Culinary adventures...

I was going through my photos the other day and realized that the majority of my photos consist of food! So here's a little food/drink diary of the trip so far...

Teriyaki chicken with rice, steamed veggies and tofu, coleslaw and a chocolate, raisin oatmeal cookie. Courtesy of JAL

Rice + chili chicken out of the back of some guy's bike. $0.40 each

Rosalyn + passion fruit @ the buffet breakfast of Hotel Ramayana

Nasi campur (rice + whatever you select) @ Stop Mayan something. Lunch was $2.35

Bread Talk - a delicious bakery. One of my fav things there? A pastry filled with banana and chocolate and covered in cheese. $0.70 each

Roti Boy - a sweet bun filled with butter. Similar to pandesal. $0.70 each

Saffron roasted chicken @ Ku De Ta. $27

Babi guling @ Ibu Oka. $2.50

Mangasteam (sp?) - a sweet, juicy fruit. $0.20 each

Mie goreng on Geger Beach. $2.40

Hainan BBQ'd combo. Around $4

Chilling @ The Edge, Uluwatu Beach. $0.70

BBQ'd seafood dinner on the beach @ Menega Cafe

Sate Babi (Pork Sate). Around $2.25

Sate Kelinci (rabbit sate). Around $2

Tehbotol (iced tea) - Rosalyn's fav thing in Bali. Usually around $0.30-$0.70

2 mie goreng + 1 soto ayam @ Warung Nikmat. Total $1.70

5 heinekens @ Macarroni. $14

And this post has made me hungry! Off to search for some food...

The aftermath

So after my little accident yesterday, we decided to relocate to Kuta. Why? Kuta is pretty much tourist central and everything (food, shopping, entertainment, spas) is within walking distance, eliminating the need for a bike. Also, the internet connection here is much faster and more reliable (hence the photo upload). Our new place is a little older than our previous one but is clean and has AC as well. After all the drama of yesterday, I think a "masagE" is in order!

Finally.. a few pics

Beautiful Geger Beach

A crowded Dreamland

Crack Shack #1 - a treehouse

The disgusting pool outside another crack shack

Learning theory during Day 1 of PADI certification

Beautiful Padang Padang Beach

Kecak Dance at the Uluwatu Temple

Eating beachside at Menega Cafe in Jimbaran - BBQ'd seafood

The most delicious sate ever... droool

At the Bedegul Floating Temple

Gitgit - The Twin Waterfalls

Sate Kelinci (Rabbit Sate)

Entrance to Pura Taman Ayun

Pics = fail

my current internet connection is so slow! It's been 15+mins and I have still been unable to upload 1 stinking photo.

Damaged goods

Ugh.. so apparently it's quite difficult to learn how to ride a bike! During my education this morning, I crashed into 2 cars and flipped over the handles!!!!!! I have a 5 inch gash on my left arm, a deep 3 inch gash below my left knee, road rash and numerous other scrapes and bruises. Ouch.

Not sure what I'm going to do if I can't ride a bike. There's no public transport here and relying on taxis or renting a car/driver will burn through cash. An option might be to move back to Kuta where everything is within walking distance??

Dang, who would have thought it was so hard?

yummm.. Sate!

If there was ever a day for sate, it was today. We headed north towards Bedegul to see the twin waterfalls and on the way, stopped for the most delicious sate ever. Forget Richmond night market, this sate will blow your taste buds away! It was so good, I had to go back for seconds. Be warned though, while the sate themselves weren’t very spicy, the accompanients (rice, soup, veggies) will burn and burn and burn your mouth. Yum…I’m salivating just thinking about it.

On the way to the waterfalls, we stopped by the Bedegul floating temple. It’s not one of Bali’s most spectacular temples but was still very pretty. It floats on a lake that reflects the mountains behind it. My pictures don’t do it justice but you’ll be able to get a sense of how peaceful and serene the area was.

The twin waterfalls were nice but I didn’t think they were anything special. The coolest thing about them was the cave-like structure that was nearby and the swinging tarzan rope.

After the waterfalls (TLC anyone?), we headed home but decided to stop by and get more sate! Except this time, it was sate kelinci – rabbit sate! While it was good and everything, the other sate that we ate in the morning was by far tastier, juicier and tastier! We also stopped by the Pura Taman Ayun (Taman Ayun Temple) since we were in the neighbourhood. Not as pretty as the Bedegul Temple but it still had nice features.

Our next adventure is to try and learn how to ride bikes... Should be a piece of cake! (or not)

The continuation..

We found a place to live! Ros and I are staying in a koskosan about 5 mins away from where Rollan and Allen are staying. It’s not bad – the room is clean (which is very important), spacious and has AC (equally important). And, for a little touch of luxury, there’s a cleaning service every day. That’s right, high class all the way. Anyways, the room is definitely liveable and it’s saving us lots of money. The cost of staying at the hotel for one week is equal to staying in this room for one month. I’d say the only downside is that there isn’t a kitchenette or mini fridge – which means that I’ll be eating out a lot! We’re also getting motorbikes in the next couple of days which should help us out in the moolah department. Although I’ve never actually driven one, I’m confident that I can drive one. I mean, how hard can it be?

On Sunday, we hit up Padang Padang Beach and Uluwatu Beach and let me tell you, both were absolutely gorgeous! The beaches were surrounded by sea stacks and the water was a beautiful blue color. Because the waves at both beaches were decent, there were lots of surfers out trying to catch the perfect wave. At Uluwatu Beach, there’s a bar called Edge and it is literally at the edge of a cliff. Absolutely perfect for sipping a bintang (or tehbotol) and watching the surfers down below. Afterwards, we hit up Uluwatu Temple to catch the Kecak Dance, a Balinese culture show. It was filled with beautiful costumes and imagery. There was even a fire dancing segment! Definitely a tourist trap but I’m glad I got to experience it.

Oh yeah, did I mention that I’m now certified to open water dive? :D

That crack shack?

So, in the last few days, our #1 priority has been finding a more permanment residence – an apartment or a koskosan (basically a room in house, dorm style). Not gunna lie, a couple of the places we went to are pretty sketchy and ghetto – think whalley ring road meets east hastings meets asians. There are a few promising leads though so hopefully something pans out soon! Can’t afford to stay in a hotel very much longer.

We did manage to head south to the Bukit Peninsula for a beach day. We hit up Geger Pantai and Dreamland. The two were night and day. The beach at Geger was very clean and the water was a beautiful crystal blue color and very calm. It wasn’t very busy at all so it was pretty quiet. It’s the type of beach that is perfect for tanning and sipping a pina colada. The beach at Dreamland however was the exact opposite. It was absolutely crowded with people yelling and screaming and shrieking. It was absolutely filthy too – both the sand and the water were full of garbage and who knows what else. The waves were huge and there were quite a few surfers trying to hang ten. It’s the type of place that is perfect for being obnoxious, filthy and shotgunning a bud. Don’t get me wrong, I had loads of fun at both places but I felt that I had to scrub myself raw with rubbing alcohol after Dreamland.

Something that I’ve noticed is that spas and salons are a huge industry in Bali – every few metres there’s a spa or a salon with people outside asking if you want a “masage”. While there are spas that are very comparable to any North American ones, the majority are dingy, old places with a bed and a few chairs. Ros and I must have walked past at least 30 places before settling on one that was brightly lit and spacious. We’ve been back a couple times now – did I mention that you could get a 1 hour body massage (Balinese style) for the equivalent of $5? Ya, you’d be going a lot too!

Ros and I also signed up to get our PADI certificates. Our first day consisted of theory and practicing in a pool. Our second day consisted of 2 open water dives. I always thought that diving and snorkeling is pretty similiar in terms of breathing habitats but it's not! For whatever reason, I need to concentrate harder during diving to remember to breathe in and out through my mouth. I must say that diving is amazing! What a cool experience to live like a fish for a while.

Pics to come...

A few pics...

Legian @ night..

yummm... rice + chili chicken from the back of a guy's bike

Our bill for dinner @ Ku De Ta

Babi guling @ Ibu Oka in Ubud

At Monkey Forest in Ubud

Check out the amazing greens at the rice paddies

Monkey See, Monkey Do

What an amazing day today was! We headed over to Ubud to eat some babi guling (finally!) - and yes, all the hype is well deserved. The meat was so tender and juicy - definitely leaves you wanting more!

Afterwards, we walked down to Monkey Forest which is literally a forest full of monkeys. These little rascals are not shy - in fact, they'll jump on you and paw through your stuff. If you put your hands in your pockets, they think you've got something yummy in there and they will go searching for it. Ros was wearing her sunglasses on her head and monkey after monkey jumped on her head trying to get them off! One even started grooming her :D

Next we headed to a village that sounds like Lalalalalong to check out their famed rice paddies. They were absolutely gorgeous! The most vivid greens you've ever seen. I could spend a lifetime here just gazing at the paddies!

Not sure what the agenda is for tomorrow - after all, time does not exist in Bali... and I love it like that.

Living in Paradise...

**I wrote this yesterday but was unable to post it until today...

Selamat datang indeed! Last night was quite the introduction to Bali. We met up with Rollan and Allen at the airport and headed to Hotel Ramayana in Kuta. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect in terms of our rooms since they’re relatively cheap compared to North American standards but was pleasantly surprised – our hotel is gorgeous!! Beautiful landscaping, sculptures, flowers, infinity pools, fountains, laterns etc. After a quick change, we headed to club row on Legian to do some club hopping. We must have hit 8 or 9 places but I lost track after M Bar Go, Sky Garden, Paddy’s, Engine Room, Déjà vu, Double Six… having a drink at each place will do that to you I guess. I can’t believe the prices here. You can easily live like a king for pennies! For example, the 4 of us spent around 650 000rp ($~65CAD) last night. To hit up the same number of clubs and have the same number of drinks in Vancouver would have cost us a fortune! Food here is also really cheap. Last night we ordered rice and chili chicken out of the back of a guy’s bike for $1.50 (for all 4 of us). Today, I had a huge rice, chicken, tofu, vegetable, beef lunch for $2.35. Don't worry though -there’s no danger of gaining excessive weight as you sweat out litres and litres every day (yuck)

Today we took it pretty easy. We wanted to go to Ubud for babi guling (roasted suckling pig) but we got lost on the way. So instead, we drove around Denpasar, Kuta and Legian to do some sightseeing with the comforts of AC (very important). Afterwards, we ditched the car and walked from our hotel to Discovery Mall. There, I discovered the delights of Roti Boy (a sweet bun filled with butter). For dinner, we splurged and headed to Ku De Ta, a gorgeous(!) open air restaurant. Twice a year, huge parties are held here and I could definitely see why. A huge lounge, beautiful artwork, huge patio, DJ set up, and a private beach all make for a wicked party. However, dinner doesn’t come cheap here. The 4 of us spent just under 2 000 000rp for dinner and drinks… when you consider that an average laborer’s monthly salary here is 1 200 000rp, we definitely treated ourselves!

Sorry for the pictureless post - internet has been a little hard to come by here but I'll upload pictures soon!

BaliBaliBaliBaliBali

Ros and I are sitting in the airport waiting to board our flight. We've got a long, long journey ahead of us - we leave YVR at 12:45pm and don't arrive in Bali until 10:25pm tomorrow night! Despite the long flight, we're super excited to begin our adventure. What are the things I/we hope to accomplish while in Indo?

1) Get our diving certificates (PADI)
2) Take a Baliense cooking course
3) Become better surfers
4) Get massages at least once a week (it's a hard life I know)
5) Visit the volcanos
6) Visit monkey forest
7) Visit the rice paddies
8) Not gain weight (might be tough)
9) Play lots of volleyball
10) Master a few Balinese phrases
..........

Honestly the list could go on and on.....

See you guys in paradise!!!!
(and no, we did not overpack!)

Less than 24 hours...

I'm running around like a chicken with its head cut off. So much to do still - mainly because I'm a procrastinator at heart. Although I'm super excited for this new adventure to start, I'm getting slightly nervous and anxious. I've never been away from my life for so long - this will definitely be an experiment on my coping skills.

Busy Beeeeeeee

I feel my life has been a crazy merry-go-round since returning home on Monday! Constantly on the run with different things that need to be done before Bali. My to-do list has spiraled outta control. On top of everthing, my poor Canucks decided to start their summer early last night. Sigh, bring back the run of 1994 people!!!

Only 2 more days...

Bonjour Montreal!

J'aime Montréal!! What a beautiful city with so much to do, see and eat! Despite only being there for 2 short days, I have fallen in love. If I was not able to live in Vancouver anymore, Montreal would be the my top Canadian city to relocate to.

After our flight from Cuba, we caught the 747 express into downtown Montreal and checked into Hotel Stay (near Mont Royal Metro station). Although it looks ghett-O from the outside, the rooms were actually nicer than the ones in Cuba! Go figure. With some time to kill before meeting up with one of my old roomies, we went hunting for our first real Montreal poutine at Frit Alors. Must say, the French sure know their poutine!

Frit Alor's signature Poutine

Afterwards, we met up with Jordana and her bf and headed down St. Denis to find a place to watch the Habs vs. Pens game. Twas very nice to catch up with her and her medical school adventures! It had been way too long.

Go Habs (and Nucks) go!

Friday was spent wandering around Montreal. First, we headed to the old port and spent some time exploring the various streets and alleyways. Definitely has an European vibe going. We then walked up St. Denis and headed to the #1 'attraction' everybody has been telling us to go to... La Banquise - home of the BEST poutine in Montreal. They have over 25 different poutines including the T-Rex (bacon, sausage, wieners and hamburger) and the Hotdog ones that we tried. Yummmmm

St. Paul Street in Old Port

My future home

One page of the poutine menu at La Banquise

The T-Rex and Hotdog

We then met up with Clout (met him in Cuba) and his gf Christelle who took us on a great tour of Montreal. We headed up to the top of Mont Royal, drove through Westmont, visited St. Joseph's oratory with St. Andre's heart on display, visited ETS and UQAM before walking along St. Catherines and through Chinatown. Definitely a great time as they knew a LOT about Montreal. Not sure that I would have as much to say about various attractions around Vancouver if I had to give them a similar tour.

St. Andre's heart in St. Joseph's Oratory. Just a little bit creepy

Afterwards, we handed over to Notre Dame to catch their light show in the basilica. Very informative and creative in its approach but I must confess I fell asleep. The stillness and the darkness of the church conspired against me! Nonetheless, the portions that I did catch was very cool. From Notre Dame, we went to have the coolest dinner experience ever! Mark's friend told us about this restaurant, ONoir, and after hearing about his experience, we made reservations right away. In this restaurant, you eat entirely in the pitch black!! All the waiters are legally blind and have memorized the layout of the restaurant to be able to serve you. You do all your ordering outside in the bar area - on the menu, is an option for a 'surprise' dish. Of course, we decided to try all surprise dishes for our 3 course meal. To get to your table, you need to put your left hand on the shoulder of your waiter who will then lead you to your table. It was almost surreal to realize that there is no difference between closing your eyes and opening them. Forget trying to use your knife and fork - I ended up just pushing my food around my plate and onto my lap. I'm not ashamed to admit that I gave up pretty often and ended up eating with my fingers. The food was delicious but hard to say if it was because all my senses were heightened because my sight was taken away or if 1 week of eating bland food in Cuban made anything flavorful overpowering. Overall, I definitely recommend this experience to anybody!

Notre Dame Basilica

After our dining experience

From ONoir, we walked all the way back down to the old port to meet up with our Montreal friends we met in Cuba. We ended up at Les Deux Pierrot on St. Paul - a Quebecois bar. It was SO fun! They had live bands play everything from old French cartoon theme songs to Beach Boys to French dirty songs to Backstreet Boys to French dirty songs to ACDC and everything in between. With $7 cover and $3.75 beers, twas a fun night indeed! The kids we met from Montreal definitely know how to have a great time and show some Vancouverites how it's supposed to be done. Although beware, when you guys come to Vancouver, I will show you what real Chinese food at 4am tastes like!

E-HA!

So although our time in Montreal was short, I promise you I will be back.

Adios Cuba!

I meant to try and post pretty regularly during Cuba but when I learned that it was almost $8/hour for a dialup connection, I decided to forego it for the week.

We spent the week at Oasis Brisas in St. Lucia - about 1 hour away from Camaguey. The resort is rated as 4 stars but felt more like a 2 star resort. Although everyone was really friendly, and everything that you needed at a resort was present, the resort itself was just really run down. Cracks in the walls, doors, tiles, tubs, and ants and cockroaches inside the rooms made any stay in the bedrooms uncomfortable. Although truth be told, after a few cocktails, everything seems a lot better ;)

At night..

Daytime

When we booked the trip, we had learned that we would be travelling with a large group of university students from Montreal. And when I say large, I mean 49 students large. Most were engineers (funny how we could instantly tell) and a few were law students. Although first impressions were not all that postive, we met a group within the large group who were super friendly, super funny and super fun to hang out with. They introduced us to a game called E-Ha which, in my humble opinion, is the most messed up, confusing game of all time. I also now love this game and want to play it all the time!

Some of the Montreal kids

Tequila anyone?

We got into a pretty good routine - wake up, eat breakfast, lounge by the pool, eat lunch, lounge by the beach, siesta, eat dinner, lounge by the coffee bar, lounge by the main bar, lounge by the snack bar and go to bed. We played beach volleyball, took a merengue lesson, went snorkeling, played with the cute resort puppies and played a lot of Trump. We also went on 2 excursions. One was a dinner/show in Camaguey which was included in our trip and the other was a snorkeling/Iguana island adventure that was easily the highlight of the trip. This excursion took us via boat to the 2nd largest coral reef in the world. On the way, we saw flamingos, dolphins (!!!!) and the death of a big soul fish (the 2nd captain caught it and bashed its brains out less than 2 feet away from Liane and I - and yes, we were splattered in fish goo - ugh!). Afterwards, we stopped by Iguana island which, surprise, surprise, has a HUGE iguana population! Afterwards, we stopped by the coral reef again for more snorkeling before heading back to the resort. Definitely a great time!

Lounging poolside

On our way to the coral reef

Right before the bashing

Although sipping mojitos poolside for a week is always a great time, I was happy to leave by the 7th day. I just missed the feeling of being clean, eating great food and not walking around in my bathroom with my flipflops on.. All in all, despite everything, I had a great time! You can never go wrong with great company