Bali 2013 - Day 10

Yesterday we caught up with an old friend, Made Sutiri.  She used to have a shop on Jl. Penestanan, and we've been buying clothing from her for many years.  During our visit, we told her about all our business ventures and what we've been up to over the last five years.  She asked us to come out and look at her new house, so we agreed and set a time for 11:00 today.  Well, we got out for breakfast late, so I rushed through my meal and started down the jungle path to the village.  I couldn't believe how long the walk actually is.  When you're wandering around with no schedule, you just don't notice how much ground you've covered.  I finally made it to Made's new shop, and we visited and chatted while waiting for the rest of the group to catch up.

Made asked if we wanted to drive to her house, because it was so hot.  She said it was only about 15 minutes away, so I said no, we could walk.  But she insisted that we should drive, and within seconds there were four motorbikes assembled outside her shop.  Now, I'm no stranger to two-wheeled travel, but I was wearing a sarong.  Nothing for it but to ride side-saddle.  Made assigned each of us to a bike and driver, and off we went.  I'm glad we drove, because it was a 15 minute drive out of town.  It would have been a much longer walk.  I wish I had been able to take pictures of all of us on the bikes, but I was busy holding on.

Made's new house is actually two houses, set in the middle of rice fields outside Ubud near the village of Katik Lantang.  Each one has one bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and outdoor seating areas.  One has a small pool, a lounging bale (pavilion) and a garden shower, and the other has a fish pond.  Made and her husband sleep in a small building out front for security when the houses are occupied.  These are lovely private long-term villas renting for 6 million IDR per month with pool and 5.5 million IDR without, bed linens, towels and cleaning included.  One would have to have a motorbike, though.  It's a bit too far to be calling a driver every day.


After checking out the houses, we all got back on the motorbikes and Made and family dropped us off in the street to go back to Londo.  We had looked at the menu for Warung River View a couple of days ago, and we decided to go there for dinner tonight.  They have an extensive menu, and a great location.  Unfortunately, the food just wasn't good.  I ordered a chicken steak, and although it looked great, it was overcooked and covered with what tasted like beef gravy.  The steak knife they brought me looked like they picked it up off someone else's plate on the way to our table.  Macaela's chicken cordon bleu was also overcooked, and Ibu's black rice pudding was just so-so.  Jake had sate ayam with white rice and no sauce, which he gobbled up without complaint.