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.

STILL RELATED TO SUSHI

Still related to Sushi.........., I remembered a funny story by a friend of mine.
He told me in his office where people always in rush, they often have to have their breakfast in the office.
But he said, "Never leave any food un-watched on your desk, it will disappear as soon as you turn your head back!"

So his story began, his sandwich was missing that day. He was unlucky. When he was about to eat his sandwich, the boss called. When he back, the sandwich including the plastic wrap gone........., just gone, without leaving any trails.

He said during that month he lost his breakfast 4 times. That morning, he bought a sandwich in the canteen at the basement. He saw a 'local sandwich' - a spread of coconut jelly (in green color) on bread. A naughty think popped up on his mind, he bought it and planned to make a 'mouse trap'.

Silently, on his desk he spread wasabi on top of the coconut jelly and then put bread back. Pretending need to go to the toilet, he left the trap on the desk.

And................, big smile! The mouse ate the trap. He waited patiently and looked around, a friend of him came out from the toilet with a red nose! That is the 'mouse' he..he..he....

You know, wasabi is a green paste that has a hot taste. If you take it too much, it will directly hit your nerve in your nose!

A DATE IN A SUSHI RESTAURANT

Had a date with my love one last Saturday. Since early afternoon that day, I really wanted to eat sushi. Any kind of sushi has flied in front of my mind disturbing my day.........huh! Producing more saliva..........oh no!

After work, quickly I called my love one, ask him if he can go out for dinner together. Sometimes, he has already had arranged an agenda for us. Luckily, he did not!

Arriving there nearly 20.00, we ordered sushi & tempura. As an opening food we chose Gomae, kind of vegetables with sesame seed sauce. I had a hot ocha and my love one preferred to have a lemon tea.

Not long after we had our first bites of our sushi, a couple went in. Quiet young. They sat opposite of our table, a bit in a cross direction. I have a very clear view towards that young couple.

I noticed since entering the restaurant, the man kept on talking on his cell phone. After finish with one conversation, he continued with another new conversation.

He..he..he..., about half an hour, my love one started to pay attention, since the voice of the man of that young couple raised.

My love one turn his face back and for seconds observing the young couple. Then, he whispered........, "If I'm being the date.........., I will already leave him!"

I smiled at him, and explained if the girl seemed like dictating what to say to the man, so she is also involved indirectly in that looooooooooong conversation!

We hardly hold our laugh......since the man started to use idioms and wise words in his conversation, he had a dispute with the person he talked to, and tried to sort things out.

Oh man.........! If we really look our surroundings, we can find many things that actually can save us from bored.