Category Archives: Review

Same Old Brand New Me

13 Sunday May 2012

Posted by in Beauty & Wellness, Review, Sarawak, Story Time

≈ Leave a Comment

Tags

,

I would never thought today would be the day I would experience perhaps one of the biggest changes in my life.

No, Aslan have not proposed yet…

I’ve always been known as the girl with the long curly hair. Well, I used to be that girl lah. No I did not cut my hair as a result of any negative events. It is for the good of my hair.

Almost three years of memory, gone in a snap.

It was something I had to do. My hair was damaged beyond repair. In order to let the healthy hair to grow out, the damaged need to be rid off.

I could not describe how sad I was when I saw the above photo. I just could not believe what I just did. At the same time, I felt relieved.

Before

An hour plus later…

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

After

Who is this person in front of me?

I do not recognize my own reflection on the mirror. This Effa looks alien, strange, unfamiliar, etc. I could not help feeling there is something missing.

I admit, although I am not yet accustomed to this new style, it definitely feels lighter, easier to maintain and most importantly, it looks good.

So far, the comments I got from my friends on Facebook are: Refreshing new look, makes you look more youthful, sexy (in which I beg to differ), bold and very different from my previous hairstyle.

With the one with the magic fingers, Jacqueline Change of Essensuals Hairdressing at Prescint 88, Jalan Song.

As happy as I am with my new look, I am still very sad about the loss of my long hair. Boohoo.

At the end of the day, I always tell myself, change, is not necessarily bad but always for good.

Love,
E.

Riung Kuring Masakan Khas Sunda

09 Wednesday May 2012

Posted by in Food, Review, Sarawak

≈ Leave a Comment

I have been hearing things about the new restaurant at Satok, Riung Kuring Masakan Khas Sunda.

Located behind RHB Bank at Satok, it is a quaint little home turned into restaurant. Parking is easy to find and there is a warden to guide you.

The menu looks alright, not too many dishes, just enough to give you some choice. Since I am perpetually on diet, I did not order anything but Longan Susu so Aslan and Rapik became my test subjects for tonight’s review.

Rapik’s Jus Ayu and my order, Longan Susu

Rapik enjoyed the combination of green apple and spinach juice. It reminded him a lot of soursop juice. As for my drink, I think it was a tad sweet but it was alright. At the same time, nothing too exciting about it. Aslan did not enjoy his Jagung Susu.

I munched on the tempe goreng we ordered as a side dish. Perhaps I am so used to the home cooked style, the one at Riung Kuring tasted average to me.

Rapik decided to give the Ayam Timbel a try, while Aslan opted for the Ayam Bakar.

Nasi Ayam Timbel. I love the way they present their dish but I guess, that is where my compliment ends.

Rapik said the dish was alright but he said he still prefers the Nasi Lalapan from Muara Restaurant at Miri. He did say how much he loved the rice, very fragrant.

Ayam Bakar 

Aslan is not a big fan of chicken so by right, he can’t really judge this meal. So, I had a little taste. It was alright, quite standard actually.

For dessert, we ordered Pisang Keju Coklat to share.

They are very generous with the cheese, that’s for sure!

Honestly, the pisang keju coklat was nice but it is not exactly my cup of tea. The portion is decent but it did not excite me in the way I hope it would.

Overall, Riung Kuring is a nice establishment with decent food. Maybe those who likes masakan Sunda will appreciate this more than I do. Anyway, there is always space for improvement and I hope the restaurant management will try to do something about it. I mean, it is a great concept, something different in Kuching.

All the best!

E.

Borneo to the World

03 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in Beauty & Wellness, Review, Sarawak

≈ Leave a Comment

Tags

Today I was invited to attend the official launch of a local premium soap company, Borneo to the World.

The transformation of an ordinary conference room into a little rainforest was magical!

The dancers showing big block of Borneo to the World soaps to the audience, a unique presentation indeed.

Abang Johari admiring the locally made soap by Borneo to the World with Celine and Azri (in white suit), founders of the company.

What I love about this company is its concept of manufacturing environmentally friendly soaps using sustainable jungle produce. At the same time, the company also puts the importance of conserving the rainforest through their products. The company is currently seeking a partnership with UNESCO’s World Heritage sites in Mulu National Park and Sarawak Biodiversity Centre to play their part of environmental conservation. I admire the fact that Borneo to the World is a company with a social orientation. Not only they purchase the resources from the locals, they also hire the disabled to work at their factory.

A little piece of Borneo is embedded in every soap.

For the time being, Borneo to the World products are available in three categories; Body Bath, Facial Cleanser and Mothers and Babies.

They have seven variety of body baths; Lada Sarawak (Sarawak Pepper), Lada Sarawak with Luffa, Beras Bario (Bario Rice), Beras Bario with Green Tea, Dabai Sarawak, Sagu Mukah and Limau Masam.

My favorite type of body bath is none other than the Dabai Sarawak. First of all, I never thought that one day, there would be such a thing as a Dabai soap! Dabai is a seasonal fruit. Its taste and texture almost resemble the olive. In a way, it could be dubbed as Sarawak’s own olive. With goat’s milk and rejuvenating kaffir limes, the Dabai Sarawak soap is rich in minerals and antioxidants, it helps to hydrates and moisturizes the skin!

As for facial cleansers, Dabai Sarawak and Lavender and Geranium.

As for Mothers and Babies product, they have Honey & Oats soap which is gentle to the skin and very soothing.

I am in love with the Sagu Mukah with goat’s milk and kacangma body bath. It smells wonderful, lathers easily upon contact with water and it leaves my skin looking heavenly! Now, what’s not to love?

Since my mother and sisters are also a big fan of cosmetic products, I am sharing all of my three Borneo to the World soaps with them. And a small slice of the soap can last up to a week! Amazing, isn’t it?

Thank you, Borneo to the World, for pampering me!

For those of you who are curious about Borneo to the World products, you can now purchase them online at their website. From today until June 30th, enjoy 30% off all products in conjunction with the ‘Rescue the Rainforests’ Opening Sales Campaign!

Unfortunately, the company only do shipping within Malaysia only at the moment but I will keep you updated regarding this.

Love,
E.

Jessie Loves Pink

28 Saturday Apr 2012

Posted by in Beauty & Wellness, Review, Sarawak

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

During the lucky draw at Treasure Box’s first anniversary celebration, Aslan and I won Jessie Loves Pink Nail Art voucher worth RM 50 each. On top of that, we received a few 20% discount voucher, Cynthia really wants to pamper us.

In order to get all glam-ed up for tonight’s dinner at Merdeka Palace, we decided to go to Jessie Loves Pink at Precinct 88, Jalan Song. Obviously, Rapik and I used the Nail Art voucher while Aslan happily used the 20% discount voucher for his manicure minus any paint.

Aslan was very impressed with the staff at JLP. Efficient, fast and professional.

Rapik and I waiting to be pampered!

I love the simplistic design of Jessie Loves Pink. The moment you enter the shop, you will feel absolutely relaxed. The marriage of pink and white is all over the place.

View from where I was seated

The treatment room for body scrub and massage

Since my finger nails are still nice from the other day, I went for the pedicure treatment.

My toe nails are horrible, what would I do without a pedicure???

Tadaa: After the pedicure, my toe nails look nicer!

Rapik’s choice of nail art was a bit over the top but then again, Rapik wouldn’t be Rapik if he chose something subtle.

Patiently waiting for his turn

Rapik, the pirate enthusiast.

Overall, I had a wonderful time at JLP. One word of advice, book in advance! At the moment, they only have two staff, so, if you don’t want to wait for your turn, better make an appointment with them!

Apart from nail art and treatments, they do offer other services like body spa treatment and waxing!

List of services and price

So, what are you waiting for? Head down to JLP to pamper yourself. For more information, click here!

Miri, Baby!

25 Wednesday Apr 2012

Posted by in Review, Sarawak, Travel

≈ Leave a Comment

Tags

I am in Miri now. The decision was made quite at the last minute. Hence, I can call it one of my random trips of 2012. Being an avid budget traveler, initially I wanted to fly with Air Asia but since MAS was surprisingly cheaper, I chose the latter option.

After flying budget for so long, I forgot how wonderful it is to fly with MAS. Lovely check-in staff, civilized fellow travelers, good looking stewards, spacious seats and clean plane. I must insist that I am an avid budget traveler not by choice but due to my financial restrictions. Then again, traveling budget is not a crime. Besides, you can make budget an affordable luxury provided you are willing to pay for the extra…

Back to my original entry, the flight to Miri is shorter than I remember. It took half an hour for the plane to ascend and then another half an hour for the descend. I was expecting more when they announced they would serve light snacks. All I got was a pack of salted peanuts and a glass of orange juice. Meh. Yay for my diet though.

Okay, not the best example of spacious seat but it is larger than Air Asia’s

Bye Kuching airport!

Goodbye Kuching!

On route to Miri, I spent my time on the plane taking photos and reading the book I bought from my last trip to Singapore. I am keen to learn more about Philosophy but unfortunately, it is such a dry topic that I would end up falling asleep after just an hour reading it. Worse, after waking up from the impromptu nap, I asked myself, what did I just read? Haha. Bimbo much.

Probably this is the reason why the air ticket did not cost much… :p

The lone cloud

Miri Airport is a smaller version of Kuching Airport. My last holiday here was back in 2004. The horror of it all, I can’t remember anything about Miri. -.-’

While waiting for my bags…

The exterior of Miri Airport.

The other end is the departure terminal.

I planned to hire a car in Miri but due to some miscommunication with a local car rental company, I had to find other alternative. I swear I will never ever use their lousy service again. If they don’t have any cars to rent, inform me early! Imagine the stress I had to go through trying to look for an affordable car to rent the night before I was due to fly! Luckily, uncle had a friend who was willing to help me out.

With the absurd price the taxi drivers are charging, I think I saved a lot by having my own mode of transportation. I am forever thankful! As for driving in Miri, I found it such a pleasant experience. I had no problem getting from the airport to the hotel, very straightforward, literally speaking!

Upon my arrival at the hotel, guess who was there waiting for me? Rapik!

Rapik posing with the car that I used in Miri

Even if I can’t remember much of Miri, I actually have been there quite a number of times. I have stayed in all sorts of hotel there, from budget to luxurious. This time, I decided to try out the newly opened Meritz Hotel next to Bintang Mall.

Meritz Hotel, a class of its own!

I swear the staff was entertained by Rapik’s antique of comparing Meritz with his ‘hotel’.

Check in was a breeze although settling down the room was not as smooth. We changed room twice. First, wrong bed arrangement. Second, electrical faulty which caused the room electricity to trip every now and then. The third room was almost perfect if it was not for the temperamental television set. By that time, Rapik and I were too tired to change room, we made do with it. Besides, the technician was just one call away.

Minus the room changing drama, the room at Meriz Hotel is fabulous! Tastefully decorated, awesome air conditioning unit and really clean!

The view of the room in general

The twin bed, super single in size but very comfortable. The duvet is a heavenly retreat from the Arctic condition a/c unit.

The moody flatscreen tv

The workstation and mini lounge area

View outside from the window

Mini bar and coffee tea making facilities

The safe in the wardrobe

Bathrobes, slippers and ironing board.

The bathroom

Yours truly doing the girl in bathroom pose. :p

For more information on Meritz Hotel, check out their Facebook page here! Their room promotion is irresistible!

After we had a short rest, we went to Muara Restaurant with a friend of ours from our uni days. Muara Restaurant is one of the popular eateries in Miri.

Dedek and I while waiting for our dinner, Nasi Lalapan Ayam. Mmm…

I have been hearing quite a rave about the Nasi Lalapan dish and yes, pretty much curious about it.

I took mine without the rice. The chicken was well cooked, beautifully flavored too. The sambal was spicy but it was delicious! Now I want Nasi Lalapan Ayam!!!

Tired from my travel, we went to the hotel after dinner. A lot of Miri to explore and looking forward to that. Will blog more soon!

Love,
E.

The Treasure Box First Anniversary

23 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by in Celebrations, Entertainment, Fashion, Review, Sarawak

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

I am a fan of branded goods, vain but true. Every time I splurge on a branded bag, especially Chanel, I get a sense of achievement. When I found out Kuching finally has a store that specializes in both new and pre-owned branded or luxury bags, I got excited as ever.

The store I am talking about is none other than the Treasure Box located at Precint 88 at Jalan Song. Owned by the ambitious Cynthia Chau, Treasure Box aims to bring all the beautiful bags to you at such affordable and reasonable price.

I love the design of their logo, classy and chic!

The Treasure Box has grown into a booming business since its opening last year. It began with a modest amount of bags but now, I think Cynthia might need to add more shelves!

Then (Photo courtesy of The Treasure Box)

Now: Almost full with bags!

Treasure Box is also a distributor for both Sereni & Shentel and Bowerhaus products. If you are too lazy to order and pay online, just stop by The Treasure Box and they will sort things out for you. Once your order is ready, simply pick it up from them!

Their bag organizer is also very popular! That would definitely solve the Bermuda Triangle problem in my bag.

Anyway, Cynthia invited me over to celebrate Treasure Box’s first anniversary where I saw and touched beautiful bags, Sereni & Shentel headbands and Bowerhaus beautiful jewelry, ate yummy cupcakes from Apetit, drank Aveda herbal tea and pampered by Jessie Loves Pink Nail Art.

The Treasure Box is opened every Monday to Saturday from 11 AM to 6 PM.

Tons of bag greeting you once you walk into the shop. Brand new Prada, Gucci, Burberry, Coach and Long Champ bags tempting you.

The ever so lovely Cynthia, always busy but still managed to keep looking pretty!

Bags, upon bags filled the shelves in the store. If I had a walk in wardrobe in my future house, it would be something like The Treasure Box display shelves…

Chanel bags, anyone? The PST is a steal, better hurry up if you want this baby in your collection!

Moi with a serious face on inspecting the Chanel bags... *Money where art thou?*

I thought maybe my future daughter can have this... :p

Onto other brands…

A lot of Louis Vuitton bags on display and some of them are still in top condition and a lot cheaper than the brand new ones in store!

Dior bags!

Coach lovers, this is your heaven! Both new and pre-owned bags are available with such awesome discounted price!

The bag of the moment, available in different sizes and colors!

Special editions!

More to choose from!!!

Apart from bags, The Treasure Box also sells both new and pre-owned wallets and other accessories.

Took random photos around the store, let’s see if you can spot the brand!

The deco at The Treasure box is absolutely chic. The calming aquamarine paint does do wonders!

Aslan and I before devouring probably 10% of the Apetit cupcakes served today...

That innocent look before I turned into a cupcake eating monster...

If it wasn't for the diet, I would have eaten every single cupcakes. Thank GOD!

Aslan enjoyed this mini sausage roll

Cynthia loves to keep us healthy, so, she served us a nice soothing tea from Aveda.

Sereni & Shentel custom Blair headband booth was also available that day and some Bowerhaus collection was on display and for sale too!

I wanted to make my own custom Blair but I've been banned by Aslan since I have toooooo many headbands already. I need to wait till July 2012 before I can buy more. Boohoo...

That cheeky grin on my face before I turn into a Bowerhaus jewelry wearing monster, almost tried on every single bracelet at once.

My purchase today... :D

Aslan and I with Cynthia

There was also a lucky draw and guess who won?

I did! Surprisingly, Aslan too! Thank you, lucky star!

I won a RM50 nail art voucher from Jessie Loves Pink!

Beautiful and talented ladies from Vietnam: Jessie Loves Pink is a company that specializes in hand painted nail art, they work fast and your nails will look absolutely gorgeous after that!

Among the examples of their nail art:

Spot the green pig from Angry Birds!

These are all hand painted! Amazing!

They also do manicures, pedicures, make-up etc, I will blog more about them in the future. If you want to know more about them, do visit their Facebook page here.

With Jessica while waiting for my turn.

Manicure time!

The end result???

Unbelievable!

I had such a wonderful time at the Treasure Box. Again, happy first birthday! Thank you, Cynthia and John for the invite.

For more information on the Treasure Box:

The Treasure Box
F5, First Floor,
Precinct 88,
Jalan Song, 93350,
Kuching, Sarawak.

No telephone: +6082-366 343

Email: enquiries@TheTreasureBox.com.my
Website: http://TheTreasureBox.com.my
Facebook page: TheTreasureBox.com.my

 

Bali Day Four

04 Wednesday Apr 2012

Posted by in Food, Indonesia, Photography, Review, Travel

≈ Leave a Comment

Tags

,

Woke up this morning feeling quite frustrated when I realized today is the last day before we leave for Singapore tomorrow evening. Boohoo. Today’s itinerary is very light and easy after yesterday’s long day out. We spent most of the day relaxing and… Eating. Meh.

Time to get used to light breakfast again... A bowl of cocoa pops to start my day...

I miss the usual soft boiled eggs I always have for breakfast back home...

Aslan still insists on having his usual, really hard to convince him to join my diet.

But then, the term ‘diet’ vanished when I ordered the Chocolate Ginger Crepe… Meh. I relied on the boyfriend diet to make the burden lighter. Hehehe.

Would be nicer if it was still warm...

There was no turning back since then. More pastry for so called Miss on a Diet. I should be known as Miss Gluttony.

At least not as many compared with yesterday's amount...

Due to my post-meal guilt, I thought it would be nice to walk to the lobby to take some photos.

Peaceful and serene... Oh, Bali, I love you.

Post-meal guilt pose.

You can see my happy tummy in this photo... Meh.

View from the lobby

Once all ready and the sun block sets in, we went to the pool area for a sunbathing session. Since all the good seats are all taken up by enthusiastic ah mo’s, we had to settle somewhere near the restaurant area where there was very little view of the sea. *Frust*

Aslan making sure his tan is consistent while I decided to bake myself a bit...

Five days in Bali is not enough. Next time, we would spend 10 freaking days there. If not properly tanned by then, perhaps should stay in Bali for one whole month.

If you are into observing people, this seat would be the best. Can't count how many times I was taken aback by the behavior of some overly enthusiastic holiday makers. Meh.

Please, if you are plus-sized (Or the more polite term for fat), don’t wear a very very skimpy bikini and then do a dive bomb into the pool. It gives Aslan and I mini heart attack fearing your melons would explode from all that restraining. Gah. Show some humanity!

Our sunbathing session did not last as long as expected. The most was over an hour. Can’t blame us, the sun was blazing hot and we couldn’t stand the sakai people around us anymore. So, what did we do next? Makan at the lounge because we can. Haha.

Watermelons on a hot day. Heavenly!

Hot buns.

A mix of cashew nuts, cookies and strawberry meringue.

Fresh but tiny oysters

Greek Salad

Couldn't resist a can of Cola Zero

Aslan looking very healthy with his new tan

I look *&^%

Everytime we go to the lounge, we would always sit out in the cabana. Eating and relaxing to this view was just spectacular.

In order to burn some calories, I decided to go for a short walk…

Before I ended sleeping in my room. Pathetic. But hey, I am on holiday, I can do whatever I want. While I was out sleeping, Aslan did his assignment. Poor thing was busy even on his semester break. We only went out in the afternoon, an hour before our spa appointment.

Enjoy the photos!

Seafood grill happening later in the evening.

Never far from my phone...

Since Aslan did the mid air shot, he insisted I do it too. Luckily I wore a swimsuit underneath. So, no obscenity. Phew.

Crappy jumper

Meh.

Making sure everything is still intact...

I has imaginary wings...

I will photoshop wings on this photo, just wait.

Trying to be decent and fabulous at the same time...

Okay, there are a lot more shots but I don’t want to show them all because to be honest, I look absolutely ridiculous.

Time to relax and reflect the holiday…

<3

I love this photo of me.

We booked a three hour spa session at the Nirwana Spa. It was amazing and it did wonders to my body. But the price for serenity was expensive. The spa therapist saw every single bit of me. It was my first time getting my boobs scrubbed too. -.-’ Embarrassing. But then I thought to myself, I’m sure she had seen worse.

Meh.

A cold drink and wet towels to start the treatment with...

The waiting area

My locker key

Making our way to the treatment room

Foot bath!

In the duration of three hours, I had a whole body massage, seaweed wrap, body scrub, foot massage and facial treatment. Pampered and spoiled to the max! Thank you, Aslan! <3

We then had dinner at Merica where Aslan tried an Indonesian dish before we leave this beautiful country tomorrow.

Bali at night.

More buns I could not resist. -.-'

My Aslan.

I fancied a keylime pie with meringue so I ordered it. But when it arrived, I was quite disappointed. It was not what I expected. :(

A total disappointment. :(

Aslan’s dinner was absolutely lovely.

Ayam Bertutu

It reminds a lot of Ayam Masak Kicap minus the kicap. Hehehe. I must conclude that this hotel does great local dishes but not all the western dishes are nice. That is better than being rubbish at everything, I suppose.

Satisfied Aslan

The night ended with packing the bags and Aslan continuing his work. Oh well, with hard work comes great success!

Until the next post,

Love,
E.

Bali Day Three

03 Tuesday Apr 2012

Posted by in Food, Indonesia, Review, Travel

≈ Leave a Comment

Tags

,

Today we had a very peaceful and quiet breakfast at the Pacific Club Lounge. It was only 7 am and boy, it was almost empty.

Aslan, sleepy as usual

We can either have the buffet breakfast or ala carte. We had a bit of both, just to fully utilize the club benefit. Hehehe.

I was feeling quite famished so I ordered the Chicken Fried Rice

While waiting for my meal to arrive, I had some fruits as a starter.

Fresh fruits and strawberry yoghurt

A section of the buffet table

I love this section! I indulged a lot in carb this holiday. Boohoo...

By the time my meal arrived, I was actually quite full. The portion of the fried rice was HUGE, I regret not asking for a smaller serving…

Very moist fried rice, not what I am used to but it was alright...

Aslan ordered his usual, scrambled eggs with sausages, potatoes, grilled tomatoes and a few toasts.

Nice but can't beat Fairmont!

After the big breakfast, we got ready to go on a quick but long tour of Bali. Our itinerary today was a driven tour to the areas of Ubud, Sanur, Kuta and Pura Uluwatu. The tour cost IDR 500 000, quite reasonable when converted to MYR.

We could have covered more areas if it wasn’t for the distance of our hotel. The drive to Ubud itself took an hour plus. Luckily the driver, Pak Guna knew a shortcut to Ubud, if not, we would be stuck in this horrible jam for hours!

First stop in Ubud was this textile factory, called Sari Amerta. We learned about the process of making a batik, songket or ikat and bought a few souvenirs for family back home. The textile there was abundant and beautiful but the price can be quite pricey! *Tourist trap*

How a batik art is created, a step by step illustration

Not sure if this lady is working for real or doing it just for show...

Look at the amount of tourists here!

A lady weaving the ikat

Me trying my hands at the weaving machine... Okay lah, just posing.

Next stop was a souvenir factory outlet. Again, pricey. RM 300+ for souvenirs. *Die* And to think buying souvenirs in Ubud is a lot cheaper. Meh.

Aslan trying the Kopi Luwak!

For coffee made out of civet’s poop, it is very expensive. Aslan said it tasted quite strong and pretty much like any other coffee… We didn’t buy any because it was just so expensive. RM 100+ for a small packet. Meh.

We then went to see an authentic Balinese house. It belongs to the lady who owns the Jewelry shop. It was quite an experience and I am pretty much in love with the design of Balinese houses after that.

The second gate leading into the courtyard just after the carpark area.

The general courtyard. The little wall ensures the household have some sort of privacy as it blocks the view of the courtyard from the entrance.

The third gate/entrance to the actual living quarter

View of the living quarter

On the left is the area reserved for family meeting, resting area and if there are death in the family, everything regarding to the funeral process will take place here. To the left is the sleeping quarter for the family, further down in the dining area, kitchen and bathroom.

In every house in Bali, it is a must to have a shrine or if one can afford it, temple in their house compound. One for the ancestors and one for the caretaker of the house.

This where the head of the family usually resides in.

I love the detailed carving and colors on this door.

Back then, this building was used to store food items like grain.

In Bali, there are a lot of artisans and most of them are based in Ubud. It is because of the fact that most of the resources needed are usually imported, the price of the handcrafts here are not exactly cheap.

We did not spend a lot of time at the Jewelry shop as I am not much of a jewelry person… Half an hour later, we arrived at this gorgeous place just in time for lunch.

Lunch at Bebek Tepi Sawah (Ducks by the paddy field) was interesting. The food was average but the ambience was nice.

Fearing I would gain more weight, I settled down for a bowl of soup while Aslan decided to give their Bebek goreng a try.

Teh botol by the sawah, can't get any more laid-back than this

Soto Ayam

Bebek goreng crispy

According to the guide, Pak Wayan, the young duck is always the best choice as the meat is tender and it can give ‘energy’ to the menfolk. Bali’s own aphrodisiac. Not that I know if it actually works or not. :p

Dance performance as we had lunch

Enjoying his bebek... Lol.

Volcanic level of spicy.

Posing after lunch

I thought the paddy field was merely decoration, I was quite surprised when I found out it was real!

The drive to Sanur, one of Bali’s earliest tourism spot, took almost an hour due to the traffic jam. One of the highlight of this visit is to see the border between white golden sand and black volcanic sand.

Aslan at Sanur Beach

The water at Sanur beach is very calm compared to the moody beach we have at our hotel in Tabanan. I guess due to that, not many tourists come here. No waves means no surfing. I noticed the beach is not exactly clean. :( Pity because it is a lovely place.

Left my sunglasses in the room. Genius.

A lot of water sports here and there are also some stalls selling clothes and souvenirs. We didn’t buy anything because they would mark up the price solely judging from our appearance and the fact that business is quite slow at the moment.

Not exactly challenging for expert or intermediate surfers but a good choice for beginners as the wave is very calm but then again, if you consider the sharp corals, not really ideal.

Next, to explore a bit of Kuta.

The Balinese version of Hercules statue just before the main beach of Kuta

A lot of stalls here but because we had such limited time, we didn’t check them out.

Instead, we went straight to the beach and saw this…

AWESOME beach!!!

For a second, we regret the decision to stay at Tabanan region. But then we saw the crowd and we changed our mind.

A crowded beach is not a favorite of mine...

A photo dedicated to my dudes.

It was so hot and humid, I had to tie up my hair!

A lot of surf shops here

Before going to Pura Uluwatu to catch the famous Kecak dance, Aslan and I did a quick shopping session at Discovery Mall. I bought two swimsuits from Marks and Spencer because I only brought one pair with me.

You know you are at Pura Uluwatu when you see these guys around…

Also known as Monkey Temple.

Had to wear a sarong to show some respect as it is on temple ground.

Was in a rush to catch the Kecak show, did not get a proper photo of the legendary sunset at Pura Uluwatu!

This temple is gorgeous! Pity we didn't get to explore much of it due to time constrain.

This will do!

Before the show started. This was why we rushed, to get a good seat.

Taken from our seat, the closest thing to witnessing the so called legendary Bali sunset...

I have bazillion photos of the Kecak dance but I will show you the highlights. The kecak dance shows the story of Ramayana. There is no music in this dance apart from the sounds vocally produced from the singers.

The kecak singers entering the stage

Ramayana and his wife, Sita

Sita before being abducted by the demon Rahwana

The kecak dance was quite slow to start with but once the White Monkey, Haruman, was introduced, things got more entertaining.

One cheeky monkey...

He fooled around with the crowd a lot.

Helped Sita to tell Ramayana she is safe

Haruman caught by Rahwana's henchmen and about to be engulfed by fire!

He managed to escape!

Fooling around again

Haruman defeating Rahwana

We enjoyed the show and if you are in Bali, it is a must see. Do come earlier so you can enjoy the majestic Uluwatu temple!

Pak Wayan suggested we go to Jimbaran Bay for dinner but since Aslan and I were already quite tired, we decided to go back to the hotel. By the time the show finished, it was already 730pm. The drive back took an hour plus.

We had dinner at the Pool Grill cafe at the hotel. One reason why we refused to have dinner at Jimbaran Bay was $$$. Seafood there is known to be expensive! Meh. At least at the hotel we can sign to the room… Hehehe.

View from our table

My dinner...

Aslan's dinner. Apparently, very good steak!

12 hours of touring. Extremely tired. Can’t wait for the spa session tomorrow!

Love,
E.

Bali Day Two

02 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by in Food, Indonesia, Review, Travel

≈ Leave a Comment

Tags

,

Day two was spent mostly doing peaceful and relaxing activities. The day began with breakfast at the hectic Merica restaurant. Breakfast spread was boring but nice and we couldn’t get any table outside the restaurant.

View from our table

Aslan looking very sleepy still

It was only after breakfast we realized we could have dined at the much quiet club lounge. Meh. I mean, they even serve the same thing. :S

General view of Merica restaurant during breakfast

I did not take any photos of breakfast but I will make it up to you in the next post. After breakfast, we went to the Nirwana Spa to make an appointment on Wednesday. I noticed there are a lot of Frangipani trees in this resort. FYI: I really love Frangipani! :D

Outside the spa centre

The hotel ground is absolutely beautiful, well decorated with so many plants and well taken care off too.

Coconut trees really do make a picture look tropical/holiday-ish

Spot the Frangipani/Jasmine tree

Moi at one of the swimming pool

The swimming pool with the awesome slide.

Chilling at one of the bale, wave watching...

Apart from wave watching, the gazebo provided shelter from the heat.

Don't be fooled by this photo, the waves here are quite big and rough.

Me at the entrance of my imaginary villa... :

The golf course is gorgeous! I can’t imagine how can one focus playing golf with such amazing view of the Indian Ocean and lush greenery.

From one of the tee off greens

Ignore my face...

They even have an on site temple at the resort…

After the little exploration, we got ready for the sunbathing session. Our plan did not go smooth as planned because unfortunately, there was no more sun loungers at the area we wanted.

It took at least 10 minutes before we found the almost perfect spot.

The view from our spot

We spent almost two hours sunbathing. I had sunblock on while Aslan went all orang puteh and applied tanning oil all over his body.

:D

No amount of tanning oil can make this man of mine tanned.

Doing what I love most: Holidaying and reading

Famished from all the sun, we then went to the club lounge. Since the weather was sunny and beautiful, we sat outside in the gazebo.

No amount of sunblock can shield me from the sun.

View from the gazebo

The outdoor section of Merica restaurant from the gazebo

Vietnamese Spring Roll: Should have ordered two portions, simple but really lovely!

Tom Yam Gung: Phuket still has the best tom yam lah but this Balinese version was not that bad...

Of course, there were desserts and everything else sweet…

Something savory to balance things out…

In the afternoon, we walked to Tanah Lot via the golf course. It was quite a nerve wrecking walk amid the fantastic view. I didn’t want to get hit by a golf ball… Luckily, that never happen.

I was able to relax a bit after finding out there was not a single golfer around...

High tide since noon, believe it or not.

There is a beach at this resort but I don't advice you to go there because of the rough current...

Before reaching Tanah Lot Temple, there was this alley with lots of cafe and souvenir shop. We did not buy anything as we did not bring any money with us. As usual, Tanah Lot Temple was packed with tourists!

Tanah Lot Temple

The closest I could get to this very famous temple was from the cliff. Due to the high tide, it was impossible to get to and trust me, I had to push a few tourists off the cliff to take a photo here…

The victorious smile

Aslan and Tanah Lot

If the tide was low, one could get nearer to the temple.

We couldn’t witness the legendary and spectacular sunset at Tanah Lot due to the hazy/smoky/foggy condition, yea, quite a bummer, but I did manage to capture Aslan in his best pose ever…

Happy in Bali!

Emo pose from me...

As we were making our way back to our room, we witnessed a sunset wedding being set up!

Can I has wedding here too???

Day two was absolutely relaxing, stay tune for the next entry of my Bali holiday!

Love,
E.

Bali’hai

01 Sunday Apr 2012

Posted by in Food, Indonesia, Review, Travel

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, ,

Hello from the lovely island of Bali! No, this is not an April’s Fool joke! Hehehe. I am in Bali now! :D

Our flight from Singapore left at 945am, we were already at the airport two hours plus earlier. Check in went fine, found out that I have 10kg of shopping allowance for Bali. Haha. Wonder what I will buy.

Quick coffee pick me up at the Coffeebean at Terminal 1, Changi Airport.

 

The flight to Bali took almost two hours and it was such a smooth journey although a bit noisy.

These coated nuts were complimentary from Air Asia Indonesia

Probably one of the easiest entry card I've ever filled in. Thank you, Indonesia for making my life much easier. :)

A very tired looking Aslan

Can't explain how excited I was when we saw this on the plane!

Landing to this??? Epic!

Landed!

On the transfer bus

Passengers using SQ didn't have to get on the bus...

The moment we stepped out from the plane, heat and humidity gave us a big hug as if missing us already. Apparently the new airport is not ready yet till 2013 so the current airport, Ngurah Rai International airport can get quite chaotic, hectic and at times, unorganized. But the friendliness and hospitality of the Balinese people made everything easier and a lot pleasant for us.

Immigration process took almost an hour. In order to get to the arrival terminal, we got onto a transfer bus. The design of the airport is very simple but beautiful. Aslan said it looks more like a resort with a temple design.  What made the whole thing longer was the fact we got into the wrong queue. We wasted 10 minutes queueing at the Visa on Arrival! Noobs, much. Took another 10 minutes at the right queue and another 10 minutes to get our luggages through security check.

We were overwhelmed with the amount of taxi drivers with name on their signboard, we couldn’t find our driver. With the heat and humidity, our confusion was made even worse. Luckily one of the trolley man, pity we didn’t get his name because he was so helpful, noticed us noobs tourist in distress and came to our rescue.

We told him our problem and he led us to the information counter. In my best Bahasa Indonesia, I explained our situation and the girl tried her best to sort things out. While that was happening, a taxi driver, offered his mobile phone so we could call the driver. These Balinese people were God sent, I tell you. They would go to the distance to help you feel at home here in Bali.

It turned out that our driver been waiting on the left side of the airport exit. Since he had another passenger to fetch, he called up another friend to help him out. It was absolutely delightful to finally entered an air-conditioned car!

The driver, Pak Wayan (Which I am sure not his real name because the other driver is also called Pak Wayan…) said that it was only sunny today. Guess we brought the sun with us. Hehehe. Before going to the hotel, Pak Wayan II suggested we go for lunch first. Since Aslan and I haven’t had any lunch or anything during the flight, we agreed to the idea.

He brought us to this place called Malioboro Ayam Tulang Lunak somewhere in Kuta. Apparently the chicken is pressure cooked to the point that you can eat the bones. They have got quite a selection of chicken. We decided to try the 1/2 Ayam Goreng Asin, tempe goreng and a vegetable dish. The meat was really tender.

When in Indonesia, must order this drink!

Ayam Goreng Asin, I think it's supposed to be some sort of butter chicken. Quite nice.

Tempe Goreng

A bit unusual but it tasted alright

The total meal cost us IDR 138 000 or roughly RM45. A bit pricey but it was a nice experience. We then made our way to the resort. Located in Bali’s Tabanan region, the journey took an hour’s time.

I must tell you, it was the most nerve-wrecking one hour ever! The motorists in Bali are crazy!!! I think I gripped the seatbelt so tight, my hands were almost pale and Aslan could see my white knuckles. They can also communicate with each other using the horn. Double quick horn is usually friendly while a long, nasty lingering one is obscene.

I was so relieved when we arrived at the resort, I swear, I almost kissed the ground the moment I stepped on it.

After so much consideration, we decided to stay at Pan Pacific Nirwana Bali Resort. It is a bit far out but it is an escape from the very crowded Nusa Dua or Kuta, and of course cheaper than expensive Seminyak, Legian and Jimbaran.

Little did we know, we were upgraded to a Pacific Club room with a sea view! After such a long journey, that upgrade really does make a big difference. Suddenly, we were rejuvenated!

My room!

One of the many benefits of the Club room... Complimentary soft drinks!

All the food we bought in Singapore seemed irrelevant after the room upgrade. I mean, free access to the lounge = free food and drinks. Meh.

The bathroom

The shutters can be opened...

Peek-a-boo!

The view from the balcony

After a short rest, we went to explore a bit of the resort.

One of the many swimming pools

Posing with the Indian Ocean

One downside to this resort is a lack of a proper beach as it is located on a cliff.

FYI, this is the hat I bought at Bugis Street for SGD15

The infamous Tanah Lot Temple is just a stone throw away from the resort

Very rough current, not suitable for surfing nor swimming

The golf course is very beautiful, designed but Greg Norman, it is considered one of the best in the world.

Imagine, teeing off from here. I would accidentally throw away my club to the ocean because too engrossed from the view...

We decided to try Merica restaurant for dinner.

Entrance of Merica restaurant

The view from our table

Still unsure what to order for dinner

A lantern lighting ceremony in progress

Aslan ordered a few dishes to share, Sup Buntut (Oxtail soup) and Nasi Goreng.

Lovely buns for starter

Reminds me a lot of my grandma's soup

HUGE dish, Aslan had to tapau some back.

We enjoyed our dinner, it was delicious and the portion was very large! Damage for dinner was around IDR 383 000 or about RM 90+. Expensive but absolutely worth it!

Moi at dinner

Early night because of all the travel, I do look forward to the relaxation day tomorrow! I promise I will take more photos of the resort. ;)

Love,
E.

 

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 42 other followers