We were down to the last part of our holiday. Six days in Sanur, three days on Lembongan and now 5 nights at Pearl Hotel in Seminyak (or Legian, depends what you read!)
This hotel is a little oasis just off Jl Double Six. We had the Superior Luxe groundfloor rooms. One of my sisters and her husband was still with us but the other one was staying at the Puri Raja to be closer to their kids and grandchildren at the Lokha.
Our rooms, side by side (103 & 104) were lovely. The bathrooms were big enough to hold a party in! There is a small verandah area with comfy seating and they look out over the pool and across to the Pearl restaurant....screened by foliage.
After arriving back from Lembongan and settling into our rooms, we wandered down the street looking for a place for lunch. The guys, both petrolheads, wanted to watch the Australian Grand Prix but they also wanted the wood fired pizzas from Cafe Marzano. So they ordered their pizzas, went across the road to Double Six Corner, bought a drink and watched the start of the race and then came back to eat their half cold pizzas....well as cold as a pizza could get in the heat!! Then they went back again to finish watching the race.
My sister and I left them to it and went back for a much needed swim. The temperature of the Pearl pool is perfect and we were able to float around in there for ages! I talked my sister, hater of all things spa, into having a pedicure with me at the Pearl Spa. I'm not a big one for spa treatments either and having someone poking sharp objects under your toenails isnt that relaxing! Anyway our nails look lovely and we will have a reminder of our holiday as we watch the colour slowly grow off over winter!
All six of us had booked in for dinner tonight at the Pearl restaurant. We had been once before and raved to the others about how nice it was. Even my husband who prefers quantity over quality admitted it was very good. It didn't let us down!
Each couple shared the starter tasting plate. The small delicately plated items were each a taste sensation. I would never have eaten tuna carpaccio by choice but I'm so glad I tried it....it was delicious.
We each had a main course; mine was a take on beef bourgignon; my mouth is watering at the memory!! Dessert was another tasting plate...creme brulee, pannacotta, chocolate mousse...gosh I can't remember the other two things.....but they were so beautifully presented it was a shame to eat them! But we did!!!! Yummo!
This place is not cheap and our meal cost about $100 for two but that included 3 courses and drinks. We spend more going out for dinner here at the local pub. It was a night to remember.
The restaurant looks so pretty with its fairy lights in the trees. The rabbit still hops around and was there each morning as we ate breakfast. Jeremy, the chef, comes around to each table to say hello. There is also another young Frenchman working there, Anthony....ahhhh...I could listen to him talk all day! He was pretty easy on the eye too!!!
The next day we went our separate ways. Boys went quad biking and the girls went to High Tea! From all reports the quad biking was great fun.
Us girls went to Biku in the afternoon for High Tea. I had read so much about this place and wasn't disappointed. It is set in a beautiful 150 year old Javanese teak joglo. It has a lovely atmosphere and was very busy. I had rung to book in the morning and got the last inside table. The high tea comes out on a typical three tiered cake plate with sandwiches and quiches on the bottom, scones in the middle and assorted small cakes and biscuits on the top....plenty of food for three of us.
If you are into tea, there are pages of teas to choose from. I did a bit of an eeny meeny miny mo and chose a Chinese white tea. It was nice but I probably would have preferred a cafe latte!!
I remember seeing a television special on the Balinese princess who owns this place. She is in fact an Australian, who lucked out while on holiday, fell in love and married her prince! She must have gotten bored and started this place a few years ago. It's a lovely spot so if you fancy 'fancy' tea go along and have a high tea.
We were so close to Potato Head Beach Club that we decided to walk over. Two of us had been there before and wanted to show our other sister what all the fuss was about. She loved the shutters and the architecture of the place but described it as pretentious! I'm afraid I gotta agree.
I just don't understand why you would lay on a daybed, crowded next to other daybeds, with hundreds of people, buying expensive drinks when you probably have a perfectly good hotel or villa swimming pool to use? Maybe they don't!
And don't get me started on the price of the drinks. I know I may sound hypocritical after spending money on an expensive meal at Pearl but at least I was paying for the skill involved in cooking a gourmet meal. Here my non alcoholic lassi cost $6...nearly $10 with added taxes and service charges. These people are making a killing and hundreds of punters are willing to part with their hard earned just for the privilege of being there. Sorry if it's your thing but I won't be back....(rant over!)
Tonights dinner was at The Deck, upstairs at the O-CE-N resort down on the beach at the end of Double Six. It was quite nice and would be a great place to watch the sunset.
My aim for the next day was to get to Ketut's in Garlic Lane and buy the grandchildren some clothes. I had my list and measurements. I hate haggling and Ketut's is fixed price.
We caught a taxi down there and immediately my husband and brother in law disappeared into the fray and left us sitting outside on stools in the breeze. They both love shopping! I just couldn't face it.
Ketut's is made up of several "rooms" full of copy clothing. It's hot and stuffy and crowded...mostly Aussies. I made the comment to my sister that I'd rather just take the children shopping when I get home!! With K Mart and other department stores now so cheap, $2.50 for a copied T shirt doesn't seem like good value anymore.
I eventually gave myself a stern talking to, took a deep breath and as the tshirt says....I just did it. Phew!!
Hot and sweaty we headed for Jimmy's and stocked up on DVD's and then to Mozzarella's for lunch. We bumped into my other sister and her husband who had also chosen Mozzarella and so we sat down together and compared notes on our excursions and shopping!
Tonight's dinner was at Bianco's in Padma for my sisters birthday. The whole family was there, making it a table of 12 adults and 2 children. I love the way the Balinese handle big groups and it is never a problem to split the bill unlike here in Melbourne. I don't see why it is so hard.
As I mentioned before my husband and brother in law both love shopping and walking the streets checking out all the stores and goings-on. Travelling with them allows me and my sister to relax and do what we do best....nothing! Ahhhhhh! They went out for the morning while we relaxed and they came home 'starving' I mentioned Jadi Cafe for lunch but warned them they may have to wait a while. I had read all about Sri and her cafe here on BTF and was keen to try it out. It is situated in the same area as Pearl so very convenient.
Well it took about an hour before our meal was ready but it was delicious and worth the wait. I had the chicken in lime juice....I think I could award it my favourite meal of the holiday. High praise I know but the flavours were just about perfect....not too spicy but just enough! The others had prawns and ginger and a rice dish.
It was so good we went back the following day for lunch. BIL was impressed by the chicken in lime juice and wanted to try it himself. This time we let her know beforehand when we'd be there. It didn't make that much difference to the wait time!! My husbands salt and pepper prawns were so delicious that we had dinner there on our last night just so I could have them. This time we didn't have to wait long at all....we told her we have a plane to catch!!
Our final days were spent just relaxing and doing some shopping. I think I've already mentioned how hot and humid it was. I can't say I wouldn't go back at this time of year if I got the same bargain priced tickets but I certainly wouldn't choose this time again if I could help it.
Next trip I am spending less, if any, time in the southern areas; apart from Sanur. Amed, Lovina, Meningan and even Java to visit Borobudur are on the list.
I don't need any more Bali stuff in my house!! I hate the traffic and am over the smart comments of the sellers..."Hello Rhonda", "Hello Mama", "I like your hair darling". Getting called darling and sweetheart at my age is taking the p**s! Gosh I'm sounding like a grumpy old woman!! I still love the quieter parts of Bali and we'll keep coming back. We'd love to bring the grandchildren when they are a little older.
Highlights of this trip included: the Ogoh Ogoh parade, Nyepi, snorkelling with manta rays, trundling around Lembongan in the buggy, dinner at Pearl, meals at Jadi Cafe and finally, sharing our holiday with our wonderful travel buddies, my sisters and their husbands (even though they did hijack our romantic holiday!!!!)
Thank you for reading.