GALUNGAN - a BALINESE Holiday

Today is a big holiday for Balinese people.
Recurring every 210 days, Galungan is a big celebration.
The ceremony lasts in 10 days, closed by a Kuningan Day.

The city of Denpasar feel like 'empty' during the day.
People are going back to their villages, visiting families and friends, after praying at the temple.
They also pray for family members who passed away but yet still not be cremated.

It is not easy to find a restaurant or food stalls selling tradisional Balinese food during this days.
At least for 3 days on the Galungan day you will have problems in finding food.

Balinese also erecting poles which have been decorated beautifully with coconut leaves and flowers, these poles giving an atmosphere of big festive for 10 days here in Bali.

This Galungan Day is very special as it is very close to other Balinese big holiday - NYEPI DAY.

SELAMAT HARI RAYA GALUNGAN!

BEDUGUL - Botanical Garden

Since I was a little girl, I have already fallen in love with this place.
My dad often took me there (almost every weekend - if we were in Bali). Usually we walked in the forest, stepping a nature pathway, seeing various kind of plantation.
Those days, weather is a lot cooler compared to now. No many people like visiting Bedugul Botanical Garden like today.

The garden named EKA KARYA Botanical Garden.
Located about 60 kms up north on the way to Singaraja from the capital city of Bali - Denpasar.
They have nearly 16.000 types of plantation scattered on about 155 hectares area.















Bedugul Botanical Garden is a perfect place to bring your family for a short weekend holiday.
You can bring your food and have the children playing freely while enjoying the nice and clean air.

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!