Sunday 21 October 2012

Bali Bits

Last week at this time we were returning from Bali. What an exotic trip that was! After or relaxing time in. Lovina , on the black sands coast, we returned to Ubud for 2 nights, happy to soak up the ambiance of that funky town.  Our rooms were small but central, with gorgeously carved wooden doors and windows. We ate delicious meals and shopped for a few treasures to bring home

, bartering diligently for a few items. It was most interesting to gain some inkling about the consortium that existed, as well as the nearly instantaneous grapevine that carried information ahead of us as we wandered through the three floors of stalls. At first there seemed no organization at all, but random soon dawned on me as order, depending on what I chose to look at. A ripple of comments filtered ahead of me as I walked on and sellers began offering what I had inquired about at the last stalls. Organic! Another adventure in Ubud was our trek through the gorgeous green rice paddies that lay hidden from view in town. At the end of one charming street, cobbled with blocks inscribed by a thousand different visitors, we found a path into the fields. Enchanted by the emerald views, we followed the pathIt wound lazily through farmland and villas, past livestock and organic vegetables. We stopped to visit at one tiny cafe, where we met an amazing Balinese man. He had traveled for ten years as a cook on cruise ships, visiting over 80 countries and learning many languages. Proud of his gardens, he gave me a tour of all the herbs that he grew, then gave us samples of all to touch , crush, taste and smell. We lingered for much longer than planned, enjoying his fascinating tales as he practiced using English. Fresh fruit juices, organic lip balms, exotic Kopi Luwak coffees and a myriad of wonderful sensations made leaving less interesting. Charming, idyllic spot! Did time stand still or had we stepped back? Our last night in Bali was spent in a private villa with our own pool. Quite the indulgence! It was a sultry 31C, cooling to 28C at night. All living areas were outdoor, except the air conditioned bedroom, with it,s glamorous white canopied bed. I particularly enjoyed my private alfresco soaker tub, filled with rose petals and fragrant frangipani. We ordered room service for a late lunch after arrival and spent the rest of our day and evening in the pool or relaxing in our private poolside luxury, coping well. High walls wrapped us in dreamy comfort, but it was a very brief taste of how a privileged few live. We all sensed the fake insulation from the cacaphony of spice, color, texture and exotic wonders of the taste we'd had of Bali beyond. It was so hard to leave.

Saturday 13 October 2012

Enjoying the Altitude


It really wasn't a lot cooler or less humid in the small mountain village of Munduk, in central Bali, but the stunning views of cool green terraces made it seem fresher. We often looked down on to clouds below us, our perch was so high. That made for steep walks when the weather was fine. We learned quickly that mornings were cooler and clearer than steamy, wet afternoons. Our first day was such a slow start that we only made it down the road about 250 meters from our hotel before we ducked to another rooftop restaurant. A shower turned into a downpour that lasted 2 hours. There we were, caught on a sheltered rooftop perch, with spectacular views of the weather passing through the valleys below. Tasty bowls of soup and steamy rice dishes arrived at our table, but windy gusts kept us table-hopping, seeking shelter from wet spray. Finally, clear blinds were lowered for protection and we were able to eat our delicious meal in dry comfort. Considering the high quality of the fresh, tasty meals we were served, prices almost always amazed us, as three could eat like kings for under $5 each, easily. Since we were the only customers that afternoon, the service was very good! We found this to be true in most locations, unless we chose an upscale eatery.
By the time the rain stopped, we were quite content to make the short climb back up the road and read books. At least I was. Kees felt compelled to rent a motorbike and join the throngs of bikers weaving up hairpin turns through the valleys.
He took Gina with him for a few hours to ride down the valley, to Lovina. They found a fine little beach hotel there for the next leg of our adventure, right on a black sand beach, between 2 fishing villages. We eventually moved there by taxi, after our fourth night in charming Munduk, but I am getting ahead of myself.
Upon their return that day from Lovina, the two of them were wrapped in thin blue plastic, as another warm downpour had forced them to pop into a shop for $1.00 rain ponchos. Kees was so invigorated by the fun he'd had driving, despite the wet, that he convinced me to hop on the scooter for another adventure, while Gina went to change into dry things.
I had been curious about an extremely large tree that could be seen across the valley, several kilometers away. It towered above all others in the clove forest easily, so I knew it wasn't a clove tree. Off we shot, buzzing through the village and up toward the hills beyond. We had to stop for a liter or two of petrol, sold in recycled milk jugs at roadside shops. We were directed to the huge tree by the simple sweep of an old man's arm, up a road past breathtaking views of the villages below.

The massive Banyan tree had been blessed and protected by a small Hindu temple near its sprawling base, with fabric bunting wrapped around its monumental girth. Cave-like chambers under the exposed root system made for mysterious hiding places, where the air seemed to hum with energizing life. As I stood in timeless reverence at the heart of the tree, I felt calm and safe, knowing that I was protected by many tons of living, growing wood around me, reaching both far above and below. The tree is over 750 years old and surely has many stories to tell, if only we only knew how to listen.
I had to climb it. Handing over my sunnies, phone/camera and bag to Kees, I began the ascent. It was easy at first, well worn by thousands of climbers before me. But as I climbed higher, several meters above the blessed bunting, I found myself weaving my body through smaller places, forced by solid growth to the branches and root systems on the exterior of the tree. Finally, I had exhausted all safe options and had to listen to the message offered; time to enjoy the view. I respectfully swung and twisted my way to a perch about 35 meters up the tree , then turned and balanced, looking out over an emerald valley below. I'm not sure if it was the beauty of the view or the empowering energy given off by the tree that made me feel so euphoric. It was a moment like no other, to be placed with my most precious memories and treasured for a lifetime.



Sunday 7 October 2012

Bali: Awakening

Sleeping in late is a good thing and I had full intentions of doing that, but when a spectacular mountain view presents itself, moments before sunrise, what would you do? I felt compelled to rise and watch from our balcony. Despite some cloud cover over the peaks, there was much to see. It wasn't a gorgeous sunrise full of wondrous colors, but rather a gentle illumination of life below me. Like ants stirred to dazzling activity once their hill has been disturbed, light revealed the valley's energetic rush of workers. Veins of motorbikes and trucks flowed towards emerald rice paddies, terraced into the valleys below. Hundreds of workers, farmers and schoolchildren were on the move, following their regular routes through plantations of clove trees that perfumed valleys with cool spicy scent. Everywhere I looked there was action, as treetops swayed with clove pickers, high on their bamboo stilt ladders.

Saturday 6 October 2012

Day Five: Travel to Munduk

We were very pleased to successfully negotiate for the driver who had picked us up at the airport on arrival.  Having Dewa with us meant that we could pay him well and enjoy his happy laughter, pretty good English skills and great driving.  I felt a bit bad about dismissing the first driver we were offerred, but all of us knew that Dewa was our first choice. Enough said!

We set out early on our departure from Ubud, not clear on where to go, but trusting our driver to guide us to a few of the highlights along our way to Munduk.  He did this very well, and so much more!  Dewa made sure that we saw all that we had inquired about, even though much of it was in the opposite direction to where we needed to end up. As photos will show, we enjoyed Elephant Cave and Temples, jungle temples, a coffee plantation where we tasted the famed Kopi Luwat, Mount Batur, the volcanoe and twin lakes, and even a couple of spontaneous stops for shopping opps. By day's end we had zigged and zagged through the island, eaten well seen it all and still made it to our hotel in the mountainous jungle, along narrow roads that rimmed volcanic craters and down a 5 km hill of about a million hairpin turns. He was so good that we never felt a bit unsafe or got car sick.  I was happy with that! Upon arrival in Munduk, we discovered our hotel room to be considerably nicer than we had expected.  With canopied beds and two rooms, a great ensuite and good linens, we were satisfied.   But there was more!  We had the most amazing view over a whole valley of terraced rice paddies and forests of clove trees.  We are above most trees and at night you can hardly tell where the sparkling lights on the mountains stop and the stars begin. The rooftop restaurant has spectacular views all around, great food and prices right out of the sixties...fresh watermelon juice for $1 and all meals under $4.
Have I mentioned how much we are enjoying Bali?

Day Four in Ubud: Monkeys and Massages

No trip to Bali can be complete without ample massages, one of the cheapest pleasures available.  At about one tenth of the price in Canada, spa services are plentiful and very good, or so we had heard.  It was time to treat ourselves to the experience.
Our day began with another fresh fruit tray and banana crepes, delivered to our rooms. Any primate would love that.
Next, we strolled down the road to revisit the Monkey Forest, Gina's favourite place in Ubud. We followed new paths this time, ending up at a gate that led out to a rice paddy, near a wood carver's house.  Of course, we had to check that out. It was all very beautiful, as if time had forgotten that corner of Ubud.  We fell into a bit of a reverie, mesmerized by his enchanting wares, nearly forgetting that we had appointments to keep.  A purposeful stroll through the Monkey forest is nearly impossible, with monkey antics of all sorts that distracted us, but we made it out in good time and found our next destination, the Three Monkeys Cafe.  My pals, Linda and Allan, had recommended this place as one of their favourites, discovered on their visit here a few years ago.  We just had to check it out!
Following the theme of the day, Gina and I had fruit drinks and vegetarian dishes for our lunches.  Kees enjoyed his customary Nasi Goring, a dish that always makes him happy. Add Bintang, and he's just downright cheerful!
Next, a driver arrived, right on schedule, to take us to the Putri Spa.   It had  received many great reviews on Tripadvisor, so I felt confident that we were in for a treat.  Our indulgence of "the works" was about to begin.
Oh, what a wonderful day it was!  We all enjoyed warm foot baths, pedicures and manicures. Then came a full body massage for an hour, followed by an exfoliating sugar scrub and oil rub, gentle shower and flower bath.  Ahhhh...would I like ginger tea and coconut biscuits while I soaked?  Yes.please! A warm shower rinsed away any petals that clung to my very relaxed body, before I was led away to another room for a full facial.  I am not sure what happened then, as I dozed off somewhere between the cucumber scrub and the orange scented facial peel....awoke to Gina's gentle snores on the bed beside me. Next came a cream bath hair treatment and neck massage, leading into shoulders and scalp massage.....leading to total bliss. Nirvana. I think we all floated out of there five hours later and $42 dollars apiece lighter. Enlightenment has dawned.  We must book more Bali massage sessions, soon!
 Such a day would not be complete without sushi. There it was, at a small restaurant not 300 meters from the spa. We had some.  It was very good.
So was the refreshing walk home,  past some of the grand older hotels along the Campuahan River, with stunning views of jungled valleys and picturesque trails along rice paddies.  Such trails were tempting in the fading light, but out of our range that day. Some things are just not meant to be.....but may happen another time. I would love to return to Ubud another day, with a better idea of where to go and what to do, but this time we managed. Quite well, indeed!
It was more out of fondness for the ambiance than hunger that led us back to the Warung Labalaba for a chilled watermelon juice and a vegetarian snack that evening.  We enjoyed just relaxing and visiting, catching up on a bit of email and planning our next day's events. We had a very nice chat with the owner of the small  restaurant, whose father had made two of the stunning acrylic paintings that I had been admiring all week.  They are of  beautiful  parrots in the jungle, so common and yet so unique.  I am glad I asked her about them. I wish I could look at them every day, but they are not for sale, nor do I want to own them. They belong in her restaurant, as her favourites.  I am glad that I enjoyed them, too.
 So much has happened in a few short days that one needs time to reflect and appreciate it all. Time...time to rest.



Ubud: Day Two

This was our  day for exploring the market, sights  and shops around Ubud. Nothing can prepare you for that.
Despite our relatively early start, we found ourselves moist with perspiration soon after leaving the Jangkrik Homestay. We wandered down Hanoman Road, poking into a few shops, but only made it about half a kilometer before stopping for a lusciously cool watermelon juice, freshly blended with ice. Our will to spend was weak and enthusiasm for bartering was low, but at first we enjoyed the maze of market stalls on three levels, losing ourselves in what seemed to be endlessly repeating rows of sarongs, wooden penises, intricate carvings, silver jewelry, baskets and plastic footwear. More rows of spices, vegetables, mystery foods and colorful clothing, wooden puzzles, masks and dried fish all merged into the confusion of sellers who called out for our attention, pleading, "You come look, I give you good price!  Morning price!  You be first.  Where you from?" Such bombardment of the senses takes a certain kind of stamina, which we were low on. Meanwhile,  Gina happily hunted for small gifts to take home for friends. We soon  had to escape to the auto-misting coolness of a nearby restaurant, oddly named "OOPS".  We must have seemed somewhat frazzled, as gorgeous young waitresses, with gracious manners and beautiful, shy smiles made sure we were served refreshments promptly.  They moved us to cooler seats and were even kind enough to retrieve bags and purses from the table we left....we must have been zombies! In no rush to leave, we sampled light fare and more liquids before venturing again into the midday heat.  By this time my hands and feet felt like tight puffy sausages, with heat rash setting in.  Gina had the start of blisters on both feet, but Kees was happily sloshing along after quaffing a few Bintang, his new beer of choice. If he had any aches or discomforts, we never knew.
A few sights to see down the main street included the Lotus Gardens and an interesting temple, open to the public during the day and used for traditional Balinese dance performances at night.
We headed south to the Ubud Palace, which is now used as museum for traditional Balinese art.  It was a good choice, as entry included a cold drink and the cool buildings had smooth marble floors, perfect for wandering in bare feet.
The art was relatively inaccessible to me, as the intricacies of Hindu tales remain a mystery.  Gina caught on better than I did, gaining a solid appreciation for Barong, a kind of king of Balinese good spirits, who appears in many paintings. I enjoyed the fine wood carvings and beautiful gardens the most, as well as the demonstration of woodcuts and intricate writing on dried palm leaves. And the cold drink.
Heading out into the blazing late afternoon heat and traffic was not a pleasant trip.  We considered taking a taxi back to our rooms, but spotted a chance to make a break for the very appealing tanks of cool water in a shop across the road.  I had read somewhere about foot massages given by schools of tiny fish, which actually nibble gently on tired toes to remove only the dead skin cells on your feet.  Guess what-it's wonderful!! All three of us plunked down on comfy padded benches that surrounded a tank of wee anchovies, submerged our hooves, and PRESTO! Ten minutes of cool bubbles and our sore feet were happy again.  It took some courage to get over the tickles of a thousand little mouths, but the testimonial of the previous happy clients made our decision easy. Plus, it felt like a cool bath of bubbling Sprite. Plus it was only about $4.50! Check another one off the bucket list.

Our trek home was a bit cooler and much more energized. We felt pretty good about getting a bit of exercise, after all the delicious food we had been enjoying. In some of the shops, it was even pleasant chatting with the sellers who didn't seem as aggressive about pushing their wares.
After showers, fresh clothes and a chat with our new friend, David (who also had a room at the same homestay) we all headed off to find the Wayan Cafe, one that had been made famous by the movie, "Eat, Pray, Love."  Our plan was to meet fellow exchange teachers there for dinner.  It was also David's birthday, so we were happy to treat him to a meal.  We found Louanne, Keith and their son Konner settled into a low table surrounded by cushions.  Although it looked comfy, sitting on the floor to eat is not, really.  We managed, but with average food and stiff legs, we were relieved to dine quickly and head out. Streets were not well lit and notoriously uneven, so we made our way back to Hanoman Street with care. There was more celebrating going on at the temple, the last night of a three day Full Moon Celebration.  We listened to Balinese music and watched the crazy comedy for a while, not understanding much, but enjoying the colourful costumes and interesting dances, festive crowds and traditional clothing.
It had been quite a full day.  We tumbled into bed, dreaming of bright colours, cooler places and quiet nights. I  was very pleased to have a fan over our bed and fresh sheets to rest on.

Day Three: Payuk Bali Cooking School, Ubud

My day began way, way too early, with roosters crowing and my mouth feeling very dry. I felt too warm and cranky already! Breakfast, delivered to our balcony, was fresh tropical fruits and banana coconut crepes with coffee. That made me smile. Gina and I were soon met by a group of four other students and our guide Agung, who took us to the market for a lesson in shopping for spices and fresh produce. We learned that there were three kinds of ginger as well as turmeric, lemon grass, chilis, nutmeg, shallots, garlic and bay leaves used in our dishes that day, just to name a few of the spices we needed. I was very interested in learning more about the differences between a spiky jackfruit and the notoriously stinky "king of fruits", the durian. Although it is apparently not durian season, Agung found a small one for sale and encouraged me to barter for it. Much to our surprise, I managed to "steal" it from the vendor for 50,000 rupiah , about $5.00. Agung assured me that it was a very fair price, but perhaps they should have paid me to take the offensive thing off their hands. We then had the dubious experience of transporting the odiferous globe in the van with us...not my most popular move!
Next, we took to the hills for a close look at rice paddies and a lesson in how rice is farmed. Cool water cascaded through channels, past terraced fields that seemed to steam under the intense equatorial sun. It was a perfect spot to paddle hot feet and take a few stunning photos. We met our cooking instructor there, a jolly Balinese fellow named Ketut Budi. Down the road, short kilometers away, we were dropped at the driveway to Ketut's family home. A refreshing, moist towel and cool glass of spicy ginger-cinnamon iced tea were offered as we entered the traditional compound. The  ceremonial building was in front, bedrooms left, kitchen and cooking school to the north, temple to the south, all edged by emerald jungle. Yes, there were monkeys swinging through the trees!  Coconuts, jackfruit, papayas and several other fruits and blossoms also grew within easy reach, as cool sounds of a river tumbled by about fifty  meters below, through a very steep valley. Planted conveniently nearby were bushes and tubs of many herbs. Baskets of fresh vegetables sat in racks in the spotless open-air kitchen, where tables stood ready with chopping blocks and sharp knives all around.  I was eager to begin, but first came  lessons in creating floral offerings for the temples and a chance to try traditional methods of roasting our own  coffee beans over a wood fire. 
After a sweet snack of delicious banana fritters with honey, served with our freshly ground Bali coffee, the printed menus were explained and our food prep began in earnest. Clean aprons were passed out and hands were scrubbed. With six of us slicing, chopping, steaming, saute'ing, grinding, wrapping, skewering, frying,  bbqing and mixing the ingredients for seven delicious recipes, we finally produced quite a delectable feast to be proud of! The best part was having a team of support staff who cleaned up after us and kept the supplies coming, handing us bowls and trays of ingredients exactly when needed,  as only those who have rehearsed often can do. Even chilled bottles of water appeared when needed, which were much appreciated by all of us in the kitchen, despite the light breeze through the shaded space. 
Gina was happy to be offered many chances to take the lead, whether it was to demonstrate a chopping technique just taught, or to deep fry the tempeh in the hot coconut oil, that we had just learned how to extract from fresh coconut. As excellent teachers know, first comes the modelled lesson, then guided practice.  For three hours there were no breaks, from the time we began crushing and grinding fragrant spices to the moments we finished turning tuna kebabs over coconut husk coals. By the end of our humid morning, we were too weary to know or feel a difference between intense sun burning from above and charcoal singeing our knuckles from the bbq coals below.

At last, we were invited to wash hands again and remove our aprons.  We settled into the beautiful dining area, overlooking a steamy jungle.  Cool drinks were served by staff, who had lined our dishes up buffet-style and were ready to graciously serve us our first course.
Fragrantly spiced fresh cucumber turmeric soup was delicious!  It was followed by Gado-Gado ( Vegetable Salad with peanut sauce), Nasi Kuning ( Yellow Rice), Sate Lilit ( spiced fish skewers), Pesan Be Pasih (fresh tuna steamed in banana leaves), Ayam Bumbu Bali( Balinese fried chicken) and Kolak Pisang (Bananas braised in palm sugar sauce).

Despite the warm, steamy climate, we enjoyed sampling our dishes immensely.  Icy Bintang beer helped to cool the palate, although none of the spicy dishes were too fiery hot. As we were all from different countries, dinner conversation was pleasant and we all agreed that it had been a very enjoyable few hours, up to that point.  I had completely forgotten about the durian, but Agung and Ketut had not!  They produced the beastly fruit, sliced open and ready for sampling by all who dared.  Being an adventurous, good-natured lot, we each had a taste. Only Chris, a senior gent from Melbourne, took a fancy to it.  His lovely wife, Joanna, plugged her nose and gulped a bit down, but was no fonder of the soft, sticky fruit than I was. Nanda, a young doctor from Holland, was  polite but firmly against a second taste. Her husband Joost was the most visibly disgusted with the flavour as well as the smell!  Gina proclaimed it quite gross, with the vehemence of a true teen.. We nearly all agreed that it was ugly to look at, vile to smell and unpleasant on the palate.  
Despite our negative consensus regarding my durian, Balinese cooking class was an overwhelming success.  It was an exceptionally authentic  experience in a very beautiful setting. Ketut, Agung and all the staff were very helpful and professional. I am happy to check  both events off my bucket list and would recommend their Balinese cooking class to anyone who is interested.

Ups and Downs: Boyanup/ Yallingup/Dallyup

On a Thursday evening in September, four of us tossed in weekend bags and jumped in the van, heading for Busselton. We has arranged to stay with our British friends, Mike and Sue Miles. Sue and I were to participate in several Teacher Exchange activities, while our families carried on with sightseeing around Margaret River. It was a great plan. With blinding sunset light and a concern for possible kangaroos on the road, Kees drove west with gripping concentration. Nightfall is not a great time to travel through forest and farmland. We spotted one large bouncer several meters ahead of us, but he cleared the highway safely.
We took a break at a favorite sushi shop in Collie, about an hour from Williams, for takeout dinners. Driving on through inky darkness, we were relieved to arrive at our destination by 8 pm, happy to visit with Sue and Mike Miles for a while before settling into their comfy guest beds.
 Friday was a day to remember. Sue and I headed back up the highway 47 km to Boyanup, where the Primary School was expecting about 10 of us. We were introduced at the school assembly, which made all exchange teachers feel honored, indeed. Impressive performances and fantastic art work displays around the small school of 145 students kept us well entertained. We were toured around the school and beautiful grounds, with it's many examples of environmental stewardship, student projects and conservation strategies. Then we were treated to a delicious table of fresh home baking with our morning tea break, compliments of the Boyanup teachers. Next came our chance to teach a class or two about our respective countries. It was impressive to see the rapt attention and hear the many eager questions that students had for us. We felt like rock stars. They seemed to adore us. A short 20 km drive away was our next school to visit, Capel Primary. Friday was their "Clubs Day" , when students who earn good standing get to choose from a range of activities around the school. But first, as visitors, we were treated to a catered lunch of fresh fruits, sandwiches and desserts. Yum!
Next, we were invited to tour freely around the campus and observe any classrooms we liked, with one room assigned as ours to present to. Again, rapt attention and very interesting questions from eager learners followed our slide shows and speeches about our home countries. I noticed evidence of much cooperative teaching and learning at this school, with open concept classes of 48 students, led by 2 teachers, who share the planning and instruction. It was interesting to chat with lead teachers who train the staff on cooperative teaching strategies, following an American model and resources that I recognized from my teacher training some decades ago.
Club options included golf on the lush sports field, driver's ed using a golf cart, and fishing in the stream that bordered one side of the school grounds, just beyond a fringe of massive gum trees. Their principal admitted that he enjoyed taking groups down to the nearby beach on occasion, as there were more fish to be caught in the Indian Ocean. It was just minutes away.
What a great place this would be to work!
We left that school to convene for a special debriefing at the Capel Pub, where we enjoyed the intense spring sunshine and well-chilled beverages.
It was an important sharing of the day's observations, including a toast to Terry Syverson's birthday.
Never a dull moment was spent. Two more events were on our agenda. First, we doubled back to see the 4 pm milking at Kitchen's Dairy. Who knew that milking cows has become so technical? With a rotary milking station that read each microchipped cow, computerized testing and recording of data makes it possible for 2-3 people to milk up to 400 cows in about 2 hours! Automated testing adjusts feed levels for optimum milk protein and fat contents, while milking machines gather and chill product for collection by outside milk producers. All this happens in about 10 minutes per cow, which has walked into the rotary milking bay and backed out again, on it's own. All the farmers did was spray clean the udders and connect the pumps to the teats. Of course, they do many other things to get that 30 liters of milk per day from each cow, but the actual automated milking that occurs twice daily is very efficient.
We also observed newborn calves and learned about how they are trained to accept milk from automated stalls that read their microchips and monitor health. It is all quite an efficient family business operation, but one that requires long days and few holidays, due to the lack of willing new workers. With the huge draw of the mining industry, where workers can make impressive money, few are interested in dairy farming. It is a wonder how a few dedicated farming families can carry on providing this basic food for so many. Can it last? At a mere $1.00 per liter for milk in the grocery store, it is not priced high enough for struggling dairy farmers to profit.
I no longer take fresh milk for granted.

What next on our very full agenda, you might wonder? We returned home to Busselton, while the rest of the exchange teacher families went to farms where they had been billeted.
While Sue and I grabbed the bikes for a sunset spin down the beach, Kees and Mike whipped up a delicious Mexican meal, which we all enjoyed while swapping stories of our adventures.
It's particularly wonderful to have friends to share our time here with, especially other teaching exchangees who share an understanding of this challenging year-long experience. Sue and Mike also  make terrific hosts!
Saturday was a day to explore. We had breakfast outdoors on their pretty deck, then drove to Dunsborough, a beautiful coastal town about 30 km away. We checked out the shops, then picked up our picnic lunch at the Dunsborough Bakery and drove to a very picturesque spot called Meelup Beach, on the way to a lighthouse. I loved that beach! Crystal turquoise waters lapped gently over golden sand and a few rocky outcroppings, perfect for beach combing and climbing. Grassy parkland shaded by gum trees made it an ideal spot for lunch. I never wanted to leave!
Outvoted, I was led away two hours later, as our mission was to find caves to explore near Yallingup. We caught the last tickets and were led into the bowels of the earth, 11 stores underground. Ngingli Caves displayed fascinating limestone formations, including excellent examples of "shawls", which look like ribbons of fabric . Backlit, they can resemble limestone strips of bacon, created by groundwater seeping into the subterranean depths. Bands of color reflect mineral content and surface changes; grayish reddish bands carry soot from forest fires and whitish bands reflect years of heavy rainfall.
Density of the slow- growing stalactites astounds, as sample artifacts weighed heavy in hand. At a growth rate of only about 3 cm per century, the variety and size of formations were both truly awesome.
Still more on our agenda: return to Boyanup for a mix and mingle, then a hearty potluck dinner, served by the wonderful teachers and Parent Council of Boyanup Primary. Without a doubt, their hospitality and cheerful company made us all feel very welcome and appreciated. Coffee and more delicious homemade desserts were enjoyed as we visited with the colorful, interesting locals, who told many tales and invited us all back again soon.
With a fresh start on Sunday, we bade our fine friends goodbye and headed out seeking groceries for home, Farmer's markets and other points of interest. In Dallyup, we stopped at a small market seeking fresh fruit. I found apples and oranges. Gina found a duck. She was smitten with the wee fella, so as unlikely as it may sound, we bought a duckling. I have never seen her so happy!
Our plan was to visit the Peel Zoo, near Mandurah. It was a 2 hour loop out of our way, but well worth the drive. Gina managed to part with her new pet for a time, as we toured through a very interactive experience. There were snakes to hold and baby tazzy devils to touch, kangaroos to feed and birds to dance with. Upon inquiring about koalas, we were escorted into their enclosure and allowed to reach into the tree branches to touch the snoozers, who seemed not to notice us at all.
The most fun was chatting with cheeky cockatoos and friendly parrots within the aviary. We have great pictures and videos of our interactions with many of these friendly birds. With little coaxing, they rode on our shoulders and heads, all hungry for attention and snacks. After such close encounters, I have a much keener appreciation for those colourful birds that I catch glimpses of in the wild.

Home again, we unloaded the van and helped Gina joyously settle in with her new pet, delighted to have her own tiny pal to adore and care for.

On a very sad note: the wee duckling expired three nights later. Gina remains devastated, upset to this day. We hope time will help heal her broken heart.

Monday 1 October 2012

Day One in Ubud

Roosters should have snooze buttons, or at least the decency not to begin crowing at 3 am and every few minutes after that, until the sun actually comes up three hours later.
Our first day in Bali really began with the delivery of breakfsst to our rooms: fresh tropical fruit, coffee and coconut crepes. We ate alfresco on our small balcony, overlooking orchids, frangipani and ancient clay tiled roofs. Humidity had me melting most of the day, but we persevered through the steamy tropical heat.
Our first challenge was extracting rupeahs from an ATM, turning $100 Aus into $1,000,000 Indonesian. As " millionaires", we walked a few blocks to the famed Monkey Forest, where primates reined supreme. Mossy stone temples, streams and jungle vines mocked movie sets that try to recreate the authentic. Kees and Gina enjoyed visiting with the hairy beggars, but I preferred to keep a healthy distance from their bared fangs and grabby little paws. Despite my intentions, monkeys still grabbed at my legs and bag, but did no harm, as I kept moving on. There were ample chances for Kodak Moments during our 2 hour visit.
A 2km stroll down Monkey Forest Road followed as we searched for a vegetarian cafe. One diversion, through hibiscus and frangipani gardens of a lovely little hotel, yielded a photo op with a real fruit bat, which was just hanging in a tree. Amazing!
Temperatures and humidity felt very
high, but a brief stop for a scoop of mango gelato helped. Gina did a spot of shopping. Eventually, we found a suitable lunch place with free wifi. Cool watermelon juices for us and a large Bintang beer for Kees we're divinely welcomed. Clear Cafe had a zen-like vibe and an interesting menu, with a resident kitten as well. All was good!
Refreshed and recharged, we continued on our muggy way, hunting for any familiar landmark on a road full of foreign words and look-alike shops. Touts and pleas to enter into many shops were incessant, as were the calls, "Taxi? I give you good price!!
Another iced watermelon juice was required in transit.
We eventually made it back to Jangkrik, but we had to ask directions to get there. It's entrance seemed to be camouflaged by sarong and t-shirt shops!
An afternoon nap followed by a cool shower rounded out the day. We returned to Warung Labalaba Restaurant for a delicious dinner that we had  hardly earned, taking time to savour each bite. A nonstop stream of Balinese women passed by, on their way to Full Moon Celebrations, with remarkable towers of fruit offerings balanced on their heads. Traditional lace jackets and gorgeously colored sarong skirts completed their appearance. Men also wore sarongs, but usually of darker colors, with headwraps and jackets as well. We had been invite to visit the neighborhood temple by Made, the patriarch of Jangkrik Homestay. It required all of us wearing sarongs as well, which we were not prepared for at that time. Simply watching the steady parade of color down the street and hearing the joyously clanging instrumental was enough to us, after our long, hot day.  We were pleased to get back to our rooms to shower once again, then visit with David, a new friend from Amsterdam,  before   ending the day.