MAN MARU - A Japanese Restaurant

Last Saturday, without planning I went back to Ubud.
Went back? Yes, after spending 5 hours at my office in Ubud, return to Denpasar, then we decided to have dinner in Ubud.

We picked Man Maru, a Japanese restaurant located at Jalan Raya Sanggingan.
Several times passing the road of Sanggingan we have never seen this restaurant being busy.
Usually restaurant that quiet pack offer good quality of food or......... maybe good price.
Good quality + good price = very busy.
Good quality + expensive price = limited clients
Bad quality + cheap price = sometimes busy
Bad quality + expensive price = disaster
(LOL)

But since Man Maru is recommended by several friends, we thought that we should give a try.
"The quality of the food is better compared to Japanese Restaurant X, "my friend explained.
"But......, the price is a lot higher too!" he continued.

Then, we have already been in the restaurant.
We took a Japanese traditional table at the corner, closed area, divided by bamboo partition to other area of the restaurant.

We take a look at the menu, they have many variations of menus.
And true, price is lot higher compared to our favorite Japanese Restaurant.

After scrutinizing the list of menu, I decided to order ebi tempura sushi with black sesame seeds to be shared with my love ones. I never can eat a lot due to stomach problem.
They have a katsu and teriyaki. We also have a bowl of boiled eda mame, which unfortunately slightly overcooked, and it lost its crunchiness.

I choosed hot Ocha as my beverage, it is served in a nice traditional glass. Expensive! - Rp. 18.000 per pot.

They served bean sprout with sesame oil and a kind of slightly hot sauce as the appetizer.
Finally our order served. It is true, the food is very good!
The ingredients is very fresh and cooked nicely.
















We will recommend this restaurant to our friends too. That is why I posted my experience having dinner there in my blog!

BALI SAFARI & MARINE PARK

Last Sunday, my love one joined a caricature competition.
It was the first time he agreed to join such competition.
He is very talented but always refuse to join a competition.

The competition took place at Bali Safari & Marine Park.
It was for the first time for us visiting the park.

Entering the park we were given a bracelet showing that we are entitled to enter the park.
There are 3 types of bracelets (I guess), differentiate by colors.
We got the green one which meaning we still have to pay if we want to enter the fun park.

From the main gate, we were taken to Barong Lobby by bus (they called it trem).
Passing the Barong Lobby we will find shops area and Uma Restaurant. There is also a wantilan (kind of open partition building) where traditional Balinese dance are performed on schedule.

Crossing the Dragon Bridge you will find several beautiful Cockatoo birds.
They are very gentle, you can take pictures with them.
On the opposite side of the cockatoo there is a place where you can take picture with orang utan.
You will need to pay some fee to get your picture with the orang utan.
They are so cuteeee!!

















Passing the Cockatoo and Orang Utan place you will arrive at Hanoman Stage, where the Bird and Dogs performance showed on schedule.

Across Hanoman Stage there is a pond where elephants taking bath. The elephants marching to their bathing pond. Pay a bunch of banana for Rp. 10.000 and you can feed the elephants while they are taking a bath.















Walking across the unfinished Ganesha Court (wondering what that place is going to be); you will find the trem station, where you can start your journey exploring the park, seeing their wild animals collection.










If you wish to spend night there, they also have lodge, but we did not see inside.
Maybe it will be fun too staying a night there. The rate started from USD 160++.
See the picture below, that is the style of the accommodation in the park.















Well, it was a fun day for us. My love one won the last prize for his category, he was happy.
Spending nearly a day there, sweating walking around the park.
But if you visit it near time, the marine park is not finished yet, will be ready in 2009.
We will back there by then!

One more thing! You won't be allowed bringing food from outside. The price of the food sold in the restaurant is quiet reasonable, but don't be surprised, the beverage price is 2 - 3 times more expensive compared to the price in the market. So get ready ;-)!

LOVINA TRIP

It was truly an un-planned trip.
I was not prepared to go, but my love one having problem with his left foot (swollen) and can not drive. So I have to take his duty to drive my in law to attend a wedding party in Singaraja.

Singaraja was previously the capital of Bali before it is moved to Denpasar.
It is located on the north part of Bali about 80 kms from Denpasar, having a warm and humid climate.

The wedding party was held about 18.00, but we left Denpasar early morning as my in law wanted to attend the marriage rite at the church. We dropped them at the bride's home and we headed to Lovina, a tourism area in Singaraja.

We spend our time at Bali Taman Resort & Spa.
The hotel is very well maintained, yet clean and tidy.













Since it was too hot to swim when we arrived at the hotel, we decided to have a drink at the restaurant. The restaurant is empty as it was already around 11.00 in the afternoon.
Breakfast already past while lunch was bit too early. I ordered a cup of Balinese coffee, my love one had a glass of ice lemon tea and a plate of fried banana for both of us.

The fried banana was served with palm sugar syrup.
The batter was crunchy but unfortunately, the banana was not riped enough.












I recommended this hotel, I would stay there again one day. The staff is friendly, and also honest! My in law left her precious necklace in the bathroom, but it kept save by the staff.
When she realized she did not have it and rang me to go back to the hotel, I found it kept at the safety deposit box at the front desk. Thank you so much!

It is also easy for you to go for snorkeling or if you want to take a dolphin tour in the early morning. The journey start right on the beach in front of the hotel!

SWEET ORANGES

I was re-arranging my e-photo album, when I found this picture.
Taken 2003. The fruit is from the orange tree at our land located in Kintamani.
It is not a serious managed orange plantation, we have it as it is already there.

It is quiet weird........, when first visiting the place after my love one bought it, it was just the harvest time. We tasted the orange from all trees at the first layer terrace. We just left un-eaten the orange which is not taste sweet :-(. Feel sorry right now, it is not good isn't it. What a waste!

Right now, we just collected all fruits. The one that are taken from the tree which marked not sweet, collected separately, and it goes to a blender ------> output : ORANGE JUICE!
The sweet one, we ate it directly, put the left over in the refrigerator. If there are too many left over, it went out to our friends house.

Actually the harvest time itself is really enjoyable. Taking the fruit one by one, smell its freshness while the mountain breeze softly caress our skin. Exchanging jokes, sometimes throwing small undeveloped orange each other.

I'am happy.














This is the view from my land at Kintamani.
Actually I and my love one want to sell it, we want to move to the north part of Bali.
It is not big, only 2.300 m2, but the view is 'undisturbed'.
Nobody can build something in front of the land, as it is located on the slop.
If you are interested please contact me by post a comment.

DESA DUSUN - a Must to Try

Many times we went out for eating not because of the food but because of the place it self.
Few weeks ago we found a nice place in the middle of the city. Located on a river bank - Ayung River, the place offered a romantic Javanese touch.

Entering the place we will pass a mini library, I have never checked what kind of books are in their collection, as I usually bring my own. Next to the library there is a collection of artworks, many items displayed there that I do like too. The place called DESA DUSUN, if you are passing the Gatot Subroto Road in Denpasar, the place is on the east part of Gatot Subroto, not far from the elite housing called TERAS AYUNG.

DESA DUSUN is the place where we like not because of the food. The food is good, but what I mean, you still can get the food at the same quality in other places or even a better quality, but you won't get the same atmosphere in other place like there.

Two days ago we went there for a dinner. During night time, they enlight many torches along the pathway, giving a different feeling and touch to the place. They are using a combination of brown textile and batik as the table cloth. Cuteleries are placed in an ata box. Ata is a kind of wild root which is woven becoming various designs from place mat to hand bags.

My love ones preferred to order Chicken Mushroom Steak and Beef in Black Bean Sauce and a portion of Asinan Desa Dusun for myself.

We never miss to order Fried Banana as the dessert. Their fried banana uniquely served with a combination of sugar and cinnamon. They are using Pisang Raja not Pisang Kepok the usual banana for fried banana. The sweetness of Pisang Raja gave a nice combination with the batter.

Last but not least, please consider to have separated sugar or syrup if you order sweet drinks. It tends to be too sweet. I have a sweet tooth but I always taste their beverages are too sweet.

MY BUDDHA STATUE

What do you think of that statue?
I like it very much. After thinking '1000' times................, I decided to buy.
And I never feel boring seeing it. I put it on a temporary desk.
Actually it should be placed in my room, but it still being renovated.

It is not a real antique, but somehow........ the first time saw that statue, I have already fallen in love. It just looked perfect! The proportion, the broken arm and legs.

If you want to buy that kind of statue just drive along Sayan Village, near the Four Season Resort you will find several art shops, take a look! I am sure you will find something that you really like.

LAKE TAMBLINGAN

We know there are 3 lakes actually located in the North part of Bali. The famous Lake Beratan where the most photographed temple 'Pura Ulun Danu' is located; then Lake Buyan (the biggest of the 3 lakes) and the last is called Lake Tamblingan. The last lake........ we have never explored before.

That Sunday we decided to go to see Lake Tamblingan closely which is not as popular as the other two lakes, but we thought it must be something interesting that we can find there.

As usual on the way up, we stopped at our favorite little bakery, visiting Pak Ketut and had some croissants. It was a luck! We got a fresh baked meat pie. We watched Pak Ketut's talented hands forming the pie. Yummy..........!



























To go to Lake Tamblingan, you just drive climbing up the hill following the road headed to Singaraja. After the Monkeys place, be prepared to turn left. There is a sharp left turning before the fruits kiosk where people usually stop and buy fruits. There you can also feed the monkeys.

After turning left just follow the road, signs that showing direction to Lake Tamblingan are very easily to find. Driving slowly! As you will be amazed by the view started after five minutes driving along the road.

Below is the picture of Lake Buyan. Actually the two lakes Tamblingan and Buyan are located side by side with a hill as a boundary.












We parked our car at an empty land in front of a no more operating restaurant. We took a walk down following a small village gang. The air was really fresh. On the side villager planting vegetables, fruits and flowers.

The panoramic view of mountain series in its glorious blue color was really stunning! Creating an image that we stand over clouds, but truly we did (see my picture below)! My love one told me, he ever passed the place very early morning, when the sun started rising.

"The combination of blue, orange and white that day performing an incredible natural painting just can not be explained, " he continued his story.













We continued our trip heading further north. At the last intersection, take the left turning, the road became more narrow, a typical village asphalt road, with many holes here and there. Not too long driving, the road started sloping down. You could see Lake Tamblingan on your left side.












Park your car at the parking lot in front of the conservation forest. Take a walk following a clean path crossing a very well kept forest. The pathway will take you to the Lake. The mountain breeze................., the smell of freshness after a shower of the rain.................., gave a very pleasant feeling for us. It was still raining a little bit....., but we just did not care!












If you like fishing, do fishing there! Don't expect to catch big fish, there is no big fish, just catch the happy feeling being in a wonderful place. There are 2 houses of the villagers with a small shop in front of each house selling simple snacks and drinks. Best is taking your own meal, do a barbecue or whatever to feed your hungry stomach which easily happened in a cool weather.












We spent our time until the sun went down. Driving back home we still got a beautiful view. Unfortunately........, the sky was not really clear. I can imagine how beautiful it will be if the sky is clear.

MUSEUM PURI LUKISAN

During my kidz to my teenage time, my father often took me seeing many beautiful places in Bali.
Museums were included in the places of our interests. Museum Puri Lukisan located in the main street of Ubud, Gianyar Bali which is managed under the Foundation of Ratna Wartha was one of my favorite.

Still very clearly in my mind, it has a beautiful little old bridge over a small stream as the entrance to the museum area. There was a nice grass lawn which was trimmed regularly in front of the building.

Last Sunday, continuing the tradition we took our love one visiting the museum. A bit sad, I did not find it being taken care as it was during those days. The small stream ......... gone! There is plenty of debris being dumbed there. Wild plantation grow on top of it, gave a dirty image of the place.






















After paying Rp. 20.000 / person, we continued entering the museum.
There is another bridge crossing a pond after we climb steps to the museum. It still like my imagination.

I took many pictures there, unfortunately it was a bit too late (it was 12.30 when we arrived there). Too bright already to take the garden picture. However, yesterday I found the statue that placed in the middle of the pond, has a really good shape and expression.


















I feel the safety and security towards the collection exhibited permanently there was not that good. I tried to see if there is a security cameras installed, but could not find one.
The value of the collections could not be valued in money. It is simply too worthy.

I found a sign mentioning that visitors may not taking pictures in any forms (still picture/videos) over the collections inside the exhibition rooms, but nobody there watching the visitors. I brought my camera, and being reminded by an old man (the gardener I guess) who was sitting in front of the Building for not taking picture inside. Then I walked inside following my love ones, surprisingly I saw a foreigner taking picture inside Exhibition Building I. He..he..he.....

We ended our journey in Ryoshi a Japanese Restaurant next to the Museum. There is a new lines of sushi menu, I ordered Oden Set, and the broth was really delicious!

A nice trip to be remarked!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

one corner before the main 'joglo' exhibition

The first day of 2008, I and my love ones decided to go to Ubud - Our favorite village in Bali where culture and art is in the blood of the people there. Once you are there you can immediately feel it.

A friend of mine told us that there was an artist community located in Kubu Bingin, about 3 or 4 kilometers before Ubud, where a one year masks & puppets exhibition is being held. That is our first to visit.

The Kubu Bingin Artist Community located in a 3 hectares land, surrounded by beautiful rice fields. I do like the place.




















(the view from the main joglo exhibition)


There are 2 Demak Joglo (traditional java house from Demak - Central Java) which build in one section. Traditional and antique masks collection were exhibited in these joglo House. While the other East Java Joglo which located in the opposite section packed of thousand of puppet collections. The colorful the puppets exhibited made me stunning.

Their collections represented art and culture from all parts of Indonesia and the world. According to Bpk. Prayitno - the manager of the place, it is only 1/3 of their collections that were exhibited.

Very kind he showed us their stores where other collections kept, and he said there are still many more which has not been sent to Bali.

I do admire people who do things with sincere and love.

Please visit the place, and I believe you will find the happiness as I am.