Hello hello! I do apologise if some of you have visited my blog for this past month and ended up seeing no posts, that's because my blog was under renovation, or should i say just a few minor touch ups here and there. I originally wanted to switch to Wordpress, seeing that i have been using Blogger for quite a while now, and i actually did make an account on Wordpress but after finding out that i have to pay for some of the themes and stuff used to customize my blog, i gave up. I ain't payin' for that! And so i went back to Blogger. Haha!
And if you check my older posts and wonder why they are not viewable, it's because i deleted them. I thought, well, lack of updates and since my life's been a bit topsy-turvy, i guess it's time to start anew. New chapter in life. New decisions. And what better way to celebrate than the grand reopening of my blog? *pops champagne and confetti*
So, what can you expect from my blog?
Expect outings, food, fashion, and just slices of my life. Enjoy!
To commemorate this grand reopening, i'll give you the lowdown on my Bali trip, which was in April. So for those of you who were anticipating that post i promised, I'M SO SORRY BUT HERE IT IS, PICTURES AND ALL! Prepare yourselves for a very long post!
I left for Bali on the 17th of April. Packed an enormous haul two days before (and packed my sweet little seal plushie too). And the funny thing was, i was quite reluctant to go on vacation because i wanted to go to work on Saturday. Yep, workaholic me. But then i thought, well i guess i needed a well-deserved break for a bit.
My boyfriend was so kind to take care of my house for us while we were away, so we had a sleepover the night before my departure! He was given permission to eat our food, watch tv, sleep, bathe, play my ps3, and indulge with all the perks of staying at my house for 4 days.
Well, hello there! Was a bit sad to leave him for a few days. =(
Left for KLIA at around 4.30am. Sleepy little me took a while to get out of bed because, hey, it was 4.30am. Who wouldn't be sleepy at 4.30am?
Our flight was at 8am. I've forgotten what's it like going through security and customs in the airport. And I have never been to KLIA for a decade or so. The best thing about being there in KLIA? The duty-free shopping, of course! I planned to buy a few bottles of perfume, but i ended up purchasing a bottle of Dior Addict instead. Haha! I should have bought more, because how often do you get to go duty-free shopping?
Boarding~
We've arrived in Denpasar Airport!
It was around lunchtime when we arrived at the airport, so we met up with our tour guide Wayang, and he took us for lunch at this restaurant:
It's a must-visit for foodies, because they serve very scrumptious Crispy Duck and Chicken. I've never heard of such a dish before, and i don't think there's any back in Malaysia, but honestly, you've gotta try it! There are a lot of asian tourists eating in this restaurant, i guess it's because we love duck and chicken cuisine!
We were supposed to go straight to the hotel to check-in after lunch, but we were told that our hotel room was not ready and the previous inhabitants just checked out, so Wayang suggested that we go have a snack first and take a tour around a temple. I took a few pictures of buildings on the way to the cafe. Sorry for the blurry pics.
Curious cow is curious.
And so we arrived at this mysterious cafe. The view was breathtaking! Plenty of monkeys, part of the tourist attraction and people kept taking pictures of them. Probably those people never saw a monkey before in their life.
Now what was i thinking, slathering on makeup when i know i'll be walking under the hot sun?
Just your regular teh o' ais and pisang goreng. Tastes ten times better than the ones we have back home! Good balance of sweet and crunchy!
We headed off to the temple after having tea. Tourists were allowed to walk around the coupounds and gardens, but no one but the monks are allowed inside the actual temple. We were required to wear a purple sash or a yellow belt like the ones in the pictures below. This is because, well, the temple is a sacred place, and tourists must wear a sacred piece of cloth as a sign of respect. Since i happened to wear shorts that day, i had to cover up my legs.
Oh, there are monkeys there too. The area around the temple has dozens, or hundreds of monkeys running around freely and the keepers of the temple feed them everyday. There are a few wired cages about the size of a trash can, filled with sweet potatoes and bananas, scattered around the temple's compound. These are for the monkeys to eat.
I will never do that pose again. Ever. And a skirt with sport shoes? Definitely a big nono.
Reminder to self: get another handbag that doesn't seem so...huge.
And so, we checked into our hotel!
We were served with Pink Guava Juice as our welcome refreshments.
And next is our hotel room!
The view from the balcony.
Took a dip at the beach. It was around 6pm and it was still so crowded! Kuta Beach is a hotspot for surfers, so if you're into the sport, this is the place to go! Picked a few seashells and washed up corals to give to my students back home.
Oh, if you do visit Bali, please do watch out for those salesmen at the beach. Most of them are promoting tattoo services, so please do not be tempted to have your tattoo done there. The needles they use might not be hygienic and it may be used several times, so please do watch out.
A little later on, it was dinner time! Took a shower before we headed down to the lobby. The best thing about the Paradiso Hotel, was that it was just a walking distance to plenty of restaurants and small shopping centres, so you don't need a cab. Pretty much every tourist around just walks everywhere. We had dinner at a restaurant just right outside the entrance of our hotel.
(in clockwork order) Iced coffee with whipped cream, chamomile tea and ice lemon tea.
Chicken Rice.
My seafood aglio olio pasta. The garlic bread was a bit too tough and garlicky.
Walked around the markets a bit after dinner. We got a little lost along the way back to the hotel, but the locals are nice enough to direct us back. Majority of the local residents in Bali speak very good English, partially because Bali is famous to Aussie tourists, so don't be surprised if anyone speaks fluent english! I was surprised when i asked a lady how to get back to the hotel, and she answered me in english! So, conversing is no problem when everyone knows the universal language!
The view from our room's balcony. There's a little gazebo with a bar down by the pool.
I missed my bunny boo lots. I'm really happy that i could use the hotel's wifi to whatsapp him. =) End of Day 1.
Day 2.
I swear, their sauteed mushrooms were sooooo good!
Fresh fruits to top off the morning!
We immediately had to leave for the tour after breakfast. Wayang took us to a Batik factory. I think it was a factory.
Next stop, a silver shop.
I bought a few jewelries from there. A white silver ring, and a ruby pendant. Expensive, but worth it.
This carving of a komodo dragon took at least 6 months to complete.
This one took at least a year to finish. How do they do it?
Statues in progress...
And next is lunch near the volcano. You heard me right. VOLCANO. Wayang (tour guide) says that it's been dormant for quite a few years now, but there'll come a day when it'll erupt again. And i was hoping that it didn't decide to blow on that day itself. Thank God and Mother Nature.
A word of caution if you decided to visit any restaurant, especially the one i went to near the volcano. There are a few ladies selling trinkets like scarves, dresses and souvenirs. I strictly recommend you not to take notice of them or acknowledge what they are selling. Because the moment you leave the restaurant, they will swarm around you like hornets and ask you to buy their goods. NO. I am thankful that our tour guide advised us to ignore them because if you even touch the things they are selling, it will be considered BOUGHT. I was quite frightened because as i left the restaurant, i saw at least 6 of these ladies crowded around a tour van, refusing to leave, and not even giving space for the van to drive off. Talk about desperate, huh? But yes, they are desperate. These are mostly village women who will position themselves in any popular tourist spots just to earn their living.
Day 2 was basically filled with activities all day. I was quite tired after walking around and shopping, i didn't even get to nap. (A nap is much needed for me.)
Next stop, the orchard. And here are pictures of plants. Enjoy!
Oh look! Cocoa!
Coffee beans make you high. Look at the tour guide's expression.
This is my first time actually seeing a paddy field. I'm a city girl. We don't have paddy fields in the city.
This is supposed to be a licorice plant. I don't even know. I make a terrible herbiologist.
And now, ladies and gentlemen, i would like you prepare yourself for a small dose of cuteness.
Indonesia is famous for something called Luwak Coffee. And the cute little, racoon-y creatures in the pictures above are called Luwak (mongoose). The production of Luwak coffee is actually quite disgusting. Coffee farms like these actually keep these furry friends because they are an important key to making the coffee.
That is because they feed the Luwak coffee beans, and collect back the beans from the feces, after a successful poop.
I hope you didn't vomit out your dinner.
So the coffee beans collected from the poop of the Luwak will be cleaned, grounded, and made into coffee powder. I tried the coffee, and it actually smells sweet, but the taste...i would rather not describe. There may be a problem with my taste buds, but if you are an adventurous person, order it. And drink it. Cross your fingers and hope to avoid a tummy bug!
There is a hut that you can sit in and try out all the different types of coffees and teas...for free! Except for the Luwak Coffee.
I spotted a skink in the mongoose cage.
Don't forget to take a few of these when you visit the coffee farm! It's called the Snakeskin fruit, and it tastes quite sweet with a tinge of sour. I actually liked it, i took a few more. They're for free, by the way.
We were treated to dinner at the beach after a long day of walking around. (Seriously, if you're a person who loves walking around for hours all day, the tour's for you. But if you're not and prefer taking short breaks after every trip like me, i suggest you don't go for the tour)
Corn soup. And thou shalt poop out corn later!
Kangkung belacan. This is what we're famous for. It gives you leg cramps, but who cares? It's delicious!
Fish, prawns, fried sotong (squid) and mussels.
If you are looking for this place, ask your tour guide. The food's not bad though. Mind you, the restaurant is not located in Kuta Beach. You will have to ask the locals or your tour guide. I kinda forgot what was the place called as well.
Day 3
BOAT RIDE TO TURTLE ISLAND. The name given to this island is quite misleading because at first, i thought it was a place where you can actually go and witness turtles laying eggs or turtles just lying around lazily or we will go swim underwater and see turtles pass by. BUT NO. It is not what i expected. It was a turtle sanctuary centre. More like a small zoo, i should say. I was disappointed when i found out.
Half-albino turtle.
Something nipped at my foot. A turtle might have mistook my leg for seaweed. Pardon my face. Derp.
A lot of you might know how badly i wanted an iguana to name Pablo.
Nope. Eagle doesn't like me much. It kept flying back to its perch.
A hornbill. It kept looking at me and kept going MWAAAAAAAAAWAWAWAWA. I did the same. We sorta clicked, i guess.
I conquered my fear of snakes! I feel sorry for the python i was holding. It had its mouth taped shut. I wonder if they remove the tape during feeding time.
There were not many animals in the turtle farm. No offense, but the staff seemed quite unwilling to do their job. The man who showed us around kept hurrying us along, and at the end of the tour, he asked if he could have a tip. Good jobs and cheerful service deserves a tip. Not unwilling and rude people.
We went to visit another temple. This time, at the shore. Oh and if you're wondering why i am wearing different clothes, it's because i changed clothes after the turtle farm visit.
That big huge rock thingy you see there is actually the temple. When the tide is low, tourists are allowed to walk over. It so happens that the tide wasn't exactly low on the day i went to visit.
Errrmm..why are my eyes closed?
Now i have an interesting event that occurred here. A monitor lizard ran out from a bush and scurried into this shop above. I was a bit frightened because it stopped a few inches from my leg and looked at me. *shudders*
Erhmeged my face...
Traditional village, anyone? Honestly, i have never seen so much...green in my life. Being a city girl, i don't see much trees. Everything just keeps getting chopped down. The only green things i see every day is my own mini garden back home.
Take a close look at the walls. Wood woven together. How on earth?
I really love the design of the traditional Bali house. Reminds me of my visit to Thailand. Everything is just so decorated! Tourists are allowed to visit only one family, so as not to intrude on other villagers. But, permission from the head of the village is needed first before entering any of the houses.
I went to visit this lady in the village. She's a single mom, and her husband passed away a few years ago, so she's the only one supporting her entire family while the children (my age) do labor at the paddy fields or the town. I bought a handmade sarong (long skirt) from her. Special thanks to her and her mom for welcoming us to her home.
There is a pig. Right there.. See that wall? There is a pigsty behind it. And there is a huge black pig snorting there.
Really enjoyed my little visit to the village. Not to toot my own horn, but i appreciate the compliments i received from the villagers. I still have to laugh at the "exotic beauty" part. No, man. I'm Chinese. I'm a full English-speaking Chinese person who still has no clue how to use chopsticks properly and finds learning Mandarin hard. Yep, that's me. I assure you i have no mixed blood, or has relatives who are Europeans or Americans...or Brazilian. Questions of my true origins of my features are yet unanswered. Sorry, guys. XD
Moving on, when you visit Bali... GO GET YOURSELF A MASSAGE. I am fortunate that i had spare time after visiting the main spots scheduled for the day, so mom and i decided to go for a massage.
Waiting for our turn.
Highly decorated doors.
Flavoured scrubs available: Milk, Frangipani, Rose, Chocolate, Tea, Lavender and Jasmine.
No pictures of me during the spa. Too bad. That would be an invasion of privacy. But the flower bath was lovely though. Dad, Wayang and the driver had to wait for 2 hours until we were finished. All of them were asleep by the time we got out.
We went back to the hotel to rest before dinner. There was no dinner scheduled for us in the itinerary, so we had to hunt for a restaurant to eat. We had dinner at this incredibly gorgeous restaurant just located opposite our hotel. There was another hotel just right behind this restaurant.
Two little girls playing with a kitten.
The food was delicious, as always.
Mom suggested we walk around after dinner, but instead, we rode the pony taxi. No, i'm serious. Pony. You can see many pony taxis around, especially during the evening when traffic is not so bad. It'll take you around town, or to any destination, at your choice.
Poor thing was so tired by the time we stopped running around town.
That concludes Day 3.
Day 4. Final day.
I was quite sad to leave Bali, mostly because it was such a peaceful place (despite the traffic jams and mosquitoes) but because this is the kind of hospitality that can't be found even back in Malaysia.
We had one final lunch date before finally departing for the airport.
There was this glass dining table that had beautiful sea decorations inside it. A good idea for future kitchen interior designs.
And that's all of the pictures. Boarded our flight later in the afternoon, and i came home to the boy who has been living and taking care of my house for 4 days straight during my trip. And i came back to a very (miraculously) clean room and cupboard. I do apologise that you guys had to put up seeing my unglamorous face throughout this post. So very sorry.
Lesson: Travel while you are still young. When you get older, you don't have many chances to go out and see the world because by the time you are 25, you will be working non-stop to earn your living. I barely go out of Malaysia and the furthest i've been to is Thailand. I am yet to visit other places, hopefully very soon.
~May Elle Rosette~
