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Published: February 20th 2014
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Sacred Offerings Are Everywhere
This god apparently has a penchant for mini cheddars........... We were glad when the journey was over and we finally arrived in Bali, Indonesia’s most popular tourist destination. One major difference here is that around 90% of the island’s 4 million inhabitants are Hindu rather than Muslim like the rest of the country. It’s fascinating to observe how this religion manifests itself into everyday life; the air is often thick with the dense, delicious smell of burning incense and beautifully ornate temples abound. The ramshackle pavements are permanently carpeted with thousand upon thousand small, square boxes hand crafted from banana leaves and containing offerings to the gods. These offerings could be anything from fruit or flower petals but many also contain weird things like rice, coconuts, mentos, spliffs (!!) or mini cheddars - honestly!!
Our first stop was the bustling town of Sanur, known for its long white beaches and as a surfers’ paradise. It’s near to the much bigger and busier Kuta but we decided that “Snore” (as it is nicknamed by folk more energetic that us) was more suited our relaxation agenda. Our accommodation was at the newly opened Kejora Suites (kejorasuites.com) which proved to be perfect. Friendly, comfortable and, most importantly, within our price range (!)
Rock and Roll......!!
These two serenaded us with ACDC's "TNT" on the night the has become infamous as the "make sure you understand the currency denominations" night. it is bang in the centre of town but, as soon as you walk through the open reception area, you feel a million miles away from the chaos of the streets outside. It’s an oasis of tranquillity and its 25 rooms, all of which face onto the refreshing pool, nestle in amongst lush, tropical gardens full of brightly coloured birds flitting from tree to tree.
Being a new hotel, the staff are a bit rough around the edges, but are ridiculously friendly and can’t do enough to help you. In fact, we find the Balinese people without exception to be warm and outgoing; when you smile at any passer-by, their face lights up with an ear to ear grin and they wish you a good day. It is entirely possible they are thinking “smile back at the big white nutter and he will go away”, but ignorance is bliss and it makes me happy anyway.
Bali is very cheap too with lunch and dinner costing around £5 and £10 respectively including drinks. This is in keeping with the rest of the islands cost of living and it’s a good job it’s so reasonable as the maximum you can
Sanur - A Beautiful, Colourful Start
Maybe it is more "Snore" than Kuta but it certainly suited our relaxation agenda. draw from the ATM’s here is £65 per day. The exchange rate is an eye watering 20,000 Indonesian Rupia to the pound meaning that £65 become 1,250,000 in local currency. That, as you may imagine, can cause issues……………
This was best illustrated on our first evening here when we’d just landed and were still a bit groggy from the journey. We’d had a fabulous rijsttafel (a Dutch influenced meal of around ten mini courses served together on a huge palm leaf along with rice, prawn crackers and several spicy dips – delicious!!) and, as we asked for the bill, the heavens opened and a monsoon ensued. No matter, the waiter offered to drive us back to our hotel or, at least, lend us an umbrella. We politely declined, paid the bill and started to exit the restaurant. It was at this point said waiter ran after us whilst pointing animatedly at the bill. Yours truly had got the decimal point mixed up and left way, way too little money. The mood had changed a little now and, when we asked if we could borrow the golf umbrella, he was very keen to know which hotel we were staying in;
I Was Only Half Listening........
.......when I was getting dressed and Angela told me I looked like an ageing American off a cruise ship. Maybe, but I'm travelling with a very limited wardrobe and at least I know what a Magnum is!! can’t think why…………….
Being together 24/7 with Angela is, of course, a pleasure and we make good travelling companions. At times though it does mean you drift off a little and don’t always listen to what the other person is talking about with the focus you perhaps should. A surreal example of this happened quarter to ten last night as we were walking between bars on the noisy main street. A bloke walked out of a tiny Indonesian shop opening a newly purchased Magnum which, bearing in mind the time of night, struck me a bit odd (I was much more focussed on getting our next local Bintang beer rather than an ice cream). Wonderful conversationalist that I am, I remarked on this unusual buying pattern to Angela to which she casually replied that people often use them to keep their pins in a safe place (!!). This completely flummoxed me and I mused on it for about 100 yards (“that’s a bad idea as it would melt” “if you’re going to use a lolly to stick your pins in, why use a top priced one like a Magnum? Surely a Morrison’s own brand would suffice?” etc) - then
The Bamboo Shoots Cookery School
Wonderful Fun - Irma was lovely, the food was great and we got free beer at 10.30am!! I realised what she meant. I clarified I’d said “magnum”, not “magnet” (half listening you see………) and, without a hint of sarcasm or irony, she casually remarked she wouldn’t have thought you could buy champagne in a little shop like that. I give up!!
Our penultimate day in Sanur proved to be fabulous fun as we attended a class run by the Bamboo Shoots Cookery School. Collected at our hotel at 7am (it’s easy to get out of these early starts ;-) by our teacher for the day, Irma, our first stop was the local market. This opens every day at 4am and is a fascinating cauldron of smells, colours and noises. The first couple of dozen stalls are given over entirely to selling ceremonial items and the rest to seemingly hundreds of different types of exotic fruits, vegetables and fish. Many of these were completely new to us and we were encouraged to pick things up to smell or bite into them. The stall holders greeted us doing this with a big smile – not entirely the reaction I’d expect if this technique was tried at the Arndale Market in Manchester.
All produce secured, we were whisked
Making Fresh Spring Rolls
I thought I was a natural but Irma's body language begs to differ. off to the cookery school and, before you could say “this is a bit like work”, we were washing, peeling, squeezing, chopping and grinding. Different pastes were produced, fresh spring rolls made from scratch and tuna wrapped in banana leaves with lots of herbs and spices. The results of the four amateur chefs (2 Aussies, Nancy and John, joined us on the tour) were spectacular – light, spicy and really tasty.
Irma’s husband is another Aussie and he insisted the dishes we had made were washed down with several Bintang beers – it had only just reached 10.30am by this time!! “It would be rude not to” is an overused phrase I know but it really seemed fit this time and we went with the flow. Slightly light headed for that time in the morning (!!) we eventually bid everyone farewell and were dropped back at the Kejora Suites having enjoyed ourselves very much indeed.
It was time now to leave the slightly unfairly named “Snore” and head to our next destination, the cultural inland town of Ubud.
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John C
John Cotton
Unbelievable!!! :)
Hi :) John has let me use his tavelblog to follow you :)....Love it :) Right from the start with the Miss Marple lady through to your magnum (i was thinking 'gun') it sounds surreal!!! Hope Big J doesn't mind me commenting!! You two need your own travel show :) Lots of Love...Tracey (Usually mithering Angela about Sage ) xx