Archive for December, 2006
To get to Green Ball, you head up the hill onto the Bukit, from Bypass Ngurah Rai (heading to Nusa Dua), then at the 4 way intersection (Nusa Dua, Uluwatu, Balangan), turn left towards Nusa Dua. You will see a sign for the Bali Cliff Resort, and the surf beach at Green Ball.
Arriving at Green Ball you’ll see a dirt parking area, with an old guy selling drinks. A small water was 3,000rp, so best to bring your own drinks if price in a concern. There are a couple of hundred concrete steps leading form the cliff, down to the sand beach. We saw some small surfable waves and while we were there, probably 5 or 6 other surfers were there also. Ollie paddled out and caught many long rides, although the swell was small. Green Ball is a reef break and is the southern most tip of Bali, next stop Australia.
For us non surfers, Green Ball is an okay beach to relax on. Devoid of trees, the cliffs provide some shade. The water is relatively clean and to the right of the beach is a large cave with bats. Ollie liked Green Ball because there seemed to be many spots to catch a wave, which combined with the lack of people, meant a mellow time. I have been to the cliffs overlooking Green Ball before, but never to the beach. The stairs got us sweating on the way up, poor old Toby dragging a backpack and carrying his daughter.
Green Bowl
•What is it?
Green Bowl is a beach / surf spot on the Bukit Peninsula.
•Where is it?
Located next to the Bali Cliff hotel on the central southern coast of the Bukit.
•How do you get there?
From Kuta, Bypass Nusa Dua, Jl. Uluwatu up the hill, take left hand turn, to Nusa Dua, look out for turnoff for Bali Cliff hotel. Road to beach is indicated.
•How long does it take from Kuta?
30 minutes.
•Services:
Parking, drink seller.
•Who is Green Ball good for?
People who want a nice beach, turquiose water, hot sun. Surfers who are looking for surf, when there’s none anywhere else. Green Ball picks up swell from all directions.
•Who is Green Ball not good for?
People who don’t like stairs, driving more than 5 minutes, or need creature comforts.
•Best time to go?
To enjoy the beach you need mid-low tide. For surfers the waves suck up more when it starts to get low ide, of course. It is reef, so factor this in.
source : www.baliblog.com
December 20th, 2006
People taking a break on Kuta Beach might like to go for a spot of lunch, that is within a short walk. That is exactly what, Toby, Maya, Ollie, Asia and myself did today. The deal with Bali, is that on the busy main streets, rents are high, making restaurants more expensive. Down the narrow alleys the rents are cheaper, so the costs are lower for food. The nearest place to the beach on Poppies II is Ninety Degree Bar & Restaurant, located at the first 90 degree bend in Poppies II, 100 meters from the beach. Today was hot, but the upstairs area of the place enjoyed sea breezes.
Here’s the menu:
Breakfast - including American breakfast (juice, toast with jam, 2 eggs any style, with sausage and bacon, coffee of tea (35,000rp).
Appetizers - including Shrimp cocktail (17,500rp)
Soup - inclduing Tum Yum Kung (20,500rp)
Main Dishes Seafood - including Fish & Chips (30,500rp)
All Day Favourites - including Sirloin Steak (35,500rp)
Indonesian & Chinese Favourites - including Satay of your choice (28,500rp)
Pasta, sandwich & Burger - including Club Sandwich (28,500rp)
Balinese Specialities - including Seafood Mabese Bali (35,500rp)
Ninety Degrees Pizza Garden - including Pizza Due, with ham & olive (28,500rp)
Vegetarian Favourites - including Baked aubergine & tofu (23,500rp)
Japanese Food - including Tempura (35,500rp)
Dessert - including Banana Split (20,500rp
My lunch was the Club sandwich which came with chips. It was quite good. Ninety Degree Bar & Restaurant is located ideally for people looking for food and drinks at a reasonable cost, close to Kuta Beach.
source : www.baliblog.com
December 19th, 2006
Kuta Beach is a crash course in how to deal with locals and bargaining. Today I took my freinds form Oregon, to the section of Kuta Beach, directly across from Poppies II. Kuta Beach can leave people with varying impressions and I was a bit nervous, knowing the vendors can descend like mozzies on a bare bottom. Sitting under a tree, next to a drink vendor (Niki), we were provided with chairs and were immediatley swamped by vendors, selling temporary tattoes, bow and arrows, massage, nail cleaning and other goods and services. Nobody panicked and after 15 minures most of them drfited off, realising we weren’t buying.
Today was great as far a beach day, but not so good for serious surfing. There is no swell right now and the only people catching waves were learners and a few locals, who were content with the ripple in front of McDonalds on Kuta Beach. One guy came along selling kids toys, including a frog like puppet, that spat out a rolled up tongue and made a sqeak. Maya indicated she wanted it, Toby indicated he did not. I told the vendor ‘tidak mau’ (don’t want), but his rebuttle was that the kid wanted it. Very annoying to be a parent in some instances. Funny thing was, when Maya and Asia went to the waters edge to paddle, the same guy tried to sell toys, to us 3 guys. Banging a square peg through a round hole” I said. Still, people were good vibes and Kuta Beach was not a bad place to be this morning.
source : www.baliblog.com
December 19th, 2006
Being married to an Indonesian, means ther pantry gets a mixture of items, that often have nothing in common. Having friends from around the world who travel, also adds to the stuff in my pantry. Taking a photo this afternoon, the line up was interesting. We had Belizean Pepper Sauce, Kee’s Dark Soy Sauce (Singapore), Green Mole (Mexico), Kecap Manis (Indonesia), Habanero Pepper Mash (Belize), Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Italy).
Toby goes to Central America a lot and loves Belize. He brought me packets of Belizean spices, that we can use at a bbq. These include Belizean Stew Chicken, Hot & Spicy Belizean Blackening and Belizean Black Dinner (Chimole). Sitting here typing, I can smell that pepper, and it will liven up anything I chuck on the grill for sure. Toby already annouced he is looking forward to getting the bbq back in action.
For people living in Bali, you can find a selection of peppers and spices at the back of Bintang supermarket, in Seminyak. Everything from black pepper to cilatro (coriander) seeds, cloves, tumeric, all kinds of stuff. These locally made packets are a few thousand rp, and are about an ounce.
Jimbaran is the place to get your hands on fish for a low price. In my experience, you need to find a way tto keep the fish chilled, otherwise it will go off fast. I have ridden down there on my motorbike, coming back loaded down with fresh fish. This is not the optimum way to go, and a taxi will not want to carry you and your fish.
In the past I have picked up 5kg of tuna for 50,000rp. its cheap, and if you get there in the morning, after the boats come in the fish will be that much fresher. Let’s see what we can come up with!
source : www.baliblog.com
December 19th, 2006
Morning Toby’s friend Oliie wanted to rent a surfboard, for the duration of his 2 weeks in Bali. Repeating wahtt I had heard before, I told him not to rent from the guys on the beach. All those boards are snapped, and will snap again at some point, in the same place. When that happens, the oowner will demand $300. My friend Palu from Byron Bay, has 3 shops selling boards, as well as a surf school. He also has a selection of used boards for rent of sale.
Meeting with Palu on Poppies Lane II, around 9.40am, we checked out his boards and prices. Palu told Ollie that if he rented a board, he could change it if the conditions changed. Palu does a range of boards, focusing on the learner end of the market. Ollie did find a fish type board, ideal for an experienced surfer in small swell. The prices for the brand new rental for a week was 600,000rp. The price to buy its was 2.5m rp.
Short term rental include 20,000rp per hour, 150,000rp, 600,000rp, deposit or passport required. Day surf trips can be arranged, including lunch for $100.
source : www.baliblog.com
December 19th, 2006
My friends from Oregon, brought over a couple of old cell phones that use SIM cards. I thought it would be simple to get them changed over to the local numbers, but it took longer than expected. Last year the Indonesian government made it law that cell phones have to be registered. After buying a 50,000rp SIM card which included 10,000rp of pulsa, outside Bintang supermarket, the guy told me I could not use the phones without registering. In order to do that you have to have a passport if you are a foreinger. I didn’t have mine handy, but the guy said I could register later.
The registration process entails calling a toll free number, then going through a process, which involves calling back and waiting for them to call you. Its all in Indonesian, so I’ll get my sister in law to do it, saving the frustration for both parties.
When these babies are registered we’ll be good to go and keeping in touch will be easy.
source : www.baliblog.com
December 19th, 2006
My old friend Toby, from Eugene Oregon, brought his 3 year old daughter Maya, with him as well as friends, Ollie and Asia. This morning we strolled down to Cafe Seminyak for a coffee, and the ‘kid treatment’ started, with every waitress and shop attendent carrying Maya off, telling her she was ‘cantik‘ (beautiful). This morning they were getting the ‘Bali experience’, seeing Balinese people laying offerings on the street and acquaintences of mine saying hello. I know as a parent you have to be careful who you leave your child with, but out here, there are many willing pairs of hands, and the kids definteily feel comfortable with people who are used to kids.
Today after a session at the beach, Maya asked if we could go back to the swimming pool. Toby said “Yes Maya, that’s where we’re going.” She said “No I want to go to the swimming pool with the surfboards and the monkey.” (there was a monkey on the beach today). Many more interactions and adventures to come for sure.
source : www.baliblog.com
December 19th, 2006
Singapore is the ‘go to’ place for Bali expats, when they have a medical emergency. Locally we have a couple of good clinics, SOS International and BIMC, and Sanglah hospital in Denpasar for emergency surgery. If you need surgery and you have the choice, get on a plane to Singapore.
I say have the choice, because some people do. Its not just a matter of time, its a matter of money. Do you have $20,000 to hand over for an operation? If the answer is no, you might want to ge some travel insurance. The package I’m on, allows me to choose where I want an operation to be done, regarldless of where the accident happens. Pretty sweet huh? My friend Mick has a motorbike crash in Spain and couple of years ago, and opted to have surgery in Melbourne. His insurance (same company as mine) runs a 24 hour hotline, so he was able to get local hospital treatment for free, and surgery the other side of the world.
The demand for decent hospitals in Asia, has created a whole new market, ‘medical tourism‘, with superb private hospitals in Thailand. Singapore doesn’t want to miss out, and are planning 2 new ones.
source : www.baliblog.com
December 18th, 2006
Bali Bombers Amrozi, Muklas and Samudra, are appealling their conviction, for executing the 2002 attacks in Kuta. The dateset for there appeal is December 22nd 2006.
Here in Bali no one has mentioned anything about this case, or these guys. Seems to me people wouldl ike to see them dead, but have enough personal things going on with family, ceremonies and the economy.
The 3 bombers are filing a Supreme Court challenge, insisting the use of a retroactive law, is against the law. The appeal will take place in Bali, since it was filed there, but Amrozi and Co. don’t need to attend. The bombers are currently incarserated in Nusa Kambangan jail on the Central Java coast. Fingers crossed for no suprises.
source : www.baliblog.com
December 18th, 2006
Rice is the Balinese staple. Ask anyone ‘Sudah Makan?’ (already eat?) And they will say, ‘Yes, makan nasi’, which means, yes, rice. Bali and Java have the most well developed sawah (rice terraces) in Indonesia. In Bali as well as Indonesia there are really 2 types of farming, ladang and sawah. Ladang is carried out on arid land or land where the soil is only inches deep.
It is usually used for crops requiring a small amount of rain or cattle. After 1 or 2 crops the soil is exhausted and the farmer must move on to another part of his land. With sawah, the rich volcanic soil, plentiful water and powerful sunlight mean the same land can be farmed without a break, producing huge amounts of rice. In Bali 3 harvests a year are possible on the same land.
The growing and harvesting of rice are governed by adat (traditional law) and the subak (water access governing body) approves and controls the flooding of fields and the diverting of streams. The need for communal cooperation in growing rice is a major factor in Balinese agrarian socialism.
Balinese also believe that Dewi Sri, the Goddess of rice, must be honored and shrines are set up in every sawah to honor her. The Balinese believe that Dewi Sri dwells in every stalk of rice and during harvesting Balinese women use a small curved knife hidden in their palm, cutting only a few stalks with every cut so not to scare Dewi Sri.
Rice means life to the Balinese and is much more than something to fill a belly.
Rice has 3 names: still in the sawah its called padi, in the sack it is beras, on the plate its nasi.
souce : www.baliblog.com
December 18th, 2006
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