It was our first time in the new place. Our old building has been marked for redevelopment and they're going to convert it into some ridiculously posh condo with lap pools in each apartment - honestly, I think the real estate industry in Singapore has gone mad. For the rest of the day, we toured the surroundings, ate (E wolfed down 4 bowls of chicken porridge), and chilled around the house.
With law-defying odds, E's childhood friend from home happened to be in town too that weekend. (Really, what are the odds?) Microsoft put him up at the Ritz-Carlton (poor kid) but work kept him from sightseeing, so we took him on a quick tour on Monday. He likes durians! He met my parents at our wedding, but there's still something surreal about seeing them in the same room.
Bali Hai
Tuesday: A hop and a skip to Jakarta, then Bali's Denpasar airport. The city was typical of many Indonesian cities, until we got closer to Nusa Dua. The mesmerizing ocean reminded us at once that we were on the Island of the Gods. We stopped at the gate, the security guards circled the SUV with mirrors, we drove in; we arrived at Nikko Bali Resort & Spa. We got a warm and personal welcome, and laid out our itinerary for the next few days.
First, a visit to Bulgari's new hotel in Uluwatu. The resort was located on a cliff; each private villa was its own little sanctuary and had not only an outdoor pavilion lounge with sofas and a bar, but also its own infinity pool. Inside, the rooms were lined with dark wood and crisp white linen. The luxurious bathroom was, of course, stocked with Bulgari products and fragrances. Guests can soak in this extravagance starting at USD1,200 a night. :)
Villas facing the ocean
Luxurious bathroom; the staff spoke fluent Japanese
After the tour, we rode a golf cart to the bar, which was by the pool. The poolside area looked really inviting... the bar wasn't shabby either. We spread out on a plush black divan on the deck, where we had a stunning view of the ocean, and sipped on the most expensive iced cappuccino ever.
Pool area
E and I lounging around
Man oh man... if we had all the money in the world. We savored our coffee down to the last drop, then it was off to the other side of the island for dinner.
Driving in Bali was definitely not for the faint of heart. Our driver, thankfully, was a pro; he managed to squeak past scooters and vans on narrow dirt roads while everyone's going all directions at all speeds. He made good time AND didn't put a single scratch on the car. (E: "Traffic rules? Bah... they're more like guidelines, anyway.") Sometimes it was better not to look outside; there were too many narrow misses to be good for your heart. The gasps and "omg!"s from the back of the car would probably be distracting, and we really didn't want to distract the driver.
Indonesia works in mysterious ways; how we found our driver was one example. Upon arriving in Bali, my aunt simply made a long distance call to her office in Jakarta. In a matter of minutes, a young guy (who?) pulled up in a car (whose?) and voila, he was our reliable escort for the day. During the trip, my aunt complained about the car being too dingy. The next day, he greeted us at the resort lobby with a handsome black jeep. It's definitely not like a limo service; he's a friend of the family of one of the chauffeurs in Jakarta. But where did he get the cars? I didn't ask.
That night, after a seafood dinner at a Chinese restaurant, we retreated to the resort to find this ethereal sight:
Moon rising over the Indian Ocean
Day 2 was another day packed with sightseeing, starting with the iconic Barong Dance.
The Barong
Then it was a long drive to Ubud, the art hub of Bali set among rice padi fields and breathtaking landscape.
Rice terrace along the way; Mt Kintamani, a volcano and its surrounding lake and valley
Lush green rice padi field
Our first stop was a plantation that had vanilla, coffee, and cocoa beans, among others. There were a fair number of tourists, despite its remote location; the staff spoke Russian, Spanish, Japanese, Dutch, English... We chatted (in Indonesian) about their incredible aptitude for picking up languages, and they laughed modestly. Samples of freshly brewed coffee, lemongrass tea, and hot chocolate were passed around; we picked up a lot of souvenirs.
Lunch was at a restaurant called Bebek Bengil, which translates to 'Dirty Duck'. The Dirty Duck Diner is popular among tourists for good reason; it is nestled among rice padi fields (great view), and diners sit in airy outdoor pavilions as they enjoy the duck specialty with sambal. Cool concept!
For E's benefit, we stopped at a Monkey Forest to watch mischievous Balinese monkeys at play.
Being in a place like Bali, we couldn't get away without getting souvenirs for everyone and their brother. We went into town, Kuta, to pick up knick-knacks for co-workers, neighbors, friends. The jeep passed the site of the 2002 bombing and the adjacent memorial; my mum emphatically warned E, "Don't tell your mum I brought you here!" We must've stopped in every store on the street. It was bustling with activity; locals were hawking their wares, traffic was heavy, shirtless Caucasian teens walking with their surfboards (it was a few blocks from the beach)... As the sun set, we gave up on finding the 'perfect' gift for our long list and called it a day.
After a long day of sightseeing and shopping, we were famished; we headed to Jimbaran beach to eat at Ubung Cafe. It was like nothing I've ever seen before. Rows upon rows of seafood vendors, with huge tanks of fish and other short-lived sea creatures ready for your picking; smoky grills fired up with hot charcoal, secret marinades and sambals in dishes. Stepping through the thick veil of grilling smoke, you see hundreds of tables illuminated by candlelight, right on Jimbaran beach, and while you hear the waves roll up to shore, you also hear guitars and serenading. Once you get over the smoke (which was really hard to ignore), it was a surreal beach experience... one of a kind.
Ubung Cafe on Jimbaran Beach
The next day was devoted to relaxing at the resort. Finally!
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