April 6—Balinses Cooking Class

On Friday morning, Jessie and I were picked up early by a driver and taken to the Ubud market to purchase some fresh goods for our cooking class and to have a tour of the local goodies.  The cooking class was highly regarded online and the chef Puspa, has excellent reviews, so Jessie and I were both very excited. 

 

We had both already been to the market (we bought quite a few beautiful paintings there) but it was nice to have a guide to explain all of the foreign foods and answer questions.  Many of the fruits were quite different than the ones we get back home.  Some of the unique ones included mangosteen (which is sweet and absolutely delicious), snakeskin (which looks like snakeskin, but tastes quite tart) and durian (which is loved by most Indonesians, but smells quite horrific). 

We were able to sample some of these fruits and we were also taught about some of the Balinese clothing and the traditions they’re used for.  Many of the goods here are made by hand.  Due to the fact that labor is so inexpensive in Indonesia, it’s actually cheaper to make things by hand, than to build a machine to mass produce the same product.  From a tourist’s perspective, this adds charm to everything you touch, but I’m sure it’s not easy for the workers who slave over these goods and don’t reap very substantial rewards.

After the market, we were brought to the rice fields where we were taught all about the harvesting of rice by the husband of Puspa.  According to our guide 90% of Balinese families have a person who works in the rice fields.  This is the main part of the Balinese diet (they eat rice 3 times a day).  We also learned that the Balinese communities have certain by-laws that pertain to rice fields; for example, you can’t sell over a certain portion of your rice fields (they have to stay within your family name), also it’s illegal to make your rice field into a hotel or resort and finally in all of Bali, buildings can only be as high as the tallest coconut tree (which is 15m).  I thought that these were all very interesting. 

We were soon brought to Puspa’s home where she greeted us warmly and offered us refreshing lemonade (fresh, of course) garnished with limes and tropical flowers.  Puspa and her husband spent about 15 minutes talking to our group about Balinese culture and the family life within their village called Laplapan.  Puspa’s husband is a very funny man and he joked that they got married because he had an MBA (which in this case stands for: Married By Accident).  Puspa accidentally became pregnant and it’s very frowned upon in Balinese culture to do this before wedlock, so there was a fast wedding.

They joked around a bit and told stories of their lives together and their children.  We learned that Indonesian culture is very collective.  Families stick together and the family unit is very important.  When Puspa’s husband was very young, he was in a family of 5 people.  His uncle and aunt were unable to have any children (this is very important, because children take care of the parents in old age) so his father decided that he would live with his uncle and aunt and be part of their family unit.  This wasn’t a problem for him; he spoke very fondly of this aunt and uncle.  His uncle passed away just 8 weeks ago, but he said he lived a very good life.  It was interesting to hear about the lengths to which people will go for their families here; they live very collective lives, which contrasts greatly to our independent ones in the West. 

Later, we learned a bit about the structure of Balinese house complexes.  They’re very different in that each ‘room’ is a separate building that stands alone in a beautiful complex.  Also, each house has its own family temple where the family can go to give offerings (usually 3 times a day).  These offerings are usually done by the female, unless she is menstruating, in which case, the male will do it.   The Balinese people are mainly Hindu (which contrasts to the rest of Indonesia, which is mainly Muslim).  Puspa tried to explain the different gods that the offerings are made for, but there were so many and some of them were for dead ancestors.  Nevertheless, it was beautiful and very interesting.

When we were ready to cook, we were lead into the back of the complex where a beautiful kitchen area was waiting for us.  It was extremely open concept (as most of it was outdoors) but it was spacious, modern and very clean.  We all were encouraged to get a cup of coffee or ginger tea before we began the hard work.

Puspa took time to explain each of the ingredients we were going to be using.  She also had a great sense of humor which made the class very enjoyable and comfortable.  She would refer to all of her students as “honey bunny” when she wanted to get someone to do something… “honey bunny, go and chop these green beans”. 

We cooked for several hours and the end resulted in a menu that consisted of the following:

·         Kuah Wong- Clear Mushroom and Vegetable Soup (my favorite)

·         Base Gede- Basic Yellow Sauce

·         Be Siap Mesanten- Chicken in Coconut Curry

·         Sate Siap- Minced Chicken Grilled on Bamboo Sticks

·         Kacang Me Santok or Gado Gado- Vegetables in Peanut Sauce

·         Jukut Urab- Coconut and Snake Bean Salad

·         Pepesan Be Pasih- Steamed Fish in Banana Leaves

·         Tempe Me Goreng- Deep Fried Tempe in Sweet Soy Sauce

·         Kolak Biu- Boiled Banana in Palm Sugar Syrup

 

Wow! It was a feast.  After learning to make such an immense array of foods, we definitely worked up an appétit.  We enjoyed being able to sample all of our creations.  They were delicious!

After the class, Puspa gave each of us copies of the recipes to take home.  Jessie and I will attempt to recreate these in the near future.  We were driven back to our hotel promptly and were thoroughly impressed by the quality of the experience we had. 

Apr 4 – White Water Rafting

Jessie and I enjoyed a nice breakfast on our porch this morning: banana stuffed toast and fresh cut fruit. Afterwards we were picked up by a tour company called Sobek for a few hours of white water rafting!

While in the van, we met a wonderful couple from Mexico. Their names were Carlos and Karen. Karen owns an interior design company, and she and Carlos come to Bali twice a year to get various paintings to sell. That’s my idea of a nice perk when it comes to finding a good job. Because they’re here so much, they were able to give us information about where to go, and what to buy.

Carlos and Karen were our group mates for our tour, so Jessie and I were both very pleased, as we enjoyed their company. We got our gear (helmets, life jackets and oars) and headed down to the river by taking many, many stairs downwards.

When we finally arrived at the river, we got a brief lesson on what to do and then we were off. Our guide Jackie was very spunky and made the adventure very fun. On our first rapids Jessie and I both shrieked because the water splashed up on us and we bounced a bit in the raft. It was thrilling!

Throughout the ride, we would occasionally bump into a rock or go down a steep rapid and Jessie and I would fall off of our seat and slide backwards into Carlos and Karen. They were very helpful and would hoist us back on our seats. Needless to say, Jessie and I were laughing for most of the ride.

I’d say that probably 60% of the rafting was over calm water, the rest being the adventurous rapids. The calm parts were so beautiful and gave us a chance to appreciate the scenery that expanded all around us. The trees and vegetation were so green and lush. Along the river bank were beautiful stone relief carvings (found almost everywhere in Bali) which told stories and made beautiful impressions. There were also numerous waterfalls which overflowed with beautiful fresh water.

At one point during the ride, we hit some wild rapids and I managed to fall out of the raft. At this point I was very glad that I was wearing my helmet because I made contact with quite a few rocks. The current was fairly strong but luckily Carlos and Jessie came to my rescue and hoisted me back into the raft (not a very graceful event, I’m sure).

The entire rafting journey was 11km long and every minute of it was breathtaking. Through the adrenaline filled highs and the scenic lows, it was a great experience. I would definitely recommend it, and I hope to do it in Canada this summer.

When we docked our rafts on the shore, we washed up quickly and were presented with a beautiful buffet lunch. There was an assortment of delicious foods that totally hit the spot after our adventure.

A short time later, it was time to say goodbye to our friends and head back to our accommodation. What a fun experience!

The rest of the day we spent lounging outside our beautiful hotel. (The gardens are complete with birds and fountains and statues and temples… just lovely!) Then we walked around town and looked in shops, ate fresh fruit and fresh potato doughnuts. Yummy.

April 3 - Bali and Monkey Forest

Jessie and I flew into Bali on April 2. We were picked up by our hotel’s airport shuttle service and brought promptly back to our hotel: Nick’s homestay in Ubud.

Upon checking we were amazed by the grounds of the hotel. Everything is beautifully manicured with ancient statues and temples. The homestay is located on land that the owner’s family still live in. Therefore there are many temples and statues that surround it which are used as a form of worship by the family.

When we saw our actual cottage/room, we were a bit disappointed. It’s very simple: 2 beds (with very old mattresses) a fan, a toilet and a showerhead. Now, we had to remind ourselves that we’re on a budget and shouldn’t be so picky however this was a huge downgrade from our accommodations in Thailand. We focused on the fact that we were only sleeping there and the outside grounds made up for the crappy inside.

Everyone we’ve met in Bali is extremely polite and kind. They are very respectful and warm people. Jessie and I have enjoyed getting to know some of the local shop owners and artists in Ubud.

Ubud is the ‘culture hub’ of Bali and is known for the many art galleries and art villages nearby. I knew that this would be a place Jessie would love because it would speak to her inner artist. Of course, I was right… Jessie is in heaven here. We spent most of our first day here going to various art galleries and looking at paintings and handmade crafts. I have to say that they’re very beautiful and things here are very reasonably priced for our North American standards.

On Tuesday morning, Jessie and I had booked a white water rafting tour that would pick us up early in the morning. We woke up and got ourselves ready and waited….. and waited…. And waited….

It ends up that the tour company made an error and placed us on the afternoon list instead of the morning one we had planned on. After a phone call with the service rep, we decided to reschedule for tomorrow instead of doing the afternoon tour. Normally, I would have been annoyed by the inconvenience, however the woman on the phone was so apologetic and sincere, it didn’t really matter to me.

Jessie and I changed our plans for the day and decided to head to Monkey Temple instead. This was only about a 10 minute walk from our homestay, so it was very convenient.

When we got there we were so impressed by the lush forests and all of the monkeys running around. We were told that there were more than 600 monkeys in the forest and they were all part of 4 different monkey groups. They were so cute especially the babies, who Jessie and I likened to looking like a mixture between Golem (Lord of the Rings) and an old man.

Before going to the forest, I spoke to a friend of mine who actually was bitten by a monkey there, so Jessie and I were very sure that we didn’t want to get too close to them… Just to observe them from a distance. Apparently when you’re bitten, you have to go to the hospital and receive 3 rabies shots, which are both painful and expensive… not something we wanted to do.

Jessie and I walked through and took in the beauty of the forest around us. There were beautiful stone carvings and monuments everywhere. Most of the stone had a thin layer of green moss on it was surrounded by beautiful trees. It felt like we were walking through the Jungle Book.

Monkeys were everywhere and would approach you if they thought you had food or sunglasses that could be stolen. One monkey took a girl’s sunglasses, climbed up a tree, and tried to model them—so funny!

A little farther in the forest was a beautiful temple. In order to go in, we had to wear a traditional sarong and belt. Jessie and I dressed up and headed in. There weren’t many people inside and it was a really neat view of the stone carvings etc. The area is actually used for Balinese people on a regular basis to come and pray or meditate. The monkeys also like to use it as a playground.

Jessie and I walked around and came across a little monkey family with a tiny baby. We were captivated by it and just stood watching it for a while. A few minutes into this, Jessie shrieked…. It turns out a monkey jumped onto her backpack and was very interested in her curly hair. The monkey positioned himself so that he was riding Jessie’s head. He grabbed both of her ears (as if he could steer her) and laid his body across her head. It was so cute! Jessie was freaking out though because we were told that they do bite from time to time.

After a few pictures the monkey eventually jumped off and we were left with some good laughs.

Later on, we had a similar experience. I was trying to get my memory card out of my camera (which had dead batteries) and give it to Jessie (because her’s was full). Set my backpack on a ledge and proceeded to take out my camera case. Instantly, about 3 monkeys came running because they saw the opportunity to steal some of my stuff (sneaky little devils). I shrieked because one was on me and was tickling me. I gave my backpack to Jessie in the hopes of getting him off but he decided to stay on me and tried to find fleas in my hair.

This drew quite a crowd of people who all gathered to watch the monkeys at work. Eventually a few more decided to jump on and they were climbing up my shorts and taking papers out of my pockets. I wasn’t sure how to get them off because I didn’t want to scare them to the point of making them bite, but I also didn’t want them on me… Eventually they became distracted and went onto the next person… Jessie!

It seemed that we were quite the monkey magnets. Jessie had three monkeys clambering on her at once. One got away with Jessie’s chapstick after maneuvering through her backpack. Jessie was a bit flustered by all of the monkey attention and decided soon after that it was time to go.

Monkey forest was a fantastic place. It felt like we had left reality and gone into another world. The monkeys were very fun and gave us a few nice surprises. I’m hoping to go back again before we leave.

Afterwards, we grabbed lunch with a nice Korean girl we met, and then went shopping for a bit. Jessie and I decided to go to a nearby pool that’s connected with our homestay. It was the perfect thing to do on such a hot and sticky afternoon. The rest of the evening was very leisurely… more shopping, a little rest then a fantastic dinner. What a life… I love Bali!

Mar 29- Simba Phi Phi Island trip (Phuket, Thailand)

Jessie and I woke up very early at 5am and got dressed. A little while later a van came to our lovely hotel: Karon’s Living Room, and picked us up. We drove for about an hour until we came to the Phuket Marina and were taken to our boat for the day.

The boat was much smaller than the one we were on with John Grey a few days earlier, but it was very fast. In no time we were zipping along the water and soon we were in open space with small islands scattered around us.

The first island we arrived at was absolutely gorgeous. It is surrounded by a bay and so the water itself is very calm and pristinely clear. It is the same beach that was used to film the movie “The Beach” with Leonardo DiCaprio. Upon arrival, Jessie and I stepped out of the boat and were amazed at the warmth of the water and the smoothness of the sand. It was like icing sugar spread all over the ground… so soft and smooth.

We walked around and went for a swim in the beautiful water. While swimming, I came across a 100 bhat bill in the water and scooped it up… yay- that was dinner! A little while later, one of the tour guides came and asked us if we wanted to see a beautiful view. We went along and soon we were looking out at bright turquoise water and a stunning island… wow!

After, we boated to a nearby hong (which means “room” in Thai) and swam in a breathtaking lagoon of bright blue water. We also passed the Viking cave, where several people earn their livelihood collecting swallow nests (for swallow nest soup… a pricey delicacy that gives good luck).

We went to various islands after the first and every one of them was gorgeous. The white sand beaches and crystal clear water start to get repetitive, but it never gets old. We also stopped a couple of times to go snorkeling on various reefs. Although the snorkeling here wasn’t as good as it was in Moalboal, Philippines, we still saw beautiful fish and marine life.

A little while later we docked onto a fairly deserted island and the crew put out a beautiful spread for lunch. They even set up tables with linen table cloths for the food. There was a nice assortment of salads, bread, quiche, and lots of fresh fruit. Everything tasted superb. My favorite was the potato salad because it’s been AGES since I’ve had it (Potato salad isn’t a popular dish in Asian countries).

We enjoyed lunch and then spent time walking around the island and swimming in the warm water. I joked that my grandmother would complain that the water was too warm (like a bathtub). It really wasn’t that refreshing as it was probably at least 85 degrees… but it was nice none the less.

Soon after our lunch, we visited a few more snorkeling sites where we saw lots more fish and then it was time to head home. The hour journey back to the marina was a difficult one because I could not keep my eyes open. I’m not used to waking up at 5am, so it’s safe to say I didn’t get my full sleep requirement.

When Jessie and I got back to the hotel we quickly showered and then laid down for a short siesta… a great day!

Mar 26—Sea Canoeing: Hongs by Starlight

Monday was an unforgettable day. Jessie and I were picked up at our hotel at noon for a Sea Canoeing adventure with John Gray Sea Canoe. They’re a company who have been operating since 1989 and are very highly recommended.

The drive took about an hour to get to the pier where the boat was waiting. It wasn’t bad because the driver was blasting Rhianna and other pop artists, so I had fun singing along (it’s always therapeutic to hear English music when you’re in a foreign country).

When we finally arrived, we were welcomed onto the boat which would be home for the next 10 hours. Immediately after setting sail, the crew set out a display of Thai noodles, stir fried veggies and lots of fruit. Jessie and I didn’t think that they would be serving us lunch as well, so we ate before we left for the tour. Despite being pretty full, I ate a bit and it was delicious.

We cruised for a good hour before we hit the small islands of our destination. The journey was beautiful. All around us was bright emerald, crystal clear water and the skies were beautiful. The water was calm and the ride was very smooth. One of the crew gave us instructions and regulations about going through the hongs. Hongs are areas like caves except they’re open at the top. If you think of a doughnut, there’s open space in the middle. Hongs are like that, it’s a solid rock formation all around it, but the centre is open and light can penetrate it. The only way to enter is through a cave from the outside, which can only be accessed at certain times of the day depending on high tide or low tide.

When we finally arrived to our first hong destination, we met up with our guides for the day. Our guide was named Thep. He was a 27 year old Thai man, who was extremely helpful and friendly. Thep kept us entertained the whole day with his crazy jokes and interesting information.

Thep brought the sea canoe up to the edge of the boat and Jessie got in first (in the front) and I sat in the middle. Thep was our motor and paddled us along the rocks quickly and efficiently, explaining to us the different minerals that caused the colorization on the rocks: iron and calcium mainly.

When we first went into the hong, we had lay back in the canoe because there were so many stalactites coming down and the waters were fairly high. It was much cooler in the cave and it had a totally different eerie feeling compared to outside.

Entering the hong was magical. The water was so calm and peaceful and the sunlight wasn’t as strong as outside, it was very relaxing. There were these beautiful mangrove trees that were growing in the water. Their roots were so cool. Thep paddled us along the hong and then stopped in the middle where we could get out and walk around.

Eventually we had to leave because the tides were going down very quickly and soon we’d have no way to get out. It was crazy that when we entered the hong, people were almost to their knees in water, and now there were areas of the ground without water at all. Thep paddled us out and we went around the island to another cave entrance. This hong was also stunning. Jessie joked that she could set up a hammock and read here for hours.

The whole paddling experience lasted for about an hour and then we came back to the boat and were served hot tea and coffee, watermelon and freshly made banana bread… yum! The captain took the boat to another destination and then it was time for more hong exploration.

As we were eating our banana bread, there was a flash of lightning and a loud strike of thunder. All of the guests started to get worried about going into the ocean, but the staff didn’t seem to mind. Jessie and I waited, but it only happened that once, and it wasn’t even raining so we decided to go for it. Again, we got into our sea canoe with our trusty guide Thep, who expertly paddled us along. Within about 5 minutes, it began to rain, but not much.

The contrast between the air and water was huge. Jessie and I commented on how our grandmother would compare the water to a bathtub, but it was refreshing. The rain was coming down a bit harder now, so Thep decided to take us into the ‘honeymoon cave’. He joked that this is where all of the honeymooners go… it was a little beach inside the cave. I guess it would be very romantic if you were with someone other than your sister!

Once we left the honeymoon cave, the sky had cleared and it was now sunny out. We paddled along into another hong and toured around it for a bit. Then it was time for us to head back to the boat and have some free time. Jessie and I thought it would be fun to try canoeing by ourselves. Since Thep had worked so hard paddling us around, we told him he could join us as our passenger and we would give him a tour. He accepted and we had a great time trying to paddle the boat. I was fairly successful but Jessie seemed to only be able to make it go in circles. Eventually I got the hang of it and gave us a little tour, but by the time we were heading back to the boat, the waves became a bit rougher and it was difficult for me to get the canoe to overtake the waves. Luckily Thep stepped in here and brought us back… so much for being the easy going passenger.

As we got back onto the boat, it was time for arts and crafts! We were making Patongs which are traditional Buddhist ‘offerings’ that float in the water. They’re similar to lanterns, but instead are made out of leaves and flowers. We started off with a base from banana tree trunk. This is important because the banana tree trunk has many air pockets in it, so it’s light and floats well. Next we assembled banana leaves into beautiful shapes and decorated it with orchids and beautiful yellow and pink flowers. We made 3 of the orchids into birds that sit in the centre... they're very cute.

We stuck in 3 sticks of incense which symbolize monks, Buddha and Buddhist scripture. Thep also cut off pieces of our hair for good luck. There were two candles that are used to illuminate the way. It was so neat watching everyone build their patongs because they were all different. Each one was beautiful and was specially crafted with the care of the guides.

Soon, the Patongs were set aside and the dinner was brought out. It was a feast! There was curry, rice, soup, BBQ shrimp, fish, chicken, veggies …. So many delicious choices! Jessie and I ate till our heart’s content and then it was time to go and release our Patongs.

Thep was in the canoe waiting for us and soon we were off paddling away. By now, it was dark and the water was black. We paddled into a small cave so that the surrounding area was completely dark. Thep lit our candles and incense and Jessie and I made a wish and released our Patong in the cave. It was a really beautiful experience, especially since the flames from the candles reflected on the water and bounced off the walls of the cave.

A little while later, Thep blew out the flames from our candles and splashed some of the water around. Because it was so dark, we were able to see brilliant glimmers of light coming from the water! Apparently it’s bioluminescent plankton, and when you touch it, it glows. It was amazing to see because Jessie and I have never seen anything like that before. We probably spent the next 15 minutes splashing around off the sides of the canoe… it was unreal! Unfortunately the camera wouldn’t pick it up, so we don’t have any pictures of this, but it’s definitely unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.

Heading back to the boat, we climbed on board and got comfortable. We soon departed on the hour long ride back to the pier. Jessie and I met some nice people and had some good conversations. We also took photos with one of the tour guides who has a striking resemblance to Morgan Freeman.

A little while later we arrived at the pier, and soon we were back in our hotel. After a long shower, Jessie and I both hit the sack exhausted.