Thursday 25th August
Last night in Ubud I went to a food stall at the end of the road. A Husband and wife make Murtabak which is like a big savoury pancake with veggies and eggs and garlic. At the same time they make sponge cakes. I watched them stir the cake mix in a big pink bucket and then pour some of the mix into a flat tin on the gas stove. When it was ready the wife added chocolate, peanuts and condensed milk. so I ordered Murtabak, followed by cake and both were so delicious, food heaven. And both so filling. I was stuffed and waddled slowly back to the hostel.
I checked out this morning. It was a bit rainy but I soon got on a bemo to Batubulan then another to Tegal where I changed and got another bemo here to Kuta, the tourist mecca of Bali. After a bit of wandering, two helpful local guys pointed me towards this nice losmen (cheap hotel).
I walked to Kuta beach; coming out into the bright sunshine and seeing the surf and all those white bodies, I felt a bit like I had returned to the real world after 6 weeks in the rest of Indonesia. There are of course lots of Aussies here. The beach is ok and I sat watching the huge surf breaks. I walked along the Beach Walkway that runs parallel to the beach but is mostly in the shade. There were some lovely-looking luxury resorts along there.
I visited the Memorial Wall that holds the names of those killed in the Bali bombings. I had late breakfast then lunch and checked out the way to the airport for tomorrow. Also it is the Idul Fitri holiday weekend; this Muslim holiday marks the end of Ramadan so many people come here to see family or have a holiday so vacant rooms are at a premium so I was also sussing out places for when I get back. So I ended up going for a much longer walk than intended, around the backstreets of Kuta.
Back in the tourists area I bought a second hand LP that I was hoping to find. There are lots of western-style restaurants here and everything a tourist could need. Being a backpacker, I headed away from here and had dinner at a local's restaurant.
Friday 26th August
Well, considering my hotel was pretty close to the middle of Kuta's nightlife, I got a fairly good night's sleep with my earplugs in; the room was only vibrating a little from the pumping dance tunes. Funny, ten years ago I would have been out all night dancing too, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything.
I checked out and walked to the airport, it was a bit further than the LP indicated but I had plenty of time to stop for breaks. At Denpasar International Airport I got a flight to Singapore. I didn't particularly want to come to Singapore but I need a new visa so that I can have another month in Indonesia. I might have been able to extend my visa in Indonesia but there is potential for stuff-ups with that so I will just make the most of a long weekend in Singapore.
Took a while to get out of Changi airport but then on the skyrail and then the nice clean train into town. I got off at Bugis MRT station which is in the basement of a multi-level food court, and it was Friday night rush hour and everyone was walking slowly while looking down at the ipod/phone, so it took ages to get up to the street. It reminded me of rush hour at home. It was the first time I have seen skyscrapers for a while but the atmosphere is nice and it is not sterile.
I have a dormitory bed on the roof of the Cozy Guesthouse. The roof is sheltered but is open to one side and I can see the open skies from my bed.
For dinner i took the MRT to Geylang where there lots of chinese restaurants; I could have had turtle soup or chilli frog but I got sweet and sour pork with rice, tofu and chinese vegetables. There are big HD TVs outside the restaurants and customers sit watching Chinese soap operas while having dinner. There were a few 'massage' parlours there, and a couple of mosques.
Saturday 27th August
It was pouring with rain when I woke this morning, so I slept in a while. Breakfast is free at the hostel. After 6 pieces of toast and 2 coffees I headed out. I walked round to Marina Bay and the Singapore Flyer - the Ferris Wheel, but it was closed, like some of the shops. I since found out that it is quieter here this weekend because it is polling day. I saw the Theatre on the Bay. I walked through part of the Colonial area including the Padang sports park and the Cricket club and some old colonial buildings. And the Merlion fountain in Merlion Park and the huge Casino. After Thai for lunch I visited the small Thian Hock Keng Chinese Temple.
Next was the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum, which was excellent. It is five-storeys high and impressive on the outside and the inside. The main hall on the ground floor houses large Buddha statues and thousands of miniature ones too; it is a very colourful place. Monks in yellow gowns were leading ordinary worshippers in their chanting.
On the 4th floor is the elaborate room where Buddha's tooth is displayed; but it is only displayed there on 2 days of the year, the first day of Chinese New Year and on Wesak Day (and is not likely to be authentic). The room is sealed off and only viewable through a glass window. The notices brag about the room containing lots of gold as a tribute to Buddha's greatness but from what I know, Buddha was a bit more humble than that. On the 5th floor is a pleasant garden and a large Prayer Wheel. On the 3rd floor is a Buddhist museum containing relics from around Asia and telling the full story of Buddha and his life. Some of it was interesting, some of it I already knew.
I visited the outside of the Sri Mariamman Hindu temple which looks like the one in Madurai. Next I walked through Chinatown, which, as in most Chinatown parts of big cities, means a lively market. This one is set among colourful shophouses. As I walked back up towards the hostel it started to rain so I took shelter under the overhang of an office buildling. But I got moved on for loitering! A tall Indian guy came around the corner and said "You can't loiter here. I can see you on my security camera. If you stay here the Police will come." And he did point to the sign high above my head that said No Loitering, which I hadn't seen.
Back at the hostel I had a cat nap and was woken by the fire alarm going off but nothing happened. I went out to find football on TV. I had already done a bit of a reckie earlier and found a small food court with a widescreen TV. I got dinner and sat there with a few older guys who were drinking beer and some of them dozed off as it was quite late. I got to see 3 games and chatted to a young local guy called Asim. His Grandparents came here from China and Pakistan, met and lived in a village and integrated with Malays, so he speaks Malay as well as English.
Asim told me that at school everything is in English but you also study the language of your background, so he studied Malay and a kid with a Chinese background would study Chinese. The 2 guys working in the hostel spoke the Chinese dialect of Hokkein together. Asim served a a police officer for his 2 years of National service.
Sunday 28th August
After toast with radioactive orange sickly-sweet jam, I went out sight-seeing. I walked to Raffles Hotel,named after Stamford Raffles, the first Governor of Signapore. I walked in the courtyards and peeked inside; they didn't seem to mind the rif-raf hanging around, although going into the actual hotel bit was only for the super-rich. I had a look around a shopping mall since my sandals will soon need replacing; the mall was busy this Sunday lunchitme, the Singaporeans like their malls. I found the National Museum but was too lazy to go in.
I walked to Little India. As soon as I crossed the invisible boundary into Little India, an Indian guy offered me a plate of the vegetarian food the Indians were sharing; this happened sometimes in India, very hospitable, but I wanted to look around first. The first temple was very colourful inside and there were guys in just sarongs and paint on their foreheads carrying incense and holy water from shrine to shrine, it was a bit like being back in India.
I walked towards the other temples and found myself in an area totally different from the rest of Singapore. The streets are lined with colourful shophouses where Indians own the stores and restaurants. But it is different from India because there are no cows in the street, no rickshaws and no trash; it is probably like Indian neighbourhoods of London or Birmingham.
I visited a couple more Hindu temples, a Chinese Buddhist temple, and also the Sakaya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple. Otherwise known as the Temple of 1000 lights, this temple houses a 15m high, 300 tonne Buddha, surrounded by fairy lights, as well as smaller Hindu deities. At the small of Buddha's back there is a small door to stoop through and inside is a large reclining Buddha wearing a gold-coloured sash; I liked that. Around the outside the story of Buddha is told through words and dioramas.
I walked along the mainstreet and some sidestreets it was just good wandering around. I had samosa chaat for lunch; whereas this is just a snack in India, here it was a huge plateful of tasty goodness that I just about managed to eat.
I visited the Muslim area called Kampong Glam, where there is a large gold-domed mosque. There was a nice atmosphere but the shops were a bit exclusive and I was tired by then so I walked back to the hostel via another mall. Back at the hostel I had a cat nap.
In the evening I went back to the same food court as last night. There were even more guys there tonight to watch the two big games. I wasn't hungry so just drank banana milkshake then a coffee. I sat with an older local guy and we talked about football and his work/travel in IT services. Most of the local guys sitting around us were United fans so they were pretty happy with the game and I enjoyed watching it with them.
Monday 29th August
I checked out and left my bag in reception as walked over to Little India. Had Channa (chickpea) Masala and rice for lunch. A bit rainy again today. Train and Skyrail to airport for flight back to Bali.
Back in Kuta, a bit of ringing round and found a room. Got motorbike 'taxi' from the airport. I know what things cost now and speaking a bit of the lingo makes it easier to negotiate a price.
Last night in Ubud I went to a food stall at the end of the road. A Husband and wife make Murtabak which is like a big savoury pancake with veggies and eggs and garlic. At the same time they make sponge cakes. I watched them stir the cake mix in a big pink bucket and then pour some of the mix into a flat tin on the gas stove. When it was ready the wife added chocolate, peanuts and condensed milk. so I ordered Murtabak, followed by cake and both were so delicious, food heaven. And both so filling. I was stuffed and waddled slowly back to the hostel.
I checked out this morning. It was a bit rainy but I soon got on a bemo to Batubulan then another to Tegal where I changed and got another bemo here to Kuta, the tourist mecca of Bali. After a bit of wandering, two helpful local guys pointed me towards this nice losmen (cheap hotel).
I walked to Kuta beach; coming out into the bright sunshine and seeing the surf and all those white bodies, I felt a bit like I had returned to the real world after 6 weeks in the rest of Indonesia. There are of course lots of Aussies here. The beach is ok and I sat watching the huge surf breaks. I walked along the Beach Walkway that runs parallel to the beach but is mostly in the shade. There were some lovely-looking luxury resorts along there.
I visited the Memorial Wall that holds the names of those killed in the Bali bombings. I had late breakfast then lunch and checked out the way to the airport for tomorrow. Also it is the Idul Fitri holiday weekend; this Muslim holiday marks the end of Ramadan so many people come here to see family or have a holiday so vacant rooms are at a premium so I was also sussing out places for when I get back. So I ended up going for a much longer walk than intended, around the backstreets of Kuta.
Back in the tourists area I bought a second hand LP that I was hoping to find. There are lots of western-style restaurants here and everything a tourist could need. Being a backpacker, I headed away from here and had dinner at a local's restaurant.
Friday 26th August
Well, considering my hotel was pretty close to the middle of Kuta's nightlife, I got a fairly good night's sleep with my earplugs in; the room was only vibrating a little from the pumping dance tunes. Funny, ten years ago I would have been out all night dancing too, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything.
I checked out and walked to the airport, it was a bit further than the LP indicated but I had plenty of time to stop for breaks. At Denpasar International Airport I got a flight to Singapore. I didn't particularly want to come to Singapore but I need a new visa so that I can have another month in Indonesia. I might have been able to extend my visa in Indonesia but there is potential for stuff-ups with that so I will just make the most of a long weekend in Singapore.
Took a while to get out of Changi airport but then on the skyrail and then the nice clean train into town. I got off at Bugis MRT station which is in the basement of a multi-level food court, and it was Friday night rush hour and everyone was walking slowly while looking down at the ipod/phone, so it took ages to get up to the street. It reminded me of rush hour at home. It was the first time I have seen skyscrapers for a while but the atmosphere is nice and it is not sterile.
I have a dormitory bed on the roof of the Cozy Guesthouse. The roof is sheltered but is open to one side and I can see the open skies from my bed.
For dinner i took the MRT to Geylang where there lots of chinese restaurants; I could have had turtle soup or chilli frog but I got sweet and sour pork with rice, tofu and chinese vegetables. There are big HD TVs outside the restaurants and customers sit watching Chinese soap operas while having dinner. There were a few 'massage' parlours there, and a couple of mosques.
Saturday 27th August
It was pouring with rain when I woke this morning, so I slept in a while. Breakfast is free at the hostel. After 6 pieces of toast and 2 coffees I headed out. I walked round to Marina Bay and the Singapore Flyer - the Ferris Wheel, but it was closed, like some of the shops. I since found out that it is quieter here this weekend because it is polling day. I saw the Theatre on the Bay. I walked through part of the Colonial area including the Padang sports park and the Cricket club and some old colonial buildings. And the Merlion fountain in Merlion Park and the huge Casino. After Thai for lunch I visited the small Thian Hock Keng Chinese Temple.
Next was the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum, which was excellent. It is five-storeys high and impressive on the outside and the inside. The main hall on the ground floor houses large Buddha statues and thousands of miniature ones too; it is a very colourful place. Monks in yellow gowns were leading ordinary worshippers in their chanting.
On the 4th floor is the elaborate room where Buddha's tooth is displayed; but it is only displayed there on 2 days of the year, the first day of Chinese New Year and on Wesak Day (and is not likely to be authentic). The room is sealed off and only viewable through a glass window. The notices brag about the room containing lots of gold as a tribute to Buddha's greatness but from what I know, Buddha was a bit more humble than that. On the 5th floor is a pleasant garden and a large Prayer Wheel. On the 3rd floor is a Buddhist museum containing relics from around Asia and telling the full story of Buddha and his life. Some of it was interesting, some of it I already knew.
I visited the outside of the Sri Mariamman Hindu temple which looks like the one in Madurai. Next I walked through Chinatown, which, as in most Chinatown parts of big cities, means a lively market. This one is set among colourful shophouses. As I walked back up towards the hostel it started to rain so I took shelter under the overhang of an office buildling. But I got moved on for loitering! A tall Indian guy came around the corner and said "You can't loiter here. I can see you on my security camera. If you stay here the Police will come." And he did point to the sign high above my head that said No Loitering, which I hadn't seen.
Back at the hostel I had a cat nap and was woken by the fire alarm going off but nothing happened. I went out to find football on TV. I had already done a bit of a reckie earlier and found a small food court with a widescreen TV. I got dinner and sat there with a few older guys who were drinking beer and some of them dozed off as it was quite late. I got to see 3 games and chatted to a young local guy called Asim. His Grandparents came here from China and Pakistan, met and lived in a village and integrated with Malays, so he speaks Malay as well as English.
Asim told me that at school everything is in English but you also study the language of your background, so he studied Malay and a kid with a Chinese background would study Chinese. The 2 guys working in the hostel spoke the Chinese dialect of Hokkein together. Asim served a a police officer for his 2 years of National service.
Sunday 28th August
After toast with radioactive orange sickly-sweet jam, I went out sight-seeing. I walked to Raffles Hotel,named after Stamford Raffles, the first Governor of Signapore. I walked in the courtyards and peeked inside; they didn't seem to mind the rif-raf hanging around, although going into the actual hotel bit was only for the super-rich. I had a look around a shopping mall since my sandals will soon need replacing; the mall was busy this Sunday lunchitme, the Singaporeans like their malls. I found the National Museum but was too lazy to go in.
I walked to Little India. As soon as I crossed the invisible boundary into Little India, an Indian guy offered me a plate of the vegetarian food the Indians were sharing; this happened sometimes in India, very hospitable, but I wanted to look around first. The first temple was very colourful inside and there were guys in just sarongs and paint on their foreheads carrying incense and holy water from shrine to shrine, it was a bit like being back in India.
I walked towards the other temples and found myself in an area totally different from the rest of Singapore. The streets are lined with colourful shophouses where Indians own the stores and restaurants. But it is different from India because there are no cows in the street, no rickshaws and no trash; it is probably like Indian neighbourhoods of London or Birmingham.
I visited a couple more Hindu temples, a Chinese Buddhist temple, and also the Sakaya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple. Otherwise known as the Temple of 1000 lights, this temple houses a 15m high, 300 tonne Buddha, surrounded by fairy lights, as well as smaller Hindu deities. At the small of Buddha's back there is a small door to stoop through and inside is a large reclining Buddha wearing a gold-coloured sash; I liked that. Around the outside the story of Buddha is told through words and dioramas.
I walked along the mainstreet and some sidestreets it was just good wandering around. I had samosa chaat for lunch; whereas this is just a snack in India, here it was a huge plateful of tasty goodness that I just about managed to eat.
I visited the Muslim area called Kampong Glam, where there is a large gold-domed mosque. There was a nice atmosphere but the shops were a bit exclusive and I was tired by then so I walked back to the hostel via another mall. Back at the hostel I had a cat nap.
In the evening I went back to the same food court as last night. There were even more guys there tonight to watch the two big games. I wasn't hungry so just drank banana milkshake then a coffee. I sat with an older local guy and we talked about football and his work/travel in IT services. Most of the local guys sitting around us were United fans so they were pretty happy with the game and I enjoyed watching it with them.
Monday 29th August
I checked out and left my bag in reception as walked over to Little India. Had Channa (chickpea) Masala and rice for lunch. A bit rainy again today. Train and Skyrail to airport for flight back to Bali.
Back in Kuta, a bit of ringing round and found a room. Got motorbike 'taxi' from the airport. I know what things cost now and speaking a bit of the lingo makes it easier to negotiate a price.
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