Bali = Diwali = Di Bali = Festival =
Upacara
The trip of 2012 manages to take off despite being ffk-ed by
one person that had to work and was placed in Sabah. I
have long heard stories of the Magical Island of Bali of how beautiful it is
and stories of unmarried couple (aka Dating/ In relationship/ Along the road to
marriage) that after they go to Bali for holiday, they would come back and
break-up within several month’s (just hear say stories). Then I was thinking if
friends that go together, and they have feelings for each other, would they
after coming back get together because of the ‘magic’.
Without knowing in advance that the timing of the trip would
coincide with the Balinese celebrating ‘Upacara’ Kuningan
Explaination1 Explaination2 So there was Penjor being decorated all along the way,
forming like a streetlight post except that their do not have any lighting. I
learned that different village has their own pattern/ designs and there is also
a competition for it. A typical Penjor would take about 3 hours to make (after
all the materials have been gather) and the estimated cost is around 1 million
Rupiah each. Normally one family would make one (1) Penjor and place it outside
their home.
On our way to Ubud (with many detour and sight-seeing along
the way), there was a motorcade opening the way for some cars, which I thought
was some royalty or maybe even minister, but found out that it was the boss of
Khrisna, the biggest shopping center in Bali that is opened 24 hours a day. I
wasn’t expecting that there would be shops that open round the clock except
maybe convenient store like Circle K (equivalent to 7-11 in Malaysia
or Singapore).
The boss of Khrisna is also the richest man in town according to my driver cum
guide. We visited the Monument that is in front of the Mayor office and also
the Art Centre that is huge (at least 5 Acres). As the weather was hot so we
bought 5 coconuts from the roadside and quench our thirst at the guide’s house
as he invited us to go there. Upon arrival, we were greeted by his wife, the
kids and few cute dogs. We were offered some local snacks (which I didn’t see
any shop selling those). Each household would have one ‘family Temple’
in their own compound, and the size is full size unlike those Alter that we
have in Malaysia
that don’t really require a large amount of space.
After the short chilling session, we continued our journey
and saw many people gathering beside the Temple
and learned that there was Cock Fighting. So we decided that we should watch it
(I think Kelantan used to have it, or most Kampung for that matter), but had to
find some other timing that we can go as we was on our way to a late lunch or
early dinner at 5-ish 6pm. We had dinner at a restaurant called Wayan
where we were the only other table beside a Caucasian couple.
After dinner, it
was off to Jl Monkey Forest to check into our Suite room. Although we was
staying near to Monkey Forest,
but we never visited that place. The suite was pretty big in size with 2 Queen
Bed, one is downstairs the other is upstairs at the ‘loft’
After settling down, we headed out to explore the ‘nightlife
street’. We saw this shop called ‘Laughing Buddha’ where there was a lot of
people, Asian and Caucasian alike that was dancing and chilling to joyful
music. We didn’t join them because the whole place looked pack to the door and
also because we had our dinner and was planning to just have a walk around, get
some beers and head back to our room to chill. Our room was the last unit that
was standing alone together with another room (like a Semi-Detach). We played
some brainless card game and drank the beers and fell asleep, resting to face
the next day of excitement.
Next day we decided that to head to North of Ubud since it
was our last day at that area. We were given two choices of Paddy Terrance + 3
lakes + waterfall or Kintamani + Hotspring + the fragrant tree. We choose the
first not knowing that the Lakes would look the same with mountain at the background.
The only plus point of this is Ulun Danu
Temple on the lake, Waterfall that
is magnificent and get to see Coffee making.
There was bad traffic jam on our
way back and so a lot of time was wasted there. We had some light dinner while
waiting for the traffic to get lighter, but it was still the same after an hour
or so. It was so bad that you could sleep for 5 minutes in the car, wake up and
still can’t move yet. Got back to hotel, wash our face and out we went for
dinner and entertainment. We wanted to go for massage, but most of them had
close by 9pm, and found this shop called Kenko but they said if no booking then
cannot do massage (Full body massage @ 90,000 rupiah/hr; Foot massage @ 60,000
rupiah/hr). Disappointed that we are getting no massage, decided to find dinner
along the row of shops, but it was surprisingly very quiet that night including
Laughing Buddha which was almost empty. We settle for a shop that had more
people and the menu suited us. Got to know the next table of few families,
Singaporean Father and Malaysian (Kuching) Mother; Hong Kong & Singaporean
parent; Japanese and Singaporean parent, all of them are working and living in Singapore
for at least the past 3 years. They were in Bali for
8d7n (3 nights in Seminyak, 3 nights in Ubud, 1 night unknown).
Next day was check-out from Ubud and we thought can see Cock
Fighting in the morning at around 10am. But fortunate or unfortunate, when we
got to the Mas Village Temple, we got to know that there is no more Fighting
Cocks because the previous day twenty (20) Cocks had fight till their death.
Nevertheless we took photo around the Temple
which is at least 500 years old. Just outside the Temple
was a lot of stalls selling Pork Satay, of course must try la, Malaysia
tak ada leh. We manage to find out that there is a Cock Fighting session only
in the afternoon (3.30pm) in another
village. So to kill (spend) time, we visited Silver Making shop, Wood Craving
shop,
Rock Sculpturing shop and of
course lunch too. After lunch had some time so went to visit a Painting shop on
the way to the Cock Fighting
Temple. What we didn’t know was
that the Cock Fighting time had been push backwards to 4 or 4.30 (luckily it
started by slightly after 4pm). They
thought that Cock Fighting was just some Male Cock fighting each other, but
they didn’t know that there would be blade tied to one of their leg. Of course
to make the fight more interesting was people placing bets on those Cocks.
I
was surprise that there is no record of who place bet on which Cock (how to do
payout leh), but maybe because it is at a Temple
so people won’t dare to lie/ cheat. The referee would first make the Cock face
each other and agitate it so that it would become aggressive. Once the ‘game’
starts the Cock is release and they set out to fight each other till death.
Once they are in a ball like, the two Cock are separated and they start again,
if one of it falls to the ground, the other is the winner. The Cock that died
is sold at only 25,000 rupiah (as it is basis).
Since it was already almost
4.30, we rush after the sunset in Uluwatu as we were traveling down from Ubud.
When we reach there the sun was almost going home so we ran to the edge hoping
to get some nicer photo. I spotted some monkeys around, but they were just
quietly doing their own things. Never did I know that once I let my guard down,
I was attack by a quick monkey that nobody around me spotted (donno where the
hell did it suddenly come from). The people around me were quick in giving it
things to eat or distracting it so that it will let go of the thing it took (my
spectacles). I was lucky as it only bite a small part of my spectacles, whereas
another girl’s Gucci sunglasses was broken into pieces. The view at Uluwatu
isn’t super fantastic. No doubt that it had nice cliff and sunset, but I think
the seaside’s sunset is better.
We decide to skip dinner on the way and headed straight to
the hotel since we was staying in the town area and confirm sure can find
dinner around that area. Reach the hotel, the staff there said “Now only
checking in?” I was abit angry because there was no guideline that says I must
check in when the sun is still out. I learned that they needed to see all guest
passport and copy one of it for record purpose on behalf of the Polisi. The
room wasn’t as big or spacious as the Suite but it was still cozy and
comfortable enough. We didn’t have the time to go for massage as per planned
because we was hungry and after eating cannot go massage, so we called it an
early night after dinner. My friend was telling me that the street looked just like in Krabi/ Phuket.
The final full day in Bali was spend
in Tanjung Benao (there are a lot of water activities taking place there). The
sea isn’t as clear as Redang/ Lang Tengah/ Perhentian, the only outstanding
activity which I didn’t see Malaysia
have is the Sea Walker and Flying square, apart from that all other can be
played elsewhere. We only bought the Turtle
Island + Glass boat (usd35!!!),
which we had no choice since we was already there and didn’t want to just waste
the whole morning. We then went for lunch at the travel/ tour guide/ driver Boss
house because he invited us over the same day that we landed in Bali.
The food was just so so much and delicious + cannot be found commercially,
Thank God that we live in Malaysia and we just love to eat so manage to clear
few of the plates
J After lunch we headed to somewhere before Tanah Lot
for sight seeing, the view there was much more fantastic compared to Uluwatu +
got no monkey’s or any animals. We decided to call it an end for the drive
around and head back to hotel before Beach + Shopping + Massage + Dinner.
^ Satay that came as a set with Bibik.
{ Pork Satay outside temple
Babi Guling at roadside store }
As we were staying very close to the Beach, of course must
go lo. Even not staying nearby also must go de, where can go Island no go Beach
side leh. The beach was clean enough but the water is really not super clear
la, saw a lot of people surfing waves there. As it was our last night in Bali,
so we was being playful and was down at the beach side together with the camera
nearer to shore. The normal splashing of water at each other la, pulling people
into the sea, and etc. I went deeper into the sea and had my back towards the
sea while they was facing out to the sea, suddenly a larger wave hit us, I
manage to stay still but the rest was push back towards the shore and my friend
that was holding the camera and phone lost her balance and fell resulting in
the gadgets being drop into the sea! Unfortunately we was unable to start-up
the Panasonic camera after we dried it immediately. But the Samsung Galaxy W
survives and is working fine like before, no scratches or anything. After the
sunset into the sea, we went back to shower and clean ourselves before going
for massage at the nearby shop (day before had tons of people, but when we went
it was quiet). Full body massage @ 55,000/hr and 80,000 for 1.5hr.
Dinner was at a restaurant called Indo-National, owned and
operated by Aussie. Of course the shop had a lot of Aussie too. During dinner,
suddenly an Aussie boy sat down at my table, and he looked at my friend (Friend
1) “Have I seen you before? Was that you that I saw? Are you sure it wasn’t you
that I met?”
(Aussie boy Look at friend 2) “Or was it you that I saw?”
(Aussie boy Look back at friend 1) “I think it was you that
I saw.”
Friend 1 “Can you talk slower, I can’t get you”
Aussie boy “What are you doing tonight? Can I buy you a
drink later? I am sitting at the next table; you could join us if you want.”
I said boy because the whole table of them look so young, I
think only a few are 20 y.o and above.
After dinner, took a scroll and went back to hotel to pack
up as we had to leave for airport at 4am
to catch the flight home. This was the end of the short 4d4n Bali
trip, till we go back again.
Sadly, the only souvenir (very limited numbers) that we
manage to buy was from Ubud market. The seller there would use your money to tap
your shoulder after you have paid them. I understand that they do this for good
luck and only the first buyer of the day will experience this. As we went just
after they open shop in the morning, I believe all of us was tap with our
money! Something to note is that they will offer items at skyhigh prices and
they expect you to reduce it dramatically. At one point, my friend was
bargaining for 7,000 but she insist that we should pay 8,000 for it and in the
end she gave us at 7,000 but my friend gave her the 8,000 she wanted because
was scared that she might curse us :(
I also learned that getting married to a Balinese girl and
giving birth there is damn costly! When you get married, you have to get
Benjors that might cost up to 5 million rupiah on top of the other gifts and
customary item + build the Family Temple.
When the child is being expected, already have to do a feast! Then Baby One (1)
day old, Three (3) days old, Seven (7) days old, One (1) Month old, all also
have to give a feast!
On the weather, Ubud was very cooling (till can say cold),
the temperature was even lower than Cameron or Genting highlands. Nice place to
relax and chill. Kuta/ Legian/ Denpasar/ Seminyak on the other hand was pretty
hot and humid, but I think still better than Malaysia
leh.
Did you know: Bali has its own
calendar and it has only 6 month’s. So they have 2 New Year within a Gregorian
calendar.
