Well not really Seminyak. Another bit of poetic licence because the accommodation is really in Kerobakan, but I suppose Seminyak sounds more up market and central?
Breakfast and a cab to Denpassar. As advised on this forum the best and cheapest place for specs is in Denpassar at Tiara Optic which is situated in the Tiara Dewata department store. Very few tourists here it is definitely one for the locals. Right first of all I had an irreparable pair of glasses and they cut down the lenses to fit a new pair of frames. Ready in an hour 395,000 rupiahs. I took a prescription with me and ordered 2 pairs of glasses. One pair of simple prescription reading glasses and a pair of prescription driving glasses with light reactor, scratch resistant special plastic lens (last pair cost me a fortune in UK). Cath had an eye test and had a pair of prescription reading sunglasses. Total cost was an unbelievable just over 2 million rupiahs. Promise of being ready in seven days and they would telephone the hotel when they were ready for collection.
Had a quick look around the rest of the store and lo and behold a Martha Tilaar counter. Obviously none of the locals in Denpassar read this forum because the girl gave Cath a strange look when she started asking about availability. No problem so we will return. We also had a look at the Ramanya department store in Denpassar which also had no problem with Martha Tilaar stock.
On the way home we got the driver to drop us of at the Warung Sorbat in Kerobakan. Well recommended on this forum and a favourite with the ex pat brigade. This place is in the middle of no where but we were struggling to get a table at lunchtime. We were that impressed with the prices, quality and service we booked a table for the following evening and ordered their special Duck menu (which had to be ordered 24 hrs in advance). The Sorbat menu can be accessed on the net
I paid for lunch and asked the girl if it was very far to our accommodation. No problem she says 'up the road to the junction and turn right, not far at all' We were later to discover she thought we were in a car!!! So began the long and winding road in what felt like 100 degrees. Still we comforted ourselves of what we would have missed if we had got a cab. Lovely countryside, lovely private villas and all the young kids shouting hello to us,even the cows say hello to you in Bali. You can kid yourself for only so long and after what seemed like an hour we got back to the Putu Bali. A bintang never tasted so good.
I was reminded that I had promised to take Cath back to Geneva so we agreed to go their and then stop at the Mykanos (it was so good the first time) on the way home. If I got away lightly on the first visit, no chance this time. You name it Cath bought it. I did manage to convince her that the 6ft Giraffe would not fit in the case or the overhead lockers and she settled for a 3ft (she was right it does look nice in the hall).
So loaded with carry bags we then find that the taxi driver has disappeared which was strange because we had not paid him? We waited around for 10 minutes and no sign. If I was at home I would probably have been thinking how lucky I was but in Bali it is probably a meal on the table for the driver. Anyway to cut a long story short we had another fantastic meal at the Mykanos and when we were eating (surrounded by bags to the staffs amusement) the driver came past and saw us. Aplogies and something to do with security and being moved on. So were able to pay him and ease my conscience.
Back to the hotel and not only have we still got the sounds of 'big bird', which I have tried to mimic much to the amusement of the staff who cannot recognise my efforts. But also we have the crying of very young kittens which seem to be coming from all around us but turns out the mother has taken them into our roof. How daft are cats, she has the choice of 23 empty bungalows and she takes them into ours?
Last day we spend the morning lounging by our private pool with the intention of going to Tannah Lot in the afternoon. As it turned out we went out for lunch in a tiny little warung had a few beers and went back to the sun beds. Anyway it turned cloudy in the late afternoon so we did not miss the sunset.
We had our dinner at the Warung Sorbat (got a cab there and back, (ha ha) and it was a good job we booked, because it was chocker. There were no empty tables and the busiest place we had been. We had ordered the stuffed duck which came with a starter and a sweet all for 90,000. We pushed the boat out and ordered a bottle of Australian Chardonnay (very drinkable) and with a couple of beers the bill was still less than 200,000. Again great tastes and excellent service and even better price.
Last night so home to Big Bird and the kittens. Hell it must be growing on me I am calling it home now!!
Last impression of this side of the Island:
Where are all the tourists. So many lovely looking restaurants with the staff just sat around doing nothing. There was a taxi parking place just behind the hotel and there was never less than 50 cars parked up and hundreds of them driving up and down empty. So sad that this is happening to such lovely people.