Bali - 4th day

This is a breathtaking view of the cliff at Uluwatu, the southern tip of Bali and overlooking the gigantic expense of the Indian Ocean.

This is a an open air auditorium where the traditional Balinese monkey dance is held. "Chik...chak...chik....chak......" goend the accompanying rhythm. Quite awesome when done at night with the accompaniment of fire.

More view of the breakers from the Indian Ocean. A great site for surfers.

This is the more isolated part of the busy Kuta Beach. mostly enjoyed by foreign tourists. Low end foot reflexology, massages etc are offered all along the shaded part of beach.

THIS IS THE CULPRIT WHO SNATCHED MY BETTER HALF'S GLASSES - THE INFAMOUS NOTORIOUS GANGSTERS OF ULUWATI. He did it with the speed of lightning, leaving the victim shrieking for help. The next moment you see him perching on top of a ledge, examining his loot. It seems that the gang will take anything, so hold on to your spouse, or..may be.... be prefer losing her to the monkeys. LOL
One for the family album. (Luckily she was not snatched away by the monkey !!!)

Stalls upon stalls along Kuta Square.

Since we arrived after the Jakarta Explosion, security was a bit tight, thus booasting your safety. Member of a Special Force walking the street with a sniffer dog.

You will never run out of money in Bali, ...oop... I mean money changers. You still need your money to change.


So, this is a good sign to end our trip to Bali. Saw this outside Hard Rock at Kuta Square. Farewell Bali. Be strong. Preserve your culture, tradition and religion. You are unique.

Bali- 3rd Day

Vendors of local snacks. All ready waiting for their customers.Sampling is allowed. Btw if you have the cheeks to sample from all the stalls, you will be quite full up at the last stall. LOL.
This is another enchanting Taman Ayun Temple which is floating on Beratan Lake built in the 11th century AD by the Mengwi Royal family.

Another enchanting shrine on the same lake.Several shrines opposite the lake.
This is taken at Turtle Island, off Tanjung Benoa Harbour, after an exciting glass bottom boat ride. If you wonder why I look so cautious. The reason is I don't trust the Hornbill. My eye balls might be mistaken for "kacangs" (nuts) or some succulent fruits.
The better half could not resist carrying an adorable baby turtle.

This is the beach on Tanjung Benoa harbour, very touristy and full of marine activities.

You can see many of such sculptures around Kuta and Denpasar, depicting the victory of good over evil.
These are the holy springs that surface from the ground and feed the lake with water for ages located on the grounds of Tampak Siring.
This is Tanah Lot or "Land in the middle of the sea." The temple sits on a large off shore boulder which has been sculptured by the incessant waves. We feasted our eyes on the glorious sunset over the Indian Ocean.

Bali - 2nd Day

Typical gates of all the temples. Gates are always narrow reflecting a slow paced life where there is no hurry. Devotees always walk in single file and each is in his or her deep prayers.

Our visit coincided with the 15th of the lunar month and so we were blessed with the sight of devotees offering their sacrifices, prayers and also doing their ritual bath.
This is a "Ketuk" or wooden drum that calls for prayers.
Devotees balancing their sacrifices and offerings on their heads to the main temple.
This is the entrance to the temple for devotees only.

We were greeted by a ritual dance performed by Balinese youths to the rhythm of "gamelang" music right at the temple court since it was the 15th of the lunar month. The dance is part of the school curriculum and is perpetuated from generation to generation.
A visit to a showcase coffee plantation at Kintamani, y s was introduced to "Kopi Luwak." It is coffee grounded from coffee beans eaten, undigested and excreted from "musangs" (Civeat cats). Having gone through the civeat cats' digestive system, the coffee beans are better flavoured, and sold at RM10 per small cup. It tastes o la la better than Starbuck !

This is the buffet at Suling Bali Restaurant, far from my imagination of "Babi Guling," " Bebek Bengil,""Pepes Ikan," etc which I heard of. Anyway, y s had a tasted of these later at his own expense.

Lunch for the day was at Suling Bali Restaurant which has the Batur Volcano as its facade and terraced slopes full of agricultural produce by its side .
This is a breathtaking view of Batur active Volcano and lake in the district of Kintamani, a picturesque and verdant rural setting. The view was blurred by a thick mist after a drizzle.

Bali - first day

Bali is still heavily wrapped in her indigenous and pristine culture and tradition. Her artists work mainly with silk, wood and volcanic rocks. The soul of her inhabitants can be traced on the intricate wood carvings, floral batik printings and mythological sculptures.

My better half and a friend posing with an attractive " Are you sleeping?" sculpture at an art gallery.

A female Balinese working intently on a piece of silk while being ogled by a crowd of photograph hungry tourists. Y s would not be able to concentrate in this situation.
In Bali, drink "Bintang." It is cool and refreshing, and only 2% alcohol, just enough to knock off an ant of a drinker like y s.

More show cases of how the artists work to convince visitors that they are buying authentic Balinese printed arts.

Of course, a visit to Bali is incomplete without her dances and the "Barong and Kris " Dance.
Its delicate and graceful choreography reflects the friendliness and gentleness of her populace.

Off the beaten tract of Tanjung Sepat

Yours sincerely drove off the beaten track of Tanjung Sepat into some Chinese orchards to taste some fruits. This small organic farm is tucked away from the main road. Y s wonders how does it attract visitors but then it has no worries. This orchard has a ready stream of Singaporeans who stop by to flash their " Sing Dollars. " So, don't expect anything cheap when you see Singaporeans around. They have a penchant to cause sudden inflation.

This is the dusty off beaten track. Everything managed, worked and financed by Chinese' ingenuity. No subsidy whatsoever and it is thriving. Funny. Those with subsidy die off for the lack of genuine competition which sets off your mind to think and plan effectively to stay afloat.

In case you are tempted to pluck the fruits. My " lawyer brother " says that you can pick the fallen fruits anyway! That is not pluck!

This is the temptation y s mentioned earlier. Bunches and bunches of ripe succulent "longans" hanging low from the weary branches, all within your arm length.

This is the shed where the fruits are displayed.

You guess it ? When it is a Chinese area, everything has to be exploited for RM. The abundance of swallows at this seaside village is not left alone, such condos have been built to attract swallows to build their nests and to have their nests stolen, weighed by ounces and sold to simpletons who falsely think that the nests do their health good. LOL

This restaurant attracted my attention. The good intention of the proprietor is lost in the web of language which may cause a misunderstanding from "You can eat anything you want here" to " It is up to you whether you want to patronize my place or not. I am not hard up!!!"

Y s' better half never stopped at buying. "This one for this friend. That one for that friend. "

The only jetty at Tj Sepat. Constructed, financed and maintained by Chinese ingenuity and no subsidy. This is the heart and life line of the villagers. Y s managed to witness catches being unloaded.

The only surviving "Pokok Bakau" at this "tanjung" (cape). So much have been taken away but not replaced and it hurts the coast line badly. There is very clear evident of silting.

Take time to appreciate your surrounding.
Life is to be lived.
One has a lot of time to be dead.

of weddings.......

Yours sincerely ( Y s ) and his better half were invited to a niece's wedding at Tanjung Sepat. I bet you don't know the whereabouts! It is south of KL, exit Sepang and drive along the trunk road. You will pass by many small towns and palm oil plantations. You can never miss this small and quaint Chinese fishing village.

A Chinese wedding in a small Chinese village is very interesting. The pre-wedding dinner, for example, is a free for all event. Everyone is invited. Food is constantly replenished. Soft drinks and beer flow unceasingly. The din is overwhelming when everyone try to talk at the same time. The road in font of the groom's house is practically closed for traffic and neighbours somehow understand.


This is y s' favourite niece with her adorable children.

The wedding dinner proper was held at the community hall in the town centre. It was again a practically free for all event since the hall has no walls to check on the guests like those held at hotels or restaurants. However, that "Chinese Pride" of no free lunch is very much alive even in the younger generation so you don't get gate crashers who go for free "makan." The wedding catered to about a thousand people since in Chinese villages you don't expect parents not to bring their whole broods or to RSVP, as opposed to those held in towns and cities where seats are numbered, named and head count taken. Children are not expected unless you a kin. How materialistic have the town and city Chinese become! LOL

The food? O la la. It was the traditional Chinese worked from home caterer. Watching the chef managing his makeshift, open air kitchen is awesome. No diploma or degree in culinary science but he manages it like the scientists at the launching pads at Cape kennedy. There was quantity and quality, and value for money. Everyone was happy and some could even "ta pow" (takeaway) home leftovers.

The bride and her sister. Daughters of my demised 2nd sister. Seeing them grown up as successful career women and having married to fine, responsible and loving husband is joy beyond words.
This is the most expensive traditional tea y s has ever drunk but it is all part and parcel of the Chinese tradition where the groom, in this case, is initiated into the clan. Salute! Y s' standard advice is "Go and multiply." The fifth baby is RM1K "angpow."

In full support for my demised 2nd sister about 80 % of the clan is present. Some came from as far as New Zealand and Kelantan, not to mention Alor Star!

My favourite quote on marriage:-

" Marriage is the art of two incompatible people learning to live compatibly"

My better half's favourite quote on marriage:-

" Doing housework for RM20.00 an hour is domestic service - doing it for nothing is matrimony."

Always remember that ........

"Marriages may be made in heaven, but man is responsible for the maintenance work."

Viva life. Spice up your life. One life is enough if properly lived.