THE GOOD
Arrived here last Sunday (08/03/09) via Virgin ex-Brisbane (thanks for looking after us banana benders Sir Dickie). Only 4 of us this trip (one a Bali Virgin) and a nice change from the hectic groups of 16 and 14 we have had the last two trips. Had a five hour delay however with Captain "Bluey" announcing that he couldn't get the starboard engine to start after push off. Finally told a second plane was on its way to pick us up and we eventually arrived here in Bali 5:45pm Bali time (should have been 12:15pm).... but hey no complaints better it happened on the ground than in the air I say. Virgin crew were great, flight good (no bumps), and the beer cold (so obviously Sir Dickie has been reading Bloodyron's postings).
First night we stayed at the Lokha Legian, (referral by Nicno, thanks Nicki) great spot, nice friendly staff. Just enough time for a quick bit of shopping before dinner at the Bali Beach Shack (new home of the Hulu Cafe floorshow) P.S.; The Caberet Show is only on Thurs, Fri and Sat nights (so no more Sunday night shows.
Next morning (Monday) our hire car delivered to hotel, and with the Bali Navigator GPS fitted we headed off on our adventure drive to Lovina (via Bedugal where we had lunch at Crackers Bar & Grill). Arrived at Bali Paradise Hotel in time for a swim and then dinner at Tropis Club on Lovina Beach. The Bali Paradise is absolutely fantastic, secluded and very well appointed. A boutique hotel with 5 star service at 3 star prices, cannot recommend highly enough.
Next morning (Tuesday) we drove up into the Lovina hills sightseeing and calling into remote villages, of course armed with barrels of lollipops for the kids. Some breathtaking views from Lovina Lookout (found in the Bali Navigator) with 180 degree views of the coastline. Then headed off thru Singaraja before turning off the coast road and following the road up into the mountains and up the northside of Kintamani (where we at times disappeared into the clouds and experienced the only rain since arriving here), along the volcano crater drive and then down into Ubud for our third night staying in a two bedroom family villa at the Puri Asri Villas & Spa (budget accomodation but clean and tidy) and then dinner at the Baby Face Cafe (both recommended). While in Ubud took the Bali Virgin on the Monkey Forest tour, art and handicraft shopping etc...
Thursday we checked into Puri Ayu Villas in Sanur (our home base for the remaining 10 nights). Staying in the 3 bedroom Lumbung Villa,
a traditional two storey thatched roof villa, consisting of master bedroom with en-suite, lounge, dining and kitchen downstairs and 2 bedrooms, bathroom and 2nd loungeroom upstairs. All areas are air conditioned with a private courtyard/garden out front and private undercover Jaccuzi in the garden. Have stayed at Puri Ayu 5 times now, in the 4 bedroom Diamond Villa and the 2 bedroom (new) Emerald Villa on previous visits and highly recommend the place with excellent location, very friendly staff and great value for money.
THE BAD and THE DOWNRIGHT UGLY
On Saturday night the Princess and I were celebrating our 29th wedding anniversary and we booked a table at Mago's Restaurant in Sanur. We have taken many groups to Mago's over the years and always had a great time there, I have previously recommended Mago's here on the BTF as a favorite nite spot in Sanur with live entertainment most nights and overall good value for money. What happened on Saturday night though has changed my views somewhat.
We invited some friends to join us, (two of them ex-pats who live in Sanur, one very well known to BTF members). The night began ok with plenty of laughs, reminising and catching up. Dinner was ordered and my friend and his Indonesian wife skipped ordering starters preferring only to have a main meal. When the entrees were served their mains were also served, my friend explained that he told the order waitress that he wanted his main (a chicken "Gordon Blue") served with the others and asked if it could be bought back later. After 15-20 mins or so the mains were served but my friends came out stone cold (it had obviously been just set aside in the kitchen to go cold), so he called the waitress over and put his finger in the mashed potato explaining to her that it was cold. The waitress apologised and told him that she would return "with a new meal".
After a few minutes she returned with the same meal (complete with fingerprint in the mashed potatoes) and still cold. My friend called the waitress back and said "I am sorry I will not eat this, it is still cold and I don't want it, please take it away you are insulting me now". My daughter who also ordered the "Gordon Blue" found upon cutting it opened that the inside of the chicken was cold and the ham and cheeze stuffing was "on the nose" she also asked for her meal to be taken back. The rest of the meals served were fine, but there was obviously a problem with the "Gordon Blue" dish which maybe had been pre-assembled and stored frozen prior to cooking.
We decided to settle the bill and have a few after dinner drinks down at the Trophy Bar. My friend and his Indonesian wife decided on an early night, had bid their farewells and left about the same time that the bill was presented, and yep you guessed it with both "Gordon Blue's" appearing on it. We questioned the waitress politely explaining that both meals were returned to the kitchen untouched and we did not think that we should be charged for them. What happened next was beyond belief.
The Chinese wife of the Italian owner came to the table and started to shout abuse at us saying "all you Aussies are the same, you will do anything to get out of paying the bill". One ex-pat friend who has lived and operated a business in Bali for over 20 years tried to explain what had happened and that we were happy with everything except these two meals that were not touched, but the owner only became more furious and started abusing our friend at the top of her voice using a mixture of Bahasa and english (with many expletive delitives thrown in). It was about this time and above the Chinese womans shouting that we heard another commotion coming from the front of the restaurant.
I noticed that my friend who had just left the restaurant with his wife was having an argument with the security guy outside the restaurant entrance. I went out to investigate and my friend explained that when they were walking out of the restaurant the security guy uttered obscenities to his wife in Bahasa, calling her a prostitute and other disgusting names and telling her not to bring "these people back in here again". My friend was extremely upset and was demanding that the security guy make an immediate apology to his wife. The Italian owner was standing just inside the restaurant entrance, I asked him to come out and intervene but he shook his head and walked off. I eventually diffused the situaton by asking my friend to walk away and to go home before he did something he may regret.
I returned inside the restaurant to find the owner still ranting and raving at my other ex-pat guest who by now was simply lost for words, "Aussies are not welcome here" the Chinese woman was shouting at her, "you should all go back home where you come from" (I found that ironic coming from a Chinese woman married to an Italian man both running a restaurant in Bali). The band had by now stopped playing their music, and with restaurant patrons gobsmacked watching on I paid the bill and we left. As we were leaving the security guy walked beside me down the street and was apologising for what had happened. I reminded him of how many times I had patronised his restaurant and how many guests I had bought them and the countless numbers I had referred and asked him why he would attack my friends wife like he did, he told me "I was told by the owner to say these things".
I told him that I could not believe that the owner would have acted in such a way over the cost of two meals, as all our other guests were satisfied, and that she put on such a scene in front of all her patrons over less than 100,000 rupiah, he agreed. I told him that I would never be back again and would tell all my friends what had happened. Again, he apologised to me but said it was his boss that told him what to say, we left it at that and parted our ways.
I have been coming to Bali for over 30 years now, and like most have had the odd dodgy meal but this was the first and only time that we have ever complained about a meal here mainly because the complaint was so blatanly obvious and by two seperate guests over the same order.
Anyway, certainly an anniversary not to be forgotten but we'll put it behind us and enjoy the last week of our stay in Paradise. The weather has been great, the aussie dollar exchange rate hovering around 7500-7700, and smiling happy faces everywhere (except for crazy Chinese restraunt owners that is)..... LOL.
Until next installment.
Cheers from beautiful Bali
Don