Hi everyone,
Sadly I am now back home, wishing I was still in Ubud. I stayed at Cendana for the first time. It will be my home in Ubud from now on. Ubud Village Hotel was my home in Ubud since 1986. It closed for renovations a few years ago and has not reopened. But I am happy at Cendana now. We had a big bungalow, near the pool and reception. Great wifi.
In fact great wifi nearly everywhere in Ubud now. I have so many wifi connections from Ubud cafès and restaurants on my phone now. Such a change from 18 months ago.
So where did I eat. Three Monkeys, twice. Murni's, twice. Cinta grill twice, plus one night we had the mojitos at happy hour. Have meant to do that for a long time. Also Dian Restaurant. -mango and mint smoothies. Delicious. Ibu Rai, also twice. Once in the dark.
There were at least three nights of blackouts while I was there (13 days in Ubud). That used to be normal, but it hasn't happened to me for so long that I had forgotten to check the battery on my torch.
Ibu Rai were amazing in the blackout. Like a well oiled machine. The food came promptly. As it got darker more and more candles and lanterns were brought out.
I Was in Bali with one friend for the first ten days, which included the time in Sanur. She had dental problems the whole time and was really under the weather with the pain and the Panadeine Forte. Reluctant to try a local dentist though, as first time in Bali, still, she was determined to get out and about and see as much as possible.
After that friend left, I was supposed to have a week alone, but it didn't work out that way. The first day 'alone' I went for lunch with Elizabeth at Villa Kitty. Always good conversation and great food there. The desserts were exceptional! Then a Balinese friend of over 20 years visited the following day. And the next day another friend arrived at Cendana (unplanned, but she was the person who has recommended the hotel). Both she and I know Ubud fairly well, but we know different things, so we were introducing one another to some of our favourites.
New to me. A pedicure at Cantika Spa, up past Penestenan somewhere. Lunch at Five Elements resort. A trip to Goddess on the Go at Pengosekan, to buy clothing. Australian style clothing rather than Balinese. I only got one top, as I hadn't taken my credit card. Luckily I had just changed some money, They have a shop in the Monkey Forest Road, but it is much smaller. Mid-season clothing in good fabrics. Plain fabrics but gorgeous colours.
On the last day 25 Urban Sketchers Bali came up to Ubud to sketch with us. We went to Antonio Blanco museum and the grounds are just a beautiful place to sketch. The friend who arrived on my last week is a friends rom art school days, so we were sketching everywhere we went. I am slowly scanning everything and putting them on my blog, which is quirkyartist on wordpress. you can find the Urban Sketchers Bali on Facebook.
Cheers,
Wendy