is located on Jalan Raya Ubud, right next to the Lotus Cafe, and is owned by the royal family.  The reasons I would not have chosen it are location and cost.  We ended up here because all of the properties we are familiar with were full, and it was recommended by our travel agent.  I can't address the cost of this hotel because a five-night stay was included with our airfare.  As for location, if we didn't have to book a hotel along with our flight, we would have a very limited option on accommodations in the Ubud area because we would never stay on Main Road or on Monkey Forest, both of which we have now done.

Puri Saraswati is a lovely little oasis right on the main road.  The staff is friendly and attentive, and there is a great breakfast included with the room.  Breakfast includes a fruit salad and toast with butter and jam, your choice of juice, coffee or tea, egg, and French toast or banana pancake.  My favorite juice was watermelon.  The first morning I got my egg fried, but it looked more like poached, with the yolk and part of the white still runny.  I stuck with the omelet after that, which was always good.  It has tomatoes and onion, and came seasoned and cooked perfectly.  The banana pancake I ordered had pineapple instead of banana inside, so I tried the French toast the next morning, and it was great.  My only complaint about the service is that when Ibu and I both ordered omelet, they brought them together on one plate.  Everything else was served individually.

The rooms here are clean and comfortable.  My bed had a firm mattress - Jake claimed it was too hard, but nobody else complained - and two big fluffy pillows.  The rooms are air conditioned and have refrigerators.  Our bathrooms had huge deep bathtubs, and the shower head was placed high enough to stand under it to wash your hair, although I think they might be too short for anyone much taller than 5'6" or so.  Thick towels are provided and changed each day.  We had tea served on our veranda one afternoon, and found upon checkout that there was no extra charge.  I'm not sure if this was something they regularly offer, or if we just lucked out.

Attached to the hotel grounds is a family temple, which I recommend visiting while you're here.  Just remember to dress appropriately!  Dance performances are held in front of the temple each night from about 7:00 or 7:30 until just before 9:00.  Tickets are offered for sale along the sidewalk during the day.  Choose a ticket seller you like the looks of and buy from them.  The tickets should all be the same price, but each seller gets a small commission from the tickets they sell.  We didn't attend any of these performances on this trip, but I enjoyed hearing the music while I sat out on the veranda.

There is also a nice pool, but none of us used it while we were here.  They do not have a restaurant; lunch and dinner can be gotten next door at Lotus Cafe or at any of the many other nearby restaurants.

In the end, I found that I loved the location, although my Bali home will always be in the rice fields.

More photos can be found here.

Bali 2013 - Day 4

Another busy day on tap - got to get those orders going so we will actually be able to take our goods home with us when we go!  Made came to pick us up at 9:00 for our return to Suwarsa.  We picked up all the pieces we had chosen from their stock, and chose styles for our stones to go in.  They had combed through the stones and matched them up for earrings and multi-stone rings, and separated them for various styles.  Can't wait to see the finished products!

After we got back to Ubud, we took our T-shirts and totes we had made a few years ago back to Sama-Sama Shop to see if they could fix our screen printing (our web address has changed since we had them made).  We also checked on getting labels made for our Pink Gecko products, but they are made in Java and will take too long.  Plus, there is a minimum order of 6000 pieces.  I can't imagine making that many products!

We walked back down the hill and across the old bridge for lunch at Murni's, another of our old favorites.  I'm sorry to say that the food here has suffered since our last visit.  Our "chicken schnitzel" was actually a thick, heavily breaded, over cooked chicken filet, accompanied by frozen fries and a salad.  The salad dressing had the same flavor as before, but was thicker, so it didn't coat the salad as well.  The prices here are higher than before (as expected), and our lunch cost almost $50.  Macaela says that the milkshake was still the best she's ever had, so I guess Murni's will stay on our list for shakes.  We didn't even try the fried tomatoes and onion rings that we usually get.  I think the lack of fresh cut potatoes scared us.

We still had a stop to make, so we asked Made to come pick us up again and take us to the printer.  We always have our business cards made in Bali because they are so much cheaper than we can get at home, and because we can't get cool cards at home like we get here.  The traffic was horrible, partly due to a ceremony going on further up the road, and parking was not available because we had come at the peak of the lunch hour at Ibu Oka's.  Made suggested we turn around and try again early tomorrow.  We agreed and had him drop us at the market for more shopping.

We went back home to regroup, drop off our purchases and pick up the kids, then we went back out to explore Jalan Kajeng.  This is another of those streets we have walked past for years and never gone down.  There are a lot of little places to eat down here, many with decent prices.  There are also several accommodations and spas.  We chose Fortuna for dinner and really enjoyed it.  The atmosphere was more like the old Bali we are used to, the food was good, and the prices were cheap.  After dinner we headed back home to bed.  Tomorrow we're taking the kids to the morning market before breakfast.  Nothing like an early walk to work up the appetite!

Bali 2013 - Day 3

Market Day!  Ibu and I got up early and walked to the market to experience the local market.  This is not something we've really been able to do before, because we've never stayed this close to the market.  The morning market opens at 5:00 and is cleaned up and closed by 7:00 so arriving at around 6:30, we had already missed most of the excitement.  Even so, it was quite an experience.  The place was packed with people, very few of them were not locals.  We learned pretty quickly that morning market shopping does not work the same way as what we are accustomed to in our regular market shopping.  Ordinarily, you have your eye set on something, you ask the price, then either walk away laughing or begin the bargaining.  If you ask a price at the morning market, you will be charged at least twice the going price.  Watch what others are paying, take out your money and lay it down.  You might still get less than the locals for the same price but you'll get more than if you ask the price.


We bought a large bag of ready to eat krupuk (shrimp crackers) and some Javanese cake things with chocolate sprinkles.  The woman ahead of me had paid less than 5,000 for a pack of ten of these, but this was before I had learned the trick, so I ended up paying 7,000.  We wandered around taking pictures and generally getting in everyone's way - imagine Costco just before Thanksgiving with a couple of people stopping to photograph every display - then we headed back to Puri Saraswati to get the kids and have breakfast.

After breakfast, we all headed back to the market to do our regular shopping.  It was a bit shocking to find that the prices have increased to about three times what we have been accustomed to.  I walked away from many sales because I couldn't bring myself either to pay what I thought we'd bargain down to, or to try to bargain down to what I wanted to pay.  We did manage to get some good deals on some clothes for personal use and a few new items for the shop.  It was a troubling trip through the market - I can't remember ever having the vendors really beg me to buy.  The new market buildings are pretty on the outside, but I don't think they make the market better for either the vendors or the shoppers.  I'm sure that the rent on spaces is much higher now, and that, along with the economy, plays into the lack of deals to be found here.

We walked out of the market by way of the back street which intersects Jalan Dewi Sita near the soccer field.  We found a little restaurant with decent prices and decided to stop for lunch.  Ayuk's Warung faces the side street, and is a restaurant, money changer and wood carver's shop all in one.  While we waited for our food we wandered around the shop.  We have purchased from Ayuk in the past, and his shop hasn't changed much.  You can get good quality wood carvings here, and he does bargain.  Lunch was good, but not great.  After lunch, the kids walked back to the hotel, and Ibu and I went exploring.  We walked down Jl. Dewi Sita to Jl. Hanoman, back to Jl. Raya Ubud and past the market to the hotel.  Lots of new glass-front shops with very expensive goods for sale, and a Polo shop every half-block.  Okay, not really, but I've seen at least four of them in downtown Ubud, and the prices are not good.  $62 for a shirt?  I think not.

Back at the hotel, I finally dragged out the laptop to work on photos and start my blogging.  Unfortunately, the free wi-fi is not strong enough to easily access the internet from the back of the property where our bungalow was located.  Then I discovered that my laptop has succumbed to old age, and was operating so slowly that I'd never be able to get any work done.  No problem, Macaela has hers.  Only I've never used hers to access my Google account before, and when someone tried logging into my account a few months ago, I accepted Google's double authentication procedure.  So they sent me a text with a code.  To my Sprint phone.  Which I can't use here.  Ugh!  So I started the lengthy process of getting Google to give me access.  Who remembers when you started using Google?  Neither do I!

In the afternoon, we went out to check out Jalan Bisma which we've been walking past for years, but never ventured down.  This is a quiet little street with several places to eat and stay.  We were invited to come see Three Dewi house, so we checked out the place.  It is a nice three-story house set in the rice fields; each floor rents separately.  Unfortunately, we didn't take pictures, and I don't remember the price, but I do have the owner's card, so we can get in touch if necessary.

We opted for dinner at Ayu's Warung on Bisma.  The prices were good, but the portions were small, and the food wasn't very good.  Jake's BLT sandwich had about a half piece of bacon on each half, and the mayo was strange.  The lumpia were very greasy, and Ibu's black rice pudding was gritty.  Macaela and I had chicken steak, and each looked like it was a half portion.  But we had food in our stomachs, so we headed home to get some rest.

Bali 2013 - Day 2

After breakfast, Made came to take us to Celuk.  This is the silver village, and it is an all-day trip for us.  This year we brought a selection of loose stones to have made into jewelry.  It isn't a long trip from Ubud, but there are not many (if any) places to eat there, so we usually try to eat hearty before we go and take snacks for the kids, because we know it means a late lunch.

We arrived at the shop of Wayan Suwarsa, our favorite silversmith, and realized that we had left the stones back at the hotel.  Made and Jake turned around and went back, and Ibu, Macaela and I started shopping.  Our regular people were not there, and I think we overwhelmed the shop girl.  She seemed relieved when Chandradewi finally showed up to assist us.  We chose several new pieces from their stock, and ordered several more to be made with our stones, along with some special pieces for ourselves and for friends.

On our way back to town, Macaela and I noticed a nail salon advertising OPI polish, and we determined that would be where we will go for our manicures later (and maybe pick up some OPI colors on the cheap).  Not to be deterred by our experience at Nomad, we opted for lunch at Jaya Cafe on Jalan Monkey Forest.  This is a restaurant that we had enjoyed on our previous trip, and still rates high with us.  They have good food at reasonable prices, and an upstairs dining area that we prefer.  It gets good breezes, and we can watch the goings-on on the street below while we wait for our food.  Plus, they have free wi-fi, although it didn't work for me - I think you need to be downstairs for best connection quality.

After lunch, we walked back up the street towards Jalan Raya Ubud and checked out several properties along the way.  Sri Bungalows, where we have stayed on our previous trips to Bali, has undergone new construction and enlarged their restaurant.  They used to only have a small dining area, used mainly for breakfast for their guests.  Now they have a full service restaurant with a great looking menu.  One can even choose to dine near the pool or on the edge of the rice fields.  All of their rooms were full, but they were able to show us their new spa and riverside yoga room.

We also looked in at Sagitarius Inn, where the rooms were basic and clean.  They have a good restaurant, the location is good, the grounds are nice and well kept.  Peeking through the gate at the Ubud Inn, we couldn't help but go in.  Everything was in bloom - I don't think I've seen that many flowers in one place since my last country club wedding.  Unfortunately, the room they showed us was less than impressive and smelled musty.  I hope this was not a good representation of what they offer, because I'm not sure the beautiful grounds would make up for the room.

We were all tired from walking, and wanted dinner somewhere close, so we walked the short distance to Casa Luna.  We have always loved the food here, but found the staff to be a bit arrogant.  I come for the Fettuccine a la Casa (I think that's what it's called) - home made fettuccine noodles with ham, asparagus and avocado in a lemon cream sauce.  I get the same thing every time, and it's always great.  We also got to enjoy the live music from next door while we ate.

Bali 2013 - Day 1

Upon arriving at our hotel, Puri Saraswati, at 2:00 a.m., we asked for a wake up call for 7:00.  We were afraid of sleeping most of the day away, and we really don't want to waste any of the short time we have here sleeping.  Not to worry, 6:00 found me awake and ready to go.  Macaela and I were up and on the porch when Putra, one of the hotel staff, came down the path.  We exchanged greetings and he invited us to visit the temple that was attached to the hotel grounds.  It was still some time before breakfast would be served, and the rest of the family was still sleeping so we donned our temple garb and went to check it out.

The hotel is owned by the royal family, and the temple is one of their family temples.  I don't think I've seen any other temple adorned with so much gold.  Due to the early hour, we had the place to ourselves, with the exception of a man quietly going about his cleaning duties.  I'll post more on this later.

We were back in the room in time for our wake up call.  We all showered and gathered our stuff and headed to breakfast.  Everyone was starving, so the generous breakfast that is included with our rooms was greatly appreciated.

We have found that the only way to really get into the Bali schedule (being 12 hours off from our usual) is to hit the streets and walk.  With the hotel's excellent location, we had easy access to the market and downtown in one direction and Campuhan and Penestanan in the other.  We walked down Jalan Raya Ubud and checked out a few shops, then headed into Penestanan to visit friends.  Our stop at Londo found nobody home, and lunch time was approaching, so we continued down the path to Ibu Putu's Warung.  Nothing has changed here.  Ibu Putu's smiling face still greets you, and the basic menu of traditional favorites is still the same as it has been for years.  We all had iced lemon tea, the kids and I had chicken satay with rice, Jake and Ibu had carrot salads, and Ibu had french fries.  All this for only about $14.

After lunch we shopped our way back to the hotel and called Made to make arrangements to pick us up later.  The kids wanted milkshakes, so we stopped at Coco Bistro nearby for drinks.  I don't recommend this place.  It was expensive, service was slow, and the milkshakes were small and thin and the kids said they tasted like they were made with UHT milk.

Hurried back to the hotel, and got there just as Made was arriving.  His shock at seeing Jake, who was a little kid five years ago, had him almost speechless.  Made took us to purchase cell phones.  Everyone else in the world can bring their usual phones to Bali and purchase a sim card, but not us.  Cell phone companies in the U.S. (except AT&T) don't work that way.  No matter, we got two cheap phones for about $52 including pulsa, which is the Indonesian equivalent of minutes in cell-phone terminology.  (It doesn't really equate to minutes, and I don't understand it, but that's how it is.)

We chose to go to Nomad for dinner because we had enjoyed it so much last time.  Unfortunately, it was a disappointment.  Of course the prices have gone up, but along with that the service was not as attentive, and the food not as good.  But it was filling, and we were ready to head back and end a very long day.

Bali 2013 - The Adventure Begins

Well, here we go again.  All packed up with clothing, dishes, toothbrushes, toys, school supplies and gifts to give to our Bali friends and family.  Oh, yes, and clothes, toothbrushes, toiletries, and every electronic gadget and camera we thought we might need for ourselves.  The plan was to have Groome pick us up and take us to the airport, but when I called on Tuesday to confirm our pick-up time for the next morning, I was told they didn't have any drivers.  When my friend Robin said "Didn't you get a confirmation number?", of course I felt like a complete idiot.  Why did I not ask for that?  I usually would.  Oh, well, looks like we're driving to Dulles!

The drive wasn't that bad, and my car easily carried us and all our baggage, and in the end we're saving lots of money.  I'm just dreading the drive home after 20 hours in flight.

Our usual flight pattern with Singapore Air takes us from Richmond to JFK to Frankfurt to Singapore to Bali, with the longest leg being about 11 hours, and the total trip lasting about 30 to 32 hours.  This time we are flying

Korean Air from Dulles to Seoul to Bali, with a total trip time of about 20 hours.  That's the up side.  The down side is that we arrive in Bali at about 12:30 a.m. and depart around 1:00 a.m.  Still, it wasn't a bad flight.  I just wish I could sleep better on the planes.  Maybe one day I'll be able to pay that first-class fare and get a bed for the trip.

I am accustomed to the menus provided by Singapore Air - each meal is set out in detail with descriptions of the entree choices.  Korean Air just brings the cart down the aisle and asks "Chicken or beef?"  Even so, everything was pretty good.  The only thing that really didn't appeal to any of us was the cup of tofu that came with one meal.  There was the entree, a roll, and that big cup of tofu.  I tried it, but I've never been a fan of the stuff, so one small spoon for me and one for Macaela was all we ate.  I was thrilled when shortly after meal service, the flight attendants came along with strawberry cheesecake ice cream.

Arrival in Bali and immigration clearance was easy enough.  It was surprising how many people there were arriving at that time.  Apparently there were at least two planes that arrived at about the same time.  None of our luggage had been marked with that dreaded chalk X that Bali is famous for, so customs clearance went smoothly as well.  I don't know if it was due to the time of day, or if the rules have changed, but we weren't accosted by even one porter.

The changes to the airport area and parking are shocking.  There is a new shopping area right outside the terminal where parking used to be, and there is a huge new terminal being built beside the old one.  I remember back in '95 when the plane landed and they wheeled up a set of stairs so we could disembark.  I know change is inevitable, and can be good, but I'm afraid that, as I read somewhere, "Bali is being loved to death."

**I've been asked to explain the chalk X - when baggage arrives in Bali, they use a piece of chalk to make an X on any bags they want you to open for inspection.  This can take some time, and sometimes they want explanations for things that are normal - like diapers for Jake on our first trip with the kids.  One time they wanted us to explain the clothes we brought with us.  When we told them they were gifts for friends (which they were), they told us we needed to get permission to bring that much for gifts, but they grudgingly let us keep them without having to pay.