Wednesday – started the day with another leisurely breakfast which also gave us time to decide what we would do on this day.  We decided that a trip up to Ubud markets about an hour out of Kuta would be a pretty cool thing to do, so that was our mission for the day.

While eating breakfast I tend to check out everyone’s clothes as they are all new and it’s a good way to scope what’s around in the markets so you can keep and eye out for the kind of things you want to buy.  You are also able to ask people what they paid so you have a ball park figure in mind when you start the bartering process,(not that I actually did that but it’s a good idea) 🙂

I noticed a Chinese looking fella with an obviously new Polo shirt on, I was checking it out as Robbie needed some new shirts.  So, I am reading the stuff on his shirt then it was really hard to not crack up laughing. His command of the English language must have been very limited as it seems he was sold a sample shirt. You know the display shirt that shows what you can have on the shirt as an example.  … hehehe look at the picture it tells the story ! I pointed him out to Robbie and he thought it was the funniest thing he had ever seen so rushed back to our room to get the camera.  Robbie reckons that it’s probably like those people who go off to Asian countries and get a symbol tattooed on them in some oriental language thinking it says something cool and it may actually say something quite the opposite.  Anyway old ‘Your Name’ was really looking a treat in his new Polo shirt!

After breaky we got showered and then we had to go through the motions of getting a driver for the day. There are many on hand to choose from. There was a gang of guys inside the hotel grounds so we decided to have a crack at them as they were handy and all decked out in uniforms (Bali style) and looked like they were a professional sort of group. Our driver ended up being ‘Rusty’ for the day and his mission was to get us to the market. We paid about $30 to have him chauffeur us around for the day, ‘bargain’!  Robbie could have haggled some more on the price but thought that was pretty fair so we went with it.

So off we went in our air-conditioned car for our first venture out of Kuta.  Rusty was up for a chat and wanting to know all about us , like where we are from etc, building the repour , this is the Balinese way of making you feel like a mate. Once the friendship is there they ask if you would like to visit some other places like their friends silver making studio or an art gallery (hehehe so nice of Rusty to offer). This happened when we were in Thailand too as the drivers get a kickback for bringing tourists to these places. Robbie said to Rusty we don’t mind having a look if he benefits from us visiting but if he gets nothing out of it then we don’t want to go. I think Rusty was a little miffed that we had cottoned on to his game, but he said he might get a cigarette, drink or food. Rusty was a  nice enough fella so we did visit a couple of places on his suggestion and he got his little treats.

First stop was the Batik making factory.They had the ladies there putting on a little exhibition of how Batik is made and then you are quickly whisked away into a  super big, big sales room full of beautiful batik clothes, fabrics and souvenirs.   There were some nice things in there but all looked pretty pricey even in Aussie terms so had a look and got out without making a purchase. It’s really hard ‘cos you feel like you should buy something. Sort of the Bali version of going to a Tupperware party you say you’ll go but you’re not going to buy anything but you always do! I think we did well not to purchase.

Next of Rustys suggestions was an Art Gallery . He said the local village had their own co-op and that they do sell to shops but at this place you would get the stuff at first price (wholesale) and not second price (retail). Sounded pretty darn good to me. So we agreed to take a look.

When you arrive anywhere in Bali you are greeted by a person that is your escort/server for the duration of your stay in their establishment and this was no different. You are always greeted with a nice cool face washer rolled up on a plate so you can refresh yourself. It makes you feel so welcome as well as cooling you down.  We had a man introduce himself to us, I think he was Mr Tony (traditional Balinese name, hehehehe )  and he took us on to a deck where there where about 4 boys painting. One guy was working on a huge painting I really loved it. Anyway he showed us the paintings that all the boys were working on. Short and sweet and then we were ushered into a huge gigantic gallery with rooms leading off rooms, so many paintings. OMG. I know the boys downed tools once we got inside, show time was over!

There were some lovely paintings but I have been in this art game & it was no different to the stuff I used to churn out, in that it was a process. I am sure there was a sweat shop somewhere with people just belting out painting after painting. Don’t get me wrong they were lovely and one that the guy was working on out the front I would have loved to buy (strangely it wasn’t for sale) but there was a similar one inside!   Our guide lead us to his paintings and kept offering us discounted prices in a hushed voice like he was doing us the best favour in the world. They were good paintings but nothing I couldn’t paint myself I am sure.  There were some nice paintings but were very over priced and to me they didn’t look like original masterpieces but an industry mass produced item. Like aboriginal art here in Australia churned out for the tourists. So we didn’t buy again our little man was not too pleased with us not buying either!  When we left the ‘painters’ who were on a rest break , stated up on the action as soon as another car load of tourists was arriving ( show time again ) Never the less I loved the first painting I saw even if it was just to impress us tourists !

When we got back in the car Mr Rusty asked if we were hungry and we said yeah that we could probably eat. Next thing we know we are pulling into some restaurant again being fully greeted like royalty at the door and seated. Seems Mr Rusty got a free lunch for wheeling us in there. Well ,we thought maybe it wasn’t a bad idea  & it saved us deciding where to eat as us Goddens’ have a hard time making a decision like that.

Anyway it was a lovely menu had so much to choose from. It wasn’t one of the cheapest places & a bit expensive in Bali terms but lovely setting over looking a rice paddy. I decided to order crispy duck as I had made a secret vow to eat food outside my comfort zone on this holiday and to experience the local food. Then when my food arrived I had a half a duck on my plate still in tact and looking like a duck. I had not bargained for that!  For those who know me well you know I don’t like my food to look like what it is. Fillets are for me.  I couldn’t help but laugh but I ate it and it was delicious.  A bus load of Japanese people come in and they were all giving my meal the eye like it was some secret Balinese treat. Our driver told us he had a nice lunch too which was good.

Then we finished our journey into Ubud. The last couple of kilometres were very slow as there was a big bus on the road and the roads are barely wide enough for two cars to pass each other and are not made for buses to travel on. A small bend in the road for the bus needed to be navigated as a 3 point turn. They had a man walking along side on the road  helping the bus to navigate around all the obstacles. As the traffic was still as  horrendous as Kuta, but still no sign of any aggravation from anyone. Rusty told us that the buses are Javanese people mainly students who come to Bali on field trips to practice their English and visit the religious temples.

We arrived in Ubud and the markets were amazing again so much stuff and people trying to get me to buy from them. Strangely they didn’t hassle Robbie.  I must look like a soft touch he just says no and people leave him alone I say no and they say how many do you want? LOL.  This market was defiantly going to be hard work.  Everyone wanted me to make them lucky.  The market had a bricked in temple/offering place that was full to the brim from the marketeer’s offerings. So much food and so much incense.  Smelt of rotting food and perfume all at the same time. I know that’s a contradiction but its true.  Everyone believes their offerings will make them prosperous.

The market was also 2 stories high ,should we start of the ground floor or on the top and go down? Well we started on the bottom went up, then down, then back up, then down again.

I let Robbie do the bartering as he is so much better at getting a good deal. I told him if I really want something I will wink my left eye that was our secret code I am sure the stall owners never cottoned on to it (hehehehe well maybe they did).  I think everything sounds fair I am so hopeless at it.I got pulled from pillar to post everyone wanted me to check out there wares. Once you have bought something  other people want you to buy more of the same.  There is only so many sarongs a person needs in one lifetime.

We could have gone berserk things were so cheap but we didn’t go to crazy.  I didn’t want to buy just for the sake of buying. Robbie got some amazing photos of the markets I wanted to take photos and shop, but it was too hard to do both, Robbie was running around all over the place taking pictures and coming to me when I needed him to negotiate a price for me. Got a few sarongs a bag and clothes and a soap dish. There is so much stuff I should have bought but it was all too much. Not too much in price as in getting badgered to buy. I was just saying no to everything and apparently I was offered some shoes for what worked out to be 1 cent .. hehehe I would have bought them if I knew that but I think the guy was just being funny and I was just busy saying no, no, no  !

Amongst all the hustle and bustle of the markets  there were kids going through their day just being kids. I don’t think all families can send their kids to school as it is all user pay over there the government doesn’t help out with education. If the family doesn’t have the money the kids can’t attend school. On the second floor there was a makeshift type kitchen place, I think it was for the people who work the markets to prepare their meals there was two beautiful young girls washing dishes. They were so young & cute and this is their life. The kids all love you to take their photos. as do the adults as really most can’t afford to own a camera so they love you to take a snap and show it to them.

We looked around the market for an hour or so there is only so much shopping and haggling I can handle at one time we left and went over to check out the king’s palace in Ubud.  I think each village has a king well that’s what one of our drivers told us. It may or may not be true but sounds good.

It looked really old and there were lots of scary/ mossy statues.  I guess the scary faces are to ward of evil. They are very ugly. When we had finished looking around in there our driver found us no drama and then we piled back into the car &  it was good to sit down in the air-conditioning.  Got no idea what the time  was but the driver said how about going down to Jimbarin bay for dinner on the water front as it was quiet a nice night. That was on our to do list so we agreed.

You may not believe this but we got ushered into another restaurant of the drivers choice  and low and behold he got another free dinner and we  got escorted by our own little server man down to the waters edge where we had a table for two right on the beach. It was so nice. Beautiful clear skies and we settled in to watch the sunset.  Really you couldn’t get a better spot to eat. This was really the playground of the rich and famous. We were thinking this is going to cost a fortune.  Well ,we thought buggar it, you only live once give us the lobster ! So we went and selected our fresh lobster and prawns and they cooked them up for us while we sat there with a drink in hand & watched the sun go down.

What was really odd the beach was lined with very ritzy restaurants and all their tables were on the sand and there were two young guys with a gas powered stove on a cart selling corn on the cob on the waters edge which they were BBQing.  What is even more odd people ( the customers of the ritzy places) were actually buying it even though they had ordered an expensive meal. Bizarre we didn’t have any we waited for our lobster.

Well it was a beautiful setting and there were wandering mistrals that came along to serenade us and played any song we wanted … we thought what a treat so we got a couple of songs out of them and then the hat comes out and they asked for a donation… gee how can you say no to that when they have played the songs you asked for ?  It was all in good fun though but had no idea what to give them so we gave 50,000 Rp (about $5). We didn’t know if that was too scabby or too much but they said thank you and smiled and took of rather fast so I guess we overpaid. 🙂

There was a young couple over in the next restaurant area that looked like they were on a romantic date and they were drinking up cocktails and obviously he was trying to impress the woman. Next thing you know he is down on the beach setting off sky rockets to impress her and she was squealing with delight. What a poser he was, the up side of it though is we got a free fire works display. Hehehehe.

Next thing a group of woman came along with their buckets and they must have been looking for pippis or some sort of sealife in the sand they would do a little twist in the sand and then plonk something into a bucket. Such a contrast people making their living collecting pippis on the beach, selling corn and those tourists living it up and eating on the beach.

It was all so serene. I would love to say the meal was out of this world but it was really just ‘ok’. On Bali terms it was pretty expensive but still cheap in Aussie terms but still we had much better meals that cost us only a few dollars but as far as location goes this was the spot to be.

You will be happy to note that our driver dined on squid and he was pretty dam happy. When we finished our little server man was dispatched to get our driver. Seriously, you get treated like royalty over there and the owner of the restaurant came over and started chatting to us he was a nice fella and we lied and said the food was great.

That was a pretty big day and we got back to the hotel about nine so we had been chauffeured around all day for $30, unbelievable.  🙂