Well here we are, first morning, about 6.30am, told you it takes a while to slip into Bali Time, on the beach at Sanur watching the most gorgeous sunrise, the tide is very full and the surf is breaking well over and past the reef and into the lagoon, and a few of the local lads are making the most of a good long ride.
Most of Mt Agung's 3,142 meters pierces a long silver cloud which clings to the coastline from Gumicik along to Candidasa to the east, and while the mountain looks dark and somewhat menacing, it is just a wonderful backdrop to the beautiful Sanur Beach outlook.
Here I must admit to preferring Sunrises over Sunsets, which is one of the many reasons why we stay on the east coast of Bali, because living in Perth we are somewhat spoilt in having simply the best sunsets every day of the year, not that I am biased.
Anyway following the taking of a hundred or so photos, one of which will hopefully win me a trip somewhere in a photo competition, at some point in the future, it is on to breakfast and to a ritual that sets Australians apart from their fellow travelers!
For of the six tables that were to be occupied over the next few minuets by the Besakih's guests, where, on all but ours, either a small jar or squeeze pack of the dreaded Vegemite would appear from a pocket or purse to grace the breakfast table.
It is as if Kraft has stealthily, over many years, made many Australians totally addicted to this product, akin to tobacco or drugs, which requires it to be taken everywhere one goes on holiday, to be spread on ones toast to get the mandatory morning yeast hit, how very sad!
The silly part about it was that on the shelf of the cupboard behind the waitpersons station, there are many half empty jars of Vegemite, that others have left behind not wanting to have to explain themselves to Australian Customs and Quarantine on their return.
In my introduction in JBR part 1, I had indicated that I would not have much to say about food, which I now appear to have blown, however just in passing I would have to say that this time we have experienced some very good and a few not so good meals, mostly as we wanted to try out as many different cafes and restaurants as we could, instead of our normal one or two that we have used previously.
It must be said that there is no end of choice one has within easy walking distance of the hotel, all you need is a coin which, when you get out on the beachfront walkway, or the main road, one tosses, heads left, tails right, then heads this side and tails the other side of the road, and then pick a number between 1 and 10 and that's where you eat.
Anyway for what it is worth we can heartily recommend the Mona Lisa, Ratatouille on the main road, and the Bonsai along with both the restaurants in the Besakih and Griya Hotels (they are not expensive) on the beachfront, but cannot recommend the Wicked Parrot where having ordered the fish, I was presented with a steak knife, I knew I had made the wrong choice, as did Mrs C with the Beef and Guinness pie which was also as tough as old boots, but never mind!
The best meal was the BBQ Beef Ribs I had at the Ratatouille, seven ribs long hanging over the side of the plate, which just melted in your mouth, and from memory it cost about 70,000Rp, while Mrs C had the BBQ seafood platter at about the same price, both beautifully presented and came with chips and a salad, and which would have set us back the best part of seventy or eighty dollars back home.
The medallions of pork fillet cooked in a cognac cream sauce on a bed of creamed potato with garden vegetables which we had at the Mona Lisa, was probably just as outstanding, and the fact that you are also presented with a complementary starter dish, although rather quirky such as a spring roll served with tomato sauce, and small bread roll, it is no wonder that the Mona Lisa is always full every night, so go early or book.
To finish with food, let me also say that the Almond and Chocolate Brownies, which you can pick up for about 6,000Rp at Circle K, to have with your coffee at night, it just the best end to a perfect day.
To be continued.
Regards, BJC.