Day 10 - Bali, Jimbaran Again

After seeing some monkeys, we wrapped up the day by going to Jimbaran, again! But this time with the rest of the family. Putri, Jeff and I came to Jimbaran for dinner the night before, this time we chose a different restaurant. This one had a Kecak performance which was lovely. And this time we arrived early enough to catch the beautiful sunset. 

Jimbaran is a fishing village with its rows and rows of restaurant of the shore and a couple of hotels. This was the spot where the bombings of two "warung" (restaurants) happened in 2005. 


Indonesia_2011-83.jpg
Picture this: Hot day, but the Indian ocean breeze helped, the smell of fresh sea air, toes buried in the sand, devouring fresh seafood caught that morning sprinkled with some island spices grilled over coconut husks, the colorful parasol topped and cut up fruit cocktails that seems to magically reappear after the last one, the soothing gamelan music with exotic dancers entertained the ears and the eyes during dinner PLUS your loving family is with you. This is my take on heaven.

Indonesia_2011-78.jpg
This was our table

Indonesia_2011-95.jpg
Treyton enjoying his Sprite while waiting for the food

Indonesia_2011-79.jpg
That's Jeff in white looking for shells

Indonesia_2011-107.jpg
Chillin' waiting for the food to arrive. In most of the restaurants, this is how you place the order. Get seated, get your table, come up front and select your seafood. These are all live seafood caught that morning. Then you select how you want them prepared, either grilled or fried. They grilled their seafood mostly using coconut husks instead of charcoal. 

Indonesia_2011-132.jpg
We got some grilled corn NOT from the restaurant, rather from a street vendor

Corn seller at Jimbaran. Must be hard to push that cart on a sand!

Indonesia_2011-134.jpg
To cool off we MUST drink! Once you're tipsy you'll be able to bear the scorching heat.

Indonesia_2011-182.jpg
Loosen up after a few drinks.

Indonesia_2011-163.jpg
Treyton was DRENCHED in sweat, notice his shirt looks wet? That's not because he went in the water.

Indonesia_2011-112.jpg
Oh heaven... Taking all these beauty in was so therapeutic.

Indonesia_2011-188.jpg

Indonesia_2011-178.jpg

Indonesia_2011-186.jpg
Can you spot the translucent crab?

Indonesia_2011-193.jpg
FOOD IS HERE!

Indonesia_2011-194.jpg
Clams with special sambal

Indonesia_2011-195.jpg
Happy fish in the morning, Happy Dhila by evening.

Indonesia_2011-196.jpg
Kangkung (watercrest) with strips of fried squid, caught that morning

Indonesia_2011-197.jpg
John's Baramundi

Indonesia_2011-198.jpg
The happy couple, John and Roosy

Indonesia_2011-200.jpg
The gamelan player

Indonesia_2011-203.jpg
Dinner and a SHOW!

Indonesia_2011-208.jpg

The story below was taken from here
The story goes that Rangda, the mother of Erlangga, the King of Bali in the tenth century, was condemned by Erlangga's father because she practiced black magic. After she became a widow, she summoned all the evil spirits in the jungle, the leaks and the demons, to come after Erlangga. A fight occurred, but she and her black magic troops were too strong that Erlangga had to ask for the help of Barong. Barong came with Erlangga's soldiers, and fight ensued. Rangda casted a spell that made Erlangga soldiers all wanted to kill themselves, pointing their poisoned keris into their own stomachs and chests. Barong casted a spell that turned their body resistant to the sharp keris. At the end, Barong won, and Rangda ran away.

Somebody can die or get seriously injured in a Barong dance. It is said that if Rangda's spell is too strong, a weak soldier may not be able to resist it, even with the help of Barong. He may end up hurting himself with his own keris.

The masks of Barong and Rangda are considered sacred items, and before they are brought out, a priest must be present to offer blessings by sprinkling them with holy water taken from Mount Agung, and offerrings must be presented.

Indonesia_2011-220.jpg
Notice that it takes two people to operate the Barong.














Day 10 - Bali, Monkey Forest

After another day of swimming at the Hotel, Putri decided we needed some girl time, so she booked us a message (complimentary from the hotel!).


Putri snapped this picture of me and Treyton

And Jeff wanted to get in the action


Putri thinks this guy could use a little bit more muscle with his hand work, well that's what you get from a complimentary massage, a bit half-ass job.


Afterwards, we met up with my mom, Alvin, Ria and John at the Monkey Forest. This is a MUST stop and a MUST do if you are in Bali. We went to the site in Uluwatu. There's also another monkey forest in Ubud Bali. 

Indonesia_2011-347.jpg
Since it's a sacred temple, everyone and anyone (adults) entering the temple wearing other than long pants, must be covered with a sarong, much like what Jeff had on. Look at this handsome man.

Indonesia_2011-3.jpg
First sighting of the monkeys

Indonesia_2011-8.jpg
A family of monkeys. I was told when I was little that these monkeys were human beings once and were cursed by the Gods.

Indonesia_2011-9.jpg

Indonesia_2011-17.jpg
Noticed Jeff didn't have his glasses on? Before entering the temple we were told not to bring ANYTHING with us and to strip all of our jewelries. There are no lockers at this place so you have to either leave them in your car or give them to your mom who's waiting for you outside while you go through the temple.

Indonesia_2011-34.jpg
Getting friendly with some monkeys

Indonesia_2011-36.jpg
Ria getting friendly with her ancestor

I'm pretty sure they could smell fear in me, no wonder no monkeys want my food. The stick on my hand was pretty handy to shoo them away.

Indonesia_2011-38.jpg
They (the monkeys that is) absolutely LOVE Alvin. They were climbing up his back, combing his head to look for fleas and stuff.

Indonesia_2011-24.jpg

Indonesia_2011-28.jpg
Do you notice that Ivory only has one sandal? Well the other one got ripped out of her foot by one the naughty monkeys

Indonesia_2011-10.jpg
This nice lady, got Ivory's sandal back, after she gave the monkey some cut up fruit. A small bag of fruit cost about 2 pennies and we gave her more for the trouble.
She's one of the sellers who sells cut up fruit to sell to tourist if you want to feed the monkey. She also told us that overtime these monkeys got smarter. They didn't steal because they want to own it, they steal from tourist in hopes to exchange their stolen goods with food. Smart fellas!
One must also wonder, is there some kind of collaborative work between the monkeys and these sellers? You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours?

Indonesia_2011-40.jpg
We climbed up the stairs to get to the temple

Indonesia_2011-51.jpg
it was hotter than hell that day and we managed to climb up what felt like an infinite stairs to heaven and sure enough we found this heavenly beauty.

Indonesia_2011-57.jpg
He just couldn't help it

Indonesia_2011-60.jpg

Indonesia_2011-39.jpg
This cutest little monkey drew quite a large crowd.

Indonesia_2011-66.jpg
  Indonesia_2011-71.jpg Indonesia_2011-70.jpg  Indonesia_2011-69.jpg Indonesia_2011-68.jpg 


>>> Next up, dinner at Jimbaran, again,  with the rest of the  family this time and this time we got to catch the famous Jimbaran sunset >>>>






Day 9 - Jimbaran Beach, Bali

We had quite a day today. Went for a swim at the infinite pool overlooking Indian Ocean, saw beautiful birds at Bali Bird Park, and went to see Kecak Dance at the a Tanah Lot where the temple sits on an ocean. We wrapped up the evening with dinner on the beach. Jimbaran is well know for it's rows of restaurant on the beach shore. We sipped some Bintang beer, devouring made to order fresh seafood caught that morning.

031610_Indo-293
This was only HALF of the food that we ordered

031610_Indo-288
Happy family (see Treyton?) How could we not? Sitting by the ocean breathing the fresh ocean air, toes burried in the white sand, the smell and taste of fresh seafood, the smell of the ocean, getting tipsy on Beer Bintang. Not one soul is unhappy here on this beach.

031610_Indo-284
The sister and I waiting for our food.

031610_Indo-279
Jeff wished that this moment will never go away.

>>> The next day we went to see thieves of monkeys. YES they STEAL! >>>