Sights of Bali

A statue at a roundabout on the main highway

The beach in Seminyak is a lot more crowded than Kubu, but it's huge and there are almost no waves.

The entrance to the temple at Seminyak

A detail of a door in the temple

Steve was required to put on a sarong to enter the temple

A makeshift altar for offerings

Another area of the temple

Candle-lit dinner right on the beach at Jimbaran

Fresh fish for dinner

200+ steps to the water

Being the Ritz-Carlton, there was a small, private, beach, Kubu, which was made even more private by the fact that it was solely accessible by going down 250 or so steps, so only a few people actually ventures down there. We went twice and never had to share the beach with more than 20 people at a time. Unlike Bintan or Sentosa, the water here is on the cold side, which is actually a good thing because it's pretty hot outside and this way you can be refreshed. Steve and I were reminded of the Algarve, namely Vale do Lobo and Praia da Rocha, only with less people and perhaps somewhat cleaner water (you can't get much cleaner that this!)

The coast of the Bukit Peninsula, at the southern tip of Bali, is full of cliffs and the waves are much higher, unlike in the more well-known areas of Kuta or Seminyak. The advantage is that you're a lot more secluded.

Kubu is a small beach between two cliffs. The sand is white and the water is as blue as it gets, but you have to watch out for the waves... It's not your swimming-pool type of sea, though if you 're careful, it's lots of fun.

Steve on the steps towards the beach. If you're not in good shape, don't bother going down; you won't be able to climb back up. Seriously, it's quite the work-out.

Typical boats not too far from the shore

Kecak!

Pronounced "kechack", it is a performance based on the hindu tale Ramayana, performed by silent characters that dance slowly while enacting the actions. A group of twenty or so men provide the music, by singing in a repetitive, non-melodic fashion. Most of them keep repeating chak, chak, chak, while one or two others provide a counterpoint. It's a very magnetic performance, especially when enjoyed at Ulu Watu temple's cliff, at sunset.

Monkeys on the way to the stage at Ulu Watu

A monkey up close

Sunset over the cliff at Ulu Watu

The singers/dancers sit down around the blessed fire and begin chanting. They only stand up a couple of times, during the performance, but move their arms a lot.

Prince Rama and his wife Sita, who's kidnapped later

A closer shot of the "orchestra"

The big bird Garuda (the Indonesian airlines are named after him)

The White Monkey King, a funny character and one of the story's heroes

The White Monkey King is set on fire by the enemies but manages to escape

Two "dancers" perform for us

Going five stars

Back in May, we attended a time-sharing session and came out with vouchers for the Ritz-Carlton in Bali. We already had plans to go there, but the vouchers definitely made the whole experience much more unforgettable. Here are some shots of the hotel...

Down the steps from the lobby, towards breakfast and the swimming pools

The opposite view

The main pool at the resort

The Ocean Pool, between the resort and the beach

The Villa Lobby

A view to the resort and the sea, from the C-Bar

Three girls in Bintan

Blue waters, palm trees, blue skies... It's a tropical paradise.

Julie and Jenn having a good time

It was hard to say goodbye to a beach like this

Look, Mom! It's a real elephant!

Trying to stay balanced on an elephant's back

After the ride, Jenn, Julie and I pose for one last photo

A day at the beach

We're back after much touring! Two friends came to Singapore and I tried to be a good tour guide for five days. Before we flew to Beijing, we took a day trip to Bintan, Indonesia. It's a little like taking the airplane, in terms of security and comfort, but it's actually just a one-hour ferry ride. On the northern side of the island there's a bunch of Singaporean-run beach resorts and the people from Singapore enjoy going there for the weekend, since it's so much nicer than the beaches of Sentosa! We too went to the beach. The sun was hot, the sand was fine, and the water warm and clear! After lunch we did a little local shopping before we went to see the elephants. We took pictures with them and got to ride them in the middle of the forest for about 15-20 minutes. It was a slightly bumpy but unforgettable experience!