Finally getting round to the last part of my report.
There is something really special about Bali. Before our holiday I wasn't sure how I would like it as I have been unwell for a while and we had decided to just take things very easy this time. I couldn't imagine going to Bali and not going out and about. However, Ubud was really like one big trip
We left Sanur in blazing sunshine and soon came upon the clouds. Ubud is inland and about 300m above sea level so it is meant to be cooler and will often be cloudy. I say "meant" as I'm not sure if there was a lot of difference in the temperature.
We stayed in Ubud last year, outwith the main town area but only 5 mins by the shuttle. This time we had picked a hotel right on one of the main roads in Ubud- Monkey Forest Road. We had walked up and down this road a lot last year and could not remember seeing it. However, when we saw the water feature outside we recognised it. The hotel owners also own the art gallery at the front of the hotel. Infact that is their main business. You go past that, and over a path over more water to get to the reception. You then walk through a lovely green area, with rice fields to the left, to get to the accomodation. I have linked to my hotel review in my first post so won't go into details here. Feel free to ask away though! For those who know Ubud the hotel is a few minutes walk past the big football field.
We unpacked and then went off for a wonder. Had a lovely lunch at the Reggae bar on Monkey Forest and then went up to the main part of Ubud, beside the Tourist Office, which we wanted to visit to plan which dances we wanted to see. We spent the rest of the time exploring the streets of Ubud. We had only stuck to the main ones last year and I began to get an idea of how much bigger Ubud was than I had thought. We actually wondered for a lot longer than we had meant as we got lost
Ubud is just such a lovely place. You can't walk more than a couple of minutes without coming across another temple. Although it was cloudy it was humid and we stopped for a drink at the Riverview restuarant- which is down a lot of steps and then a climb up a hill. It looked better from a distance than what it actually was I have to say. Right across from the Tourist Office a road had been blocked off and there was a major ceremony going on, which we could not enter but could watch from a distance. It was to do with a mass cremation of 64 people- we did not realise that at the time though. \On our return to our hotel we sat at a table in the shade by our stunning pool and had some Javanese tea and Balinese cake( complimentary)
That evening we went to a Legong dance. There were a few to choose from and we chose this one as it was going to be at the Ubud Palace Temple. This is the one you are told you should go to. We had tried to do this last year but found we were guided to another temple close by as it was shut. The same thing happened this time.
This time we were given free transport to it.
There is something absolutely magical about sitting in a temple watching Balinese dance. As well as the setting, the movements are so intricate, even down to the eyes, and the costumes are stunning. The dances are either at 7pm or 7.30pm and last approx an hour. The hour just speeds by.
Ubud is definitely not a place to go for nightlife. Most places are closed at 11pm and a few do open till midnight- but not many.
So when you come out from the dance you have to find someplace to eat fairly quickly( it is recommended you try to get to a restaurant by 9pm). The first two places we tried( and had planned on going to) were full up. Other places were empty. We had already walked for some distance by this time and I was beginning to despair. We decided to take the road off Monkey Forest alongside the football pitches and came across a lovely street with a few possible places. We chose Dragonfly(OH always thinks of Fawlty Towers when he hears that name- do you remember the one about the bet on the horse?
). What a great find. Superb food there and if we had had longer than 3 days then we would have returned. An added bonus is that they do some rather nice wine by the glass( Australian- and not too bad price wise). By 11pm they were taking the candles off all the empty tables and so we decided to go back to our hotel. On the way we found a restaurant/bar still open and doing business. It was part of a hotel complex but I can't remember the name. We had a drink there but found it cost about 3 times the cost of anywhere else so didn't have another one
We went back to our lovely walled back garden and had a few drinks there to finish the night off.
and thanks to Geri information etc we have booked the Tegal Sari for 2 nights, although we have had to book go earlier in the holiday than we intended as they were booked up.....really cant wait now.
