Losing 32 pounds, 14.5 kg, between us while in Bali for less than two months…What? How’d that happen?

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This was a woman on a motorbike transporting vegetation to feed animals.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

This wild or stray dog was digging in the sand looking for food.

Tom gained quite a bit on the past few cruises which he never seemed to lose after even with my diligent efforts in cooking a LCHF (low carb high fat) diet which is grain, sugar, and starch free. Over time, he noticed he was gaining weight when he had trouble buttoning his pants.  I noticed it in the protrusion of his belly.

Then again, I’d gained about 12 pounds, 5.4 kg, over these past few years, especially after I discovered a few baked goods recipes that are sugar, grain, and starch free including cinnamon swirled buttery almond flour coffee cake recipe which totally appropriate for my way of eating but eventually packed on a few pounds. 

Also, prior to coming to Bali, we’d regularly been having a homemade almond flour, lemon poppy seed muffin with dinner (again befitting our dietary restrictions) that was irresistible with gobs of butter. The butter wasn’t the issue. It was the muffin.

Tom’s tuna, rice, and veggie dinner last night.  He lost weight, eating these plentiful and flavorful meals.

I noticed I was gaining weight, 1.73 meters, when I felt I noticed I was getting the much-maligned “muffin top” appropriately named from eating those muffin type foods while wearing low slung pants. I didn’t like putting on nice clothes to go out to dinner when nothing fit me. I felt like a stuffed sausage. 

I’m tall for a woman at 5’8″ (shrinking daily) although I have a somewhat smaller frame, making 12 pounds, 5.4 kg quite evident. As for Tom, he’s not naturally a “burly” type guy and at barely 6 feet tall, 1.83 meters, weight losses are also obvious both to the fitting of his clothes and good health. When he’s been on the heavier side, he’ll huff and puff hauling our heavy luggage. That can’t be good.

Had we continued on that path, none of our clothing would have fit. We both had to lay on the edge of the bed to zip our jeans. I hate that!  It’s not as if we have a closet in a guest room with larger-sized clothes for those less than lean periods.

The last month in New Zealand I tried losing weight, especially after I stepped on the travel scale to discover I was 12 pounds 5.4 kg, heavier than I’d been when we began our travels. It’s not as if I’ve been eating bread and pastries. 

Small buffalo neighbor.

As hard as I tried, I couldn’t seem to lose an ounce, while living most recently in New Zealand. Slim most of my adult life, I was worried when I’d always been able to lose a few pounds easily. I’d begun to wonder if it was time to accept advancing age as a reality that was continually going to make the scale and my waistline rise. 

Was the same true for Tom? Was the rotund belly a simple fact of advancing age? Was this our fate until we were old enough when many seniors naturally lose weight when cooking and eating become less appealing? We didn’t want that to be us if we could avoid it.

Then we arrived in Bali. No more low-carb muffins, coffee cake, and mushroom soufflé with dinner.No more low carb desserts for Tom. No more piles of sour cream which I’d been putting atop almost everything I ate as a “special treat. They don’t have sour cream, almond flour, coconut flour or the ingredients required to make any low carb desserts anywhere within a four hours drive of here. 

Fortunately, even when I incorporated these muffin-type foods into my diet I remained in control of my pain-free existence. Otherwise, I’d have immediately changed what I was eating.  No food is worth feeling pain.

My tuna and veggies dinner last night.

Continuing to feel well hardly triggered any motivation for us to change. We all like the taste and feel of “bread-like” substances in our mouths from time to time. However diligent we were in maintaining the list of acceptable foods, we simply ate too much food. 

Not unlike many others who adopt a “way of eating” over time, it’s human nature that we try to adapt it more to our liking and we start gaining back all the weight and then some. Statistically, as many as 90% of dieters regain all the weight they’d lost within three years, although stats on this are all over the place. Only we know our own reality.

For us, gaining weight is a serious issue both in health in our continuing travels and in our clothing continuing to fit. What, am I going to pop into the GAP to buy the next size up in my required extra long blue jeans? I can’t remember the last time I was in a GAP store…duh, maybe four years ago. 

Freighter passing by.

Bottom line, literally and figuratively is this…we both need to be able to continue to fit into the clothing we have on hand and for health reasons, stay within that range which is ideal for our body types. We each know where that is.

Then, we came to Bali where we were unable to purchase the above-mentioned ingredients nor was I cooking a single meal. Even on Sunday’s, the two Ketut’s day off, we ate a meal leftover for us to reheat that they’d prepared for two nights on Saturdays.

Beaches are seldom populated by bathers and sun worshipers.

Suddenly, we both started losing weight. We didn’t notice it at first. It just fell off, me more slowly than Tom but a little each week. We started stepping on the travel scale (suitable for both humans and luggage) squealing with delight over each pound lost.

In less than two months, Tom lost a full 20, 9 kg, pounds, down to his lowest weight since Belize in 2013 and I’m back to my weight of many years prior to traveling. Our clothing fits perfectly. We both tried on pants and shorts thrilled at how comfortable they’ve become once again. 

Tom’s big belly is gone, gone, gone.  My muffin top has all but disappeared when wearing those goofy low slung pants (I despise those low hip hugger type pants. What’s the deal there? Is it the ’60s again? When will women’s waist high jeans, pants, and shorts become available again which are so much more comfortable?).

Entrance to temple in the neighborhood.

How did we lose weight so easily is a result of our eating the following over the past almost two months in addition to our morning two cups of coffee with the whole cream:

1.  Huge plate of coconut oil stir-fried vegetables with Balinese spices.
2.  Protein sources cooked with butter or coconut oil, including fresh fish (usually blue tuna), grass-fed ground beef, prawn stir fry atop the above veggies, and chicken made in a variety of ways.  , we may have boiled eggs with dinner or bacon with bun-less burgers (tonight’s dinner).
3.  Coleslaw with homemade dressing.
4.  Rice for Tom on occasion. (He gave up the occasional treat of French fries/chips when they caused acid reflux which kept us both awake all night). He’s continued to lose weight while eating the rice a few times a week. 
5.  Natural cheeses for our nightly “cheese plate” as a dessert/treat after dinner.

That’s it. We eat nothing else. If we’re hungry during the day or feel a need for something, we have a bite of cheese or a hard-boiled egg. No more homemade low-carb baked goods, no more gobs of sour cream, no more nightly dessert for Tom other than his little plate of cheese.

Gone…32 pounds between us. We’re shocked and pleased to have learned an important lesson. As we age, regardless of how much exercise we get (we walk a lot and work out in the pool daily), it’s what we put in our mouths both in quality of food (we already had that under control) and in the amount of food we consume.  There’s no magic here.

Temples and Marlboro signs are everywhere.  Cigarettes are cheap in Bali at IDR $20,000, US $1.51 per pack.

It’s not about calorie counting which we don’t do and don’t believe is important or necessary. It’s not about eating low fat which decades-old myth is now being disproved by massive scientific studies worldwide.  

As for carb counting, even that’s not required when we eat only what’s on the above list. Nor, is it about eating tiny portions. We eat until we’re comfortably full and satisfied. The only reason we eat once a day, plus our cheese plate after dinner, is that we simply aren’t hungry. 

If all of us made one tiny change in our diet…never put a morsel of food in our mouths when we’re not hungry, rampant diabetes, obesity, and other diseases could be dramatically reduced making all of us more healthy.

The area near the beach where we stopped for photos.

For us, it was going back to that which we already knew and failed to do consistently over these past few years:

  • Eat food in its natural state; as healthfully grown and raised as possible.
  • Stop eating when full.  Eat only when hungry.
  • There’s no need for baked goods, treats, and sweets, even when they’re gluten-free, sugar free, grain-free, starch-free, and low carb.

There’s no guaranty Tom won’t indulge on the next round of cruises. Most likely he will. That’s his choice and there’s nothing I can or will say to change that. We each have to choose our own path. But, I’ve learned these valuable lessons after having the lovely two Ketuuts doing all the cooking.

And, if Tom gains back some of the weight, at least we’ll be back here in a few months for him to start over again. As for me, I’m not interested in going through this “clothes not fitting” scenario again. I’m staying firm on this path going forward.

May you chose a path to healthfulness that works well for you.

Photo from one year ago today, June 22, 2015:

In Trinity Beach, Australia, we noticed these White Ibis on the front lawn of a house near the fitness center. For more photos, please click here.

Settling in…Two Ketuts getting it right…Tom’s losing weight!

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This close up of my dinner from a few nights ago appears there’s a lot of chicken on this plate. But, once I dig in there’s only a few good bites on each leg and thigh section. Tom eats the two breasts which are a little meatier but the dark meat which I prefer, is sparse as a result of locally lean free range chickens.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

This is nature, a first for us, a mating pair of dogs stuck during sexual activity. We’d heard about this but hadn’t ever witnessed it. The dog on the right looked on, seeming concerned. They stayed this way for a howling 10 minutes and then were able to separate. Although one was collared they could have been wild. There was nothing we could do to help. One more unusual (to us) sighting on the beach!

I guess it took getting me out of the kitchen to help Tom lose a few pounds. Over the past year, we’ve been on three cruises during which Tom gained a few pounds, never quite getting rid of them with me doing the cooking.

Oh, it’s not that I wasn’t preparing our usual low carb, moderate protein, high-fat meals. It was due to the fact that he simply was eating too much food on any given day. There’s no manner of eating that allows for an all-you-can-eat mentality. Too much of any food raises insulin, resulting in fat storage, subsequent weight gain, and possible health issues.

We love all the flowers beginning to bloom.

The fact that I tried not to tell him to cut back to avoid “preaching” which I can easily do given the opportunity, gradually he gained a few more pounds here and there.

Well, it’s entirely different here in Bali when some of the low-carb, sugar-free, grain-free snack items he usually enjoys aren’t available in the tiny markets. When we’re shopping and cooking in many countries, the availability of foods we enjoy is a lot different than in Bali. It’s sparse here, particularly when we’re so far from the biggest supermarket Denpasar (the four-hour harrowing drive). 

The local markets where the two Ketuts shops only have basic items: eggs, vegetables, fish, seafood, and chicken. Since we don’t eat fruit due to its high sugar content and carbs, our choices are few. 

Not only are there lovely plants and flowers on the grounds of the villa but they’re easily found on a walk down the road.

Shopping at the largest markets within a 45-minute drive left us with few items in our basket. They don’t carry cheese of any sort other than the highly processed individually wrapped packages many tourists purchase. A portion of natural unprocessed cheese is always a nice treat if hunger pangs although not available for us here.

As a result of the lack of snack options and with the intent of dropping these excess pounds, unprovoked by me, Tom has steadily lost weight over these past three weeks since our arrival. 

Against a white stucco wall in a neighboring villa…

As we readily fell back into place on our 24-hour-intermittent-fasting, dining on one hearty high fat, veggie laden and moderate protein meal each day, Tom has since lost 16 pounds, 7.26 kilo, 1.14 stone. The bulging belly is gone, gone, gone.

For me, it’s not about the “look” of the belly that is of concern. As far as I’m concerned he’s always adorable to me. It’s the medical issues that may result from belly fat that easily could put a fast end to our world travels. 

We both share the responsibility of staying healthy, utilizing every aspect of good health within our control, to ensure we can continue for as long as we’d like. We don’t take this lightly. In reality, at this point, the only thing that would stop us is a medical issue that we couldn’t resolve on our own. 

Although there aren’t a lot of chickens at the villas on our road, there are many on the side streets. Most aren’t meaty like this one.

I can’t tell you how many times over these past years that we would’ve visited a doctor in the US had we still be there. It was so easy to do. Spend three or four days coughing, having a sore throat, or feeling some new type of pain or discomfort, and off we’d go (in our old lives). 

Now, it’s different. If something doesn’t feel right, we don’t rush to a doctor or urgent care. Of course, if it felt outrageously serious, we would. Only twice in our travels have we visited a medical facility; once when I had a groin pain in Kauai (since resolved, nothing serious) and again when we had physical exams and tests last July in Trinity Beach, Australia. 

A type of orchid, perhaps.  Sorry folks, I just don’t have a knowledge of flower types and the wifi is too slow for research.

Plus, we’ve both had our teeth cleaned and, Tom had issues with an abscessed tooth which was since pulled in New Zealand months ago. Not every country is suitable for dental work and cleanings.

Do we worry about being in Bali with less than stellar local medical care within reach? Worry causes stress.  Stress causes illness. Why worry? Just taking good care of ourselves is our best worry reducer. Sure, something unforeseen beyond our control could transpire. We have an emergency plan in place, just in case. But worry?  Nah, not worth it.

This cat wanders about the neighborhood.

Instead, I’m reveling in his weight loss, as he is too, feeling it’s one more layer of health we embrace as we continue to travel the world. In the process, I too, have lost a few pounds I’d gained in Hawaii last year, now back to my comfortable clothes-fitting weight. 

Perhaps, the two Ketuts are getting it right after all! Maybe I’m learning something from them, less protein., more fat (coconut oil), and more veggies!

We hope your day finds you feeling well!

Photo from one year ago today, May 22, 2015:

A year ago today, we were almost at the end of our four-month stay in Kauai posting favorite photos such as this newly hatched albatross chick, nestled under a parent. What an amazing experience we had in Kauai in many ways. For more, please click here.

Unbelievable road trip…Check out our new photos!…The day’s expenses…Many more photos to share over the next several days!

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Rambut Siwi Hindu Temple (Pura Rambut Siwi) in Negara, the largest of three traditional temples located in each town in Indonesia.

“RAMBUT SIWI TEMPLE (Pura Rambut Siwi):
This temple is about equidistant between Negara and Medewi Beach. Located on a low cliff top overlooking a breathtaking panorama of paddy fields and the mountains of West Bali National Park on one side and black sand beaches on the other. The temple itself was built by the 16th-century Javanese sage Dang Hyang Nirartha, also the creator of the Tanah Lot temple. According to legend, he made a gift of his hair to the temple. Hence the name Rambut Siwi, which literally means ” Hair Worship”.”

Wikipedia: “Bali is an island and province of Indonesia. The province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighboring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Ceningan. It is located at the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. Its capital of Denpasar is located in the southern part of the island.  With a population of 3,890,757 in the 2010 census and 4,225,000 as of January 2014, the island is home to most of Indonesia’s Hindu minority. According to the 2010 Census, 83.5% of Bali’s population adhered to Balinese Hinduism, followed by 13.4% Muslim, Christianity at 2.5%, and Buddhism 0.5%.”

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali“

Sand crab running on the beach.  Amazing camouflage.

What a day we had!  We were a little hesitant when we were getting ready to leave. The flies were on a rampage and the heat and humidity were relatively unbearable. 

After wearing only bathing suits for 11 days and only wearing shoes when we went for a walk, I decided to dress as lightly as possible as did Tom, hoping we’d manage to stay cool in the AC in the van.  Good thing we did.  It was a scorcher especially when we spent considerable time outside the vehicle on our multiple stops.

The meeting hall at the Hindu Temple in Negara.

We accomplished all the shopping on our list; a SIM card for the phone (for emergency use) at IDR 31,000, US $2.32; passport photos at a local photo studio at IDR 50,000, US $3.75 (including a CD with the photos as well as a dozen photos printed each on photo paper); a visit to a pharmacy for two prescription refills (no written prescriptions required) at a total of IDR 610,000, US $45.74; a few groceries at IDR 384,900, US $28.86 and a stop at the ATM.

Even this gate caught our eye as we peered through it to see the exquisite grounds.

Our cost for the van and driver for the half-day trip was IDR 350,000, US $26.25. Of course, we’ll be tipping Gede and the remainder of the staff for all of their thoughtful and diligent service at the end of our stay. 

The trip to the “big” supermarket in Negara was a bit disappointing when we weren’t able to find some basic ingredients on our list.  Perceived as a “western” type market, we couldn’t find basic items such as unprocessed cheese, having no choice but to purchase locally made individually wrapped processed cheese (I won’t eat it but Tom will). 

Nor could we find sour cream (or a yogurt substitute without sugar and lots of carbs).  We’d hoped to find baking soda and Himalayan salt neither of which were available.  Next time, I’ll be more diligent and carry these items with us when we return for our next two-month stint. 

This red carpet is used for dancing during religious ceremonies.

Why would we expect another country to have our favorite products?  We shouldn’t. Of all the countries we visited date, finding basic food items has been most difficult here.  Even in Kenya, at the local Nakumatt market, we were able to purchase all of the above-mentioned ingredients.

If we weren’t able to purchase a single ingredient, we could easily manage the food the two Ketuts make for us.  Last night, after our prawn stir fry meal with salad, I found myself a little hungry for something. 

Nothing was spared in the design of the temple, as is traditional in Hindu architecture.

Normally, I’d have some nuts or cheese for a snack neither of which is available. When Tom expressed concern over what I could have for a snack I said, “There’s nothing wrong with being hungry now and then.”   I knew that in 20 minutes, the hunger would subside and it did.  I never gave it another thought.

Along with our shopping which took little time, we spent the rest of the time visiting points of interest.  Little did we know we’d experience such amazing sites and photo opportunities.

Gede explained this is the equivalent of a bell tower.

Gede was born in Bali and knows each area very well.  The ease with which he found his way to each location made the experience all the more enjoyable.  Also, he knew exactly which scenes would create the best photos.  We couldn’t have asked for a better tour guide.

After we returned “home,” put everything away, and had entered all of our purchases on the spreadsheet, the rains came along with more flies. With everything in the house wide open, the only haven from the flies is in the bedroom where we hideaway for a break from time to time. 

The spire on one of the structures at the temple.

Today is breezy and slightly cooler. At the moment, we’re under the cabana enjoying the balmy breezes that keep the annoying pests out of the way. With rain on the horizon over the next several days with more flies hatching we’re going to try dining upstairs tonight where there’s an oscillating fan at the dining table. 

In any case, we’re doing great today after a good night’s sleep. Today, we’re by ourselves when the staff is off on Sunday. Oh, we don’t mind them being around at all. They are quiet and gracious whenever they’re around. 

Closer view of the tower.

We do enjoy a little time to ourselves and even preparing our own dinner today; basically heating leftovers we’d kept in the freezer, veggies, and salad the Ketuts left for us for today. Easy.

Tomorrow, we’ll have more details on our photos and the sites we visited. Please check back again!

Be well! Be happy!

Photo from one year ago today, May 15, 2015:

The Kauai Path is well maintained with several restroom buildings and lifeguard vehicles with surfboards for aiding in water rescues. For more details, please click here.

Heading out today…sightseeing and shopping…Household help nirvana…

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The sign at the entrance to our villas. Paradise, it is the majority of the time. 
“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”
This dog walked up to our villa and wandered around the pool.  We stayed seated and didn’t say a word.  Soon, he wandered away.

At 10:00 am this morning, Gede, our houseman, and driver, is arriving to pick us up in air-conditioned comfort for a half-day outing. Yesterday morning, he stopped by to let us know he’d returned from his religious holiday celebration and to assure us we’re on track for today’s scheduled trip to Negara.

We made a list of five things we need to do aside from the sightseeing; stop at an ATM; visit a photo shop for visa photos we’ll need to use in Singapore and for the online Cambodia visa; purchase a SIM card for emergency calls; stop at a pharmacy for a few items; shop at the supermarket which is much more well equipped than the local markets in this area.

Aside from walks in the area, basically, we stayed at the villa for the past 10 days. With the two Ketuts doing all the shopping and cooking for meals, we haven’t needed to get out shopping. 

Gede explained we should ask the Ketuts to bring us coconuts from the market and Ribud will break them open. Sounds like a plan to me!

Besides, with Gede gone most of the week, we didn’t see any reason to try to find another driver when we so much enjoy his companionship and good English. Most local workers in the Sumbersari area don’t speak much English, many not at all, as is the case with one of the two Ketut’s.

Even so, the English-speaking Ketut struggles to understand most of what we say other than some basic cooking and household-related words and expressions.  After all, this is their country and we should learn to speak their language to some degree if we plan to be here. 

This old bicycle is leaning against the stone wall of a house down the road.

The Balinese language is not the easiest in the world to learn and we’ve struggled with even a few of the many syllable words. Somehow between all of us, we’re able to communicate enough to manage the household comfortably.

They easily respond to hand signals such as this morning when I asked them to wash the huge square dining room table with hot soapy water. Although after each meal they wipe down our eating space on one end of the table (the one facing the ocean), it needed a good cleaning to help keep the flies away while we dine.

I surely could have done this myself but we’ve noticed it seems to hurt their feelings when we take over a job that falls within their job descriptions. Really. It’s the custom which we respect as we’ve both tempered our innate desires to clean up. 

Community building where security hangs out day and night. If we had an emergency, we could run down there. It’s only a short walk from our villa.

We pick up after ourselves as much as we see is acceptable to them, not unlike one would when staying in a hotel. You don’t make the bed, wash the floors, clean the bathroom, do the dishes. We put our clothes away, hang our wet towels on the towel bar, hang the damp beach towels on the portable clothesline and hang our wet swimsuits to dry. 

If it rains during the day and they aren’t here, we bring the chaise cushions and towels indoors. When they are here, they’re quick to handle this task including grabbing our wet suits from the line.

The most I contribute to the preparation of dinner is to make the dressing for our salad, toss the salad and place equal portions in each of two salad dishes, which they don’t seem to mind. However, each time we attempt to clear the table after dinner, they rush up to us, gently taking the dirty plates from our hands indicating we go relax with the swish of a hand toward the living room or outdoors.

This plant is a bit confusing.

It was the same way when we lived in Morocco in 2014, as the staff happily and graciously took over the cleaning, food preparation, serving, and cleanup. Then, it took us a while to get used to being “waited on” and now, two years later again, we’re learning to comply and be good house guests. Of course, there’s always plenty of room for saying thank you and commending them on a job well done, which obviously means a lot to all of them.

Prior to their arrival at the villa, each morning at 8:00 am, we prepare our coffee, serve ourselves and wash our coffee mugs leaving no dishes in the sink to wash. Plus, while I’m showering Tom sets up the cushions and beach towels on the chaise lounges enabling us to have coffee outside overlooking the sea. 

Yum…what a way to start the day…a perfect cup of hot French pressed coffee with whole cream and a comfy chaise lounge with views. That’s my guy! Any wonder why my daily life is so exquisite?

Pretty blooms on a walk.

Also throughout the day, Tom is the “beverage guy” serving me icy mugs of iced tea or water.  Somehow, he evolved to this “position” and there’s no complaint from me, instead only a heartfelt “Thanks, Honey,” when he serves me a beverage and “takes care of things.” 

In this environment, I almost feel like I’m not holding up my share of tasks when my devoted husband ensures everything I need is right at hand. Gosh, it’s a miracle I get any steps logged on my newly purchased FitBit.  Somehow I manage to with our walks on the beach and in the neighborhood. Also, spending considerable time working out in the pool, has proven to be my new favorite mode of exercise.

Hopefully, tomorrow we’ll be back with a plethora of new and interesting photos to share with our loyal readers who may have become bored with our constant stream of photos in paradise over these past few weeks.

Thank you, loyal readers! We appreciate each and every click! Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, May 14, 2015:

A small lagoon between Anini Beach and Ke’e Beach. For more Kauai photos, please click here.

Part 2, the villa’s menu options…Food around the world…

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Tom’s plate with Blue Fin tuna made with a tomato, lemongrass sauce, spicy vegetables with a side of coleslaw.

“Bali Sightings on the Beach”

Each day when the tide comes in before noon, the sea is as close as 10 meters to the edge of our pool. When it recedes, it leaves behind ocean refuse and trash. Each day but Sunday our pool and landscape guy, Ribud, cleans the beach in front of the house. Yesterday, (Sunday), we captured these three dogs playing after the tide had gone back out, leaving a muddy play area for dogs.
Yesterday, we enjoyed the quiet Sunday at home with the staff off for the day. I made the bed. Tom made coffee (as always) and did the dinner dishes. The only food prep necessary was to make the salad, heat the veggies and fish and we were good to go. Swimming in the pool and doing research while lounging  in the cabana, out of the scorching sun, has totally entertained us.
My plate with fish and veggies.
Of course, food made fresh that day is always the most desirable. The precooked tuna was a little dry after we reheated it in the microwave, but, we ate it anyway, happy to have a good meal without much effort. I think I’ll become spoiled with the thought of not cooking until July, only reheating a meal for Sundays when the staff is off.
The daily stir fried veggie platter laden with Balinese spices, is a dish we both love.

In a way, the heat, humidity and ants have made cooking less interesting for me over these past years of living on several tropical islands where these three factors are always to be expected. Add the difficulty of finding some ingredients we use in cooking “our way,” it makes the process even less appealing. 

Each day, the Ketuts present us with this itemized list of the cost of the ingredients to make  the meal(s).  The “petrol” at the bottom of the list is the daily cost of fuel for their motorbikes, IDR 10,000, US $.75.  For two meals for both Saturday and Sunday the total cost was IRD 185,000, US $13.87  Unreal, eh?
Over these past many moons of travel, we’ve talked to more and more people who prefer not to cook.  Either they’re busy while still working, often with young mouths to feed or, like me, simply have lost interest in spending long periods in the kitchen. 
Dinner menu, Page 1.
It’s no wonder prepared meals are readily available in the markets, along roadside stands (in many countries) and a wide variety of fast food and other dining establishments to suit the needs of most diners. Unfortunately, such meals aren’t an option for us, other than occasional pre-cooked organic chickens made without wheat, sugar or starch.
Dinner menu, Page 2.
My lack of interest provides me with little excuse not to cook. Our way of eating requires homemade meals while we’re living in most countries. I have no excuses. Always on a mission to spend as little time cooking as possible, when we’re preparing our meals, we have a few dozen options we tend to repeat over and over again.
Dinner menu, Page 3.
Here in the villa in Bali, it’s not a lot different for the cooks. In perusing Part 2 of the menu, posted today with choices of dinners and desserts, it’s easy to determine the options suitable for us are few. As a result, we’ve all been creative in designing the perfect meals. None of the desserts are adaptable.
Dinner menu, Page 4.
Thank goodness we purchased the mince (ground beef) that Gede picked up in Denpasar this past week or we’d be alternating chicken and fish, night after night. That could get boring for these two months. So far, it appears the only fresh fish available is Blue Fin tuna and small prawns.  Perhaps, there will be more variation in time.
Dinner menu, Page 5.
Today, Monday, we devised the menu for the week, although the two Ketuts don’t require that we do so. Monday and Tuesday, it will be chicken, veggies, salad; Wednesday and Thursday it will be hamburger patties with bacon, cheese, onion, salad and veggies; Friday and Saturday it will be prawns with veggies and salad; Sunday we’ll have our pre-made leftover ground beef dish which is in the freezer along with sides of veggies and salad. 
Dinner menu, Page 6.
In actuality, we’d be happy to repeat this weekly menu over and over. As long as the meals are befitting my way of eating, more variety is hardly necessary. The cooks seem fine with our repeats understanding the degree of limitations.
Dinner menu, Page 7.
There are no restaurants or resorts nearby and if there were, we doubt we’d be able to dine out when most Balinese meals contain lots of carbs, starches and sugar.
Dessert menu, Page 1.
Tom’s sunburned feet are healing and soon we’ll get out to take more varied photos and get more cash. In the interim, we’re having so much fun watching the activity on the beach in front of us and swimming in the pristine pool, we’re supremely content. 
Dessert menu, Page 2.
During these past few days, we’ve been busy applying for visas for our upcoming Mekong River cruise and booking many flights necessary over the next several months.
With the slow signal, this is a time consuming process.
Dessert menu, Page 3.
Happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there. May your day be filled with love and wonderful surprises.
Photo from one year ago today, May 9, 2015:
View of the drive to the Kilauea Lighthouse in Kauai when it was closed on a Sunday. For more photos of this popular historic location, please click here.

Part 1, the villa’s menu options…Food around the world…

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The two Kataks and Ribud (the pool and landscape guy) holding up the three kilo Blue Fin tuna for last night’s and tonight’s meal. After it was cleaned and filleted there were two huge portions which we’re sharing each night.  Such wonderful people!  Such fabulous fish!

“Bali Sightings of the Beach”

Crab trail and buffalo footprints in the sand.

Today is the first day we’ve been entirely alone in the villa. The staff hung around last Sunday to make sure we had everything we needed to settle in including a nice Sunday dinner. The fact they gave up their regular day off meant a lot to us. 

We could have easily figured out everything on our own as we often do when the owner, the manager, or other staff isn’t handy to show us “the ropes.” Somehow we always manage.

The two cleaned fillets.  Hard to imagine we could eat one of these between us, each of two nights, but after picking out bones, and the less than desirable darker flesh commonly found in fresh tuna, it was the perfect amount. Adding the fabulous vegetables and coleslaw, it makes a perfect meal. The cost of this fish was only IDR $145,000, US $10.85. There’s no cost for the cooks preparing our meals other than IDR $10,000, US $.75 daily for fuel for their motorbikes. We’ll provide tips at the end of our stay.

In a previous post, we mentioned, we wouldn’t be cooking until July 23rd when we settle into the house in Phuket, Thailand for almost six weeks. We were wrong. We’re on our own on Sundays going forward for the remaining seven weeks in Bali, this time around.

Breakfast menu, Page 1.

Actually, I don’t feel like cooking. As mentioned, the kitchen is the domain of the two Ketuts, not mine, and with the number of ants roaming around the counters, the less I prepare the better. Oh, I’m used to ants, even those crawling on me but they’re annoying when preparing food when all they want to do is crawl inside the dish I’m preparing.

As a result, yesterday I asked the two Ketuts to make the second portion of the fish and another plate of vegetables for us for tonight’s meal. Today, I’ll make a fresh batch of coleslaw which I can complete in less than 10 minutes, most of which time is spent fine slicing the cabbage. 

Breakfast menu, Page 2.

Last night, before the Ketuts left for the evening we gave them money for Monday and Tuesday’s roasted chicken and vegetable dinner. Each day before they arrive at the villa they visit the early morning markets where they purchase locally grown vegetables, meat, and fish. They bring us change or ask for more cash if they were short. Daily, they provide us with an itemized price list of items they’ve purchased.

If necessary, they stop at the tiny market for grocery items such as soaps and paper products. From what we’ve seen so far, these little markets also carry a wide array of “junk” snack foods that are purchased by tourists and locals alike. Obesity and type two diabetes are as prevalent in Bali and the mainland of Indonesia as in many other parts of the world.

The lunch menu, Page 1.

Yesterday, they visited the fish market and again picked up a huge Blue Fin tuna as shown in today’s main photo. After thoroughly cleaning and deboning it (mostly) we were left with two huge filets, enough for last night and tonight’s meal.

They’ve explained that most guests chose from the menu requesting three meals a day, each with two or three-course, all of which they prepare six days a week. With our one meal a day, they’re able to spend less time here in the villa with us, mostly cleaning in the mornings, leaving midday, and returning per our request at 4:00 pm to prepare dinner.

The lunch menu, Page 2.

We requested our dinner be ready at 5 pm each night, a little early for us.  In doing so, they can be out the door earlier to return home to their families. They clear the table after we’ve eaten, wash the dishes, bring in the chaise lounge cushions and beach towels and close the huge accordion glass doors for the evening before the rampage of mozzies begins. 

By 6:30 pm, we have the evening to ourselves. We avoid opening the exterior doors or stepping outside until after dark when the mozzies are less frenzied. There’s a nighttime security guard that sits on a chair all night a few doors from our villa, guarding the few villas along this narrow road. 

The lunch menu, Page 3.

Today, we’ve included a portion of the villa’s menu options from which we’d choose if we could eat the items listed. Tomorrow, we’ll show the dinner and dessert menus.  

Instead of choosing items on the menu, we pick and choose adaptations of the items offered, ensuring they don’t include any sugar, starches, or grains, all with minimal carbs. So far, it’s working when I’ve had no ill effects. 

The lunch menu, Page 4.

We thought it might be interesting to share Part 1 of 2 of the menu today and tomorrow for our “foodie” readers. For those of you with less interest in food, soon we’ll be back with more of “your type” of stories and photos.

The lunch menu, Page 5.

We want to thank all of our new readers we met on the most recent cruise (and past cruises, of course) for stopping by and checking us out. Our stats have indicated a huge increase in hits over the past several days. 

We’d love your input via comments at the end of each day’s post or, by email (see links to both of our email addresses on the top right side of any day’s post).

The lunch menu, Page 6.

As for our regular readers, wow! You continue to hang with us, many of who’s been with us since the beginning of 2012. Thank you for making us feel as if you’re right beside us, day after day, more friends than one could ever expect in a lifetime. The journey continues.

Happy Mother’s Day today for all the moms in this part of the world where it’s Sunday and again tomorrow for all the moms on the other side of the world where you’ll celebrate tomorrow.  May your day be as special as YOU!

Photo from one year ago today, May 8, 2015:

Beautiful purple flowers we encountered on a walk in Kauai. For more photos, please click here.  (Error correction from yesterday when I mistakenly posted this photo which was meant for today. A new photo for the appropriate date has been replaced on yesterday’s post. Click here to see the correction..

Improvising as we go…A constant in our lives of travel…

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The large expanse of the river one door from our home on the beach.

“Bali Sightings on the Beach”

This was moving in the river next to our house.  Must be some kind of peculiar fish.

It’s Saturday. The WiFi is slow today. It took almost two hours of trying off and on to download today’s photos.  With many workers off for the weekend, they may be spending time online having a serious impact on our ability to connect.

In the event you don’t see a post on any given day within three hours of the usual uploading time, please accept our apologies and know we’ve been unable to get online and will be posting as soon as possible.

As mentioned in yesterday’s story about the culling of dogs in Bali, life isn’t always as easy as it may seem living on a tropical island. Of course, we’re grateful for the conveniences we have, the wonderful staff, and the overall comfort in our everyday surroundings.


The mouth of the river close to our house which many locals use each day.
Compared to anywhere in the world, there are inconvenient aspects that one can’t help but notice; the mosquitos day and night; the flies, particularly while dining; and the constant heat and humidity. 
Bali is located 8.65 degrees south of the equator, which translates to 960 kilometers, 595 miles. As a result, it is hot and humid every day, raining occasionally, although it isn’t the rainy season at this time.
When most tourists travel, they stay in hotels often with air conditioning in many common areas and dining halls. For us, with no AC on the main floor, there is no air-con (other than in the master bedroom). As a result, we fully experience the heat and humidity.


Flowers growing in the yard.

We stay outdoors from early morning until after dinner when the two Ketuts close the glass and wood accordion doors to keep the dusk-time mozzies out of the house as much as possible. We keep the bedroom door and windows closed at all times for this reason.

Do we get used to it?  A huge portion of our travels consists of living in ultra hot/humid weather conditions for most days and many nights without AC in the bedroom, only a ceiling or floor fan to blow the humid air over us. 

Used to it? I suppose we are since we keep finding ourselves in similar locations, well aware of the weather conditions long before we travel to a new country. Oddly, we don’t consider it an obstacle or a sacrifice, certainly no more than the reality of the cold climate, we tolerated in Minnesota; for Tom, all of his life; for me, over 40 years.

Side yard at the house, lush and green.

In this past week since our arrival, we’ve lived entirely in swimsuits, handwashing them at night. The suit I washed last night at 7:00 pm, is still on the clothes rack, remaining soaked in the high humidity. Luckily, we each have enough swimsuits to get us through in hot and high humidity locations.

With no English-speaking TV, we have no reason to ever turn it on, other than to plug in the HDMI cord to my laptop to watch our remaining downloaded shows. Downloading more movies and TV shows is nearly impossible with a slow connection. 

In the evenings, we watch a few shows, but most likely will run out before we depart at the end of June. We’ll find other sources of entertainment once that occurs. As always, we’ll figure it out.

Fluffy white spring flowers beginning to bloom.

Some of our readers have written inquiring as to how we’re managing the food situation. Over two years ago while living in Morocco, we had a full-time cook, Madam Zahra, who adapted the starchy, sugary, grain-laden Moroccan meals to my way of eating.  

The cooking seems to be even easier here in Bali as the two Ketuts aren’t having any trouble adapting the meals to befit our diet. Since the house rules stipulate that all guests are served the same dishes at each meal, Tom is surprising me by eating everything they make. 

When we’re cooking our own meals, I often adapt items that he prefers within the framework of our dietary restrictions. Here, he has no such choices and we eat what’s put on the table, all appropriately modified for us.  It’s working better than we expected. The meals are comparable to those we’d discover in a high-end dining establishment. Need I say, we’re loving every meal.

The rocky end of a point while on a walk on the beach.

Tonight, I’ll finally take photos of our meal before we dig in. Other nights, we’ve been so distracted by the beautiful food put in front of us, I’ve failed to take photos. 

Tomorrow, we’ll post the photos along with the menu offered to guests (without dietary restrictions) from which they’ve improvised most of our meals.  Please check back for the exciting offerings.

Regardless of some necessary adaptations common in most locations, we are content and relaxed in Bali. The daily swimming in the pool is keeping us active and hopefully fit a degree. Once Tom’s sunburned feet are totally healed, we start walking again. It was a fluke that happened and it won’t happen again.

Today, we have several tasks to accomplish; booking future flights, applying for a visa for Vietnam (for the upcoming Mekong River cruise in July), and a new visa for Australia that soon expires (good for one year, which has almost passed). Hopefully, we’ll manage to accomplish these tasks online with the slow wifi. But, if not, we’ll save it for another day. 

Sometimes saving a task for another day makes sense, especially when we plan to accomplish these tasks well in advance. Keeping stress at a minimum is always our goal thus we avoid waiting last minute for anything (if we can help it).

May your day be low-stress as well!

Photo from one year ago today, May 7, 2015:

Tourists stopping to read a sign on the Kauai Path.  Notice the cross on the shore, most likely as a memorial to a swimmer’s death in the sea in this area.  Please click here for more photos.

Life in Bali continues…New house photos…Second floor photos yet to be posted…

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These two stone elephants spew water into the two Koi ponds on either side of the entrance walkway. We’ve yet to share photos of the massive second story which we’ll soon post.

“Sightings on the Beach In Bali”

Two teenage boys walked this young white horse down the beach to play in the river next to our house. He seemed to love cooling off in the water.

We chose this remote location for several reasons. We’d read there was a lot of crime in Bali, close to the popular resorts. Secondly, cost was a factor as always and we wanted the most “bang for the buck” which we accomplished ten fold. 

Pretty flower arrangements and decorative items tastefully fill the house in the Balinese style. The green tube in the corner is actually a light fixture.

Thirdly, with the awful traffic in and within hours of Denpasar, there would have been awful stress each time we ventured out, especially for Tom who despises traffic defeating the entire purpose of being in a paradise-location.

The Buddha fountain stopped working.  We mentioned this to Ribud and today, he cleaned the hoses and filters and now its running again, creating a pleasant sight and sound.  The maintenance here is impeccably performed by dedicated staff.

Most tourists stay in the many lovely resorts south of Denpasar, close to the airport, restaurants and most tourist venues. We have no doubt we’ve done the right thing staying in the quiet area as we languish in the pool hours each day, enjoying hours of mindless entertainment with one another.  

We don’t even mind there are no English-speaking TV stations. Instead, late in the day we plug in the HDMI cord to the TV and watch online news through various media outlets. After all, we still prefer to stay informed as to what’s transpiring in our home country as well as throughout the rest of the world.

Usually, a vacation home’s kitchen is my domain spending pleasant time preparing meals. Now, I spend no time prepping food when both Ketuts chop, dice, cook and clean up. Tom’s enjoying not having to do dishes. We attempt to clean up the table after dinner but they insist we relax.

We have no interest in visiting caged non-indigenous animals in zoos, bungee jumping, or scuba diving.  Physical adventure type attractions could put a quick end to our travels if I injured my spine which remains as delicate as a toothpick, although pain free. I haven’t spent five years eating this way and taking care of myself to have it all fall apart.

Of course, we’ve had our fair share of adventure type activities that we’ve been able to do along the way, feeling fortunate all turned out well. As a long-time reader of our site, you’ll have seen many of such photos.

 Gede explained we’re coming into the blooming season. We look forward to seeing many more flowers in Bali.

In Bali, dining in restaurants would be prohibitive for my way of eating, although we have no doubt the food they prepared could be delicious with the local spices we’re savoring in this villa with our two Ketuts cooking each night.  (Now, I’ve discovered once again I’ve been spelling their names incorrectly.  Plus, the pool guy is Ribud, not Libud). 

The two closets in the other bedroom on the main floor with the en suite bath to the right. Our bedroom has identical closets with the en suite bath to the left. We each have plenty of storage space for our limited wardrobes.

Dining here is comparable to dining in a fine restaurant with the extensive menu we’ve been able to adapt to work for us along with the skills of our two cooks. We couldn’t ask for more. 

Besides, we’re able to dine in our swimsuits to stay cool and face the infinity pool and the sea while dining engaged in idle chatter. Luckily, after all these years together, we still can spend an entire day engrossed in what we consider interesting conversation. Our lifestyle is an easy segue to endless pleasant and often productive planning and discussion.

The bed is very comfortable with perfect pillows, bedding, and duvet. Although we each sleep less than seven hours each night, we’re feeling refreshed.

Without laundry, cooking and cleaning, we’ve resorted to swimming in the pool and walking on the beach each day for a degree of exercise. I’ve even instituted an additional 30 minute a day exercise program in the pool, adding more movement to my otherwise lounging day. 

A vast array of Buddha representations are found throughout the house and on the grounds of most properties.

Last night around 10 pm, Gede arrived with our 10 kilos of mince (grass-fed ground beef) packed in ice in a “chill box” arriving perfectly chilled. At a cost of IDR $1,700,000 (including gratuity), US $127, the 22 pounds translates to IDR $77,188, US $5.77 per pound. This will last for the remaining time in Bali, (this time around) giving us a few more dining options.

Unusual bedside lamps in the second main floor bedroom, typically colorful for the Balinese style, comparable to those in our bedroom.

Yesterday, a heartbreaking situation occurred on the beach which we’ll share tomorrow including a photo.  Paradise isn’t always perfect and these realities we encounter along the way, although at times sad, add to the depth of our experiences in seeing the world in a clear perspective.

May your day be clear and bright!

Photo from one year ago today, May 5, 2015:

Tom walked to the shore in Kapaa, Kauai to check out the views at the beach located in the small town. For more details, please click here.

Unique new feature added while in Bali…More house photos…

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Reclining Buddha. Eighty percent of the population in Bali is of the Hindu faith. This restful pose reminds of us the pace here; calm, relaxed, and stress-free.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

Pinch me!  Is this real? We could hardly believe our eyes when we saw two buffalo walking on the beach with their owner. He’d brought them for a swim in the river next to our house. The black spot in the ocean is a small buoy. This is our first photo in our upcoming series of photos of “Sightings on the Beach in Bali.”

Oh, please, there’s so much to write about Bali, I don’t know where to begin. We’ve been out and about already but still, have much more to share before we even get to that particular round of photos.

We couldn’t wait to share the details of our meals which are varied and interesting and somehow befitting my way of eating with some modifications by the two conscientious cooks, Ketut and Ketut k whose names I been spelling wrong over the past few days. I’ve since gone back and corrected them. In fact, their names are: Ketut

(As an aside, let me explain about duplicate names in Bali, quite the oddity by our standards: All Balinese people are named one of just 4 names: Wayan, Made, Nyoman or Ketut. Both men and women. 

What a view!

Many are given nicknames to differentiate them from others in close proximity with the same name.  I’m not quite sure how Gede and Ribud’s names fit in but most likely they are nicknames).

Tom finds himself enjoying foods he never considered, including last night’s fresh Bluefin tuna (common in these waters – safe to eat) caught first thing in the morning. Only on a few occasions, in all of our years together (25 as of June) have I seen him eat fresh fish without a batter. He actually liked last night’s fish. 

The large mirror in the living area on the main floor.

I failed to take photos of our meals when we were so busy admiring and eating what we’ve been served each night. Going forward I promise to do better, as we continue to determine which possible menu items fit into our way of eating.

In respect of Ketut and Ketut’s schedule, we’re eating early, usually no later than 6:00 pm. They stay during dinner, out of our dining area while quietly waiting to clean up the dishes and be on their way. They have a magical way of staying unobtrusive. 

Each of the four bedrooms has a similar double sink en suite bathroom. Everything is pristine in this four-year-old house.

The only adjustments we’ve made to accommodate them is to wander outdoors when they arrive at 8 am (not hard to do in this paradise-like environment) while they clean. Thus, we make our way to the cabana, shaded from the hot sun and yet even closer to the sounds of the surf only a short distance from the edge of the infinity pool.

I’m still wearing the FitBit we purchased in Darwin but ashamedly hardly making it to 3000 steps a day when absolutely nothing is required of me in daily household tasks. As we’ve settled in, we’ll soon start walking the neighborhood, taking photos, and sharing them with all of you, hopefully getting some much-needed exercise in the process. 

View from the entrance to the house. More interior photos will follow in days to come when we’ve yet to take photos of the kitchen, the living room we use, and the entire upper level.

(Good thing I didn’t have aspirations about joining a health club here. It’s non-existent, let alone a grocery store anywhere in the immediate proximity with familiar foods we use). 

The local markets don’t carry beef, chicken, and certainly no pork which isn’t a food option here. Balinese people use a small number of protein sources used as an adjunct to a meal, not the main item. Mainly they cook chicken and fish purchased from local vendors only available early each morning, none of which is available at the local markets). 

We can hardly get through the photos we’ve already taken since our arrival. Without a doubt, we’ll have an endless stream of photos both during this two-month stint in this house and again when we return on September 1st to fill a two-month gap. 

Each day, except Sundays, the staff cleans the house, makes the bed, and prepares meals as requested. Today, we asked that they close these windows during the day to keep the bees, flies, and mozzies from the bedroom at night when we use the AC.

As we anticipated arriving here, we hesitated over the return in September, especially during the harrowing four-hour car ride, wondering if we would feel like coming back. Now, almost three days since our arrival, we both have no doubt we’ll look forward to the return. How could one not fall in love with this tropical paradise? 

I could go on and on today, but we have plenty of time to share our perspectives and enjoyment of this dream-like environment. It makes us feel as if we’re on an extended honeymoon, only adding to our already playful and joyful daily interactions with one another. If one is seeking romance and/or peaceful reflection, this is the place.

This is where we sit to dine each evening, keeping the huge sliding doors wide open for the breeze. At dusk, we close the doors to keep mozzies outside.

Using cash is prevalent in this remote location. Each evening after dinner, we pay cash for the cost of groceries for our next night’s dinner which the cooks purchase fresh each day, as mentioned above. They provide us with an item-by-item receipt of each item purchased,  giving us the change from the morning’s shopping. At that point, we dole out more cash for the next night.

Each time we venture out we pay for the cost of the use of the owner’s vehicle, an air-conditioned van that will be driven by Gede to our desired locations. Depending on how long we’re gone, we pay cash accordingly. More on that later.

Today, I’d intended to explain the currency exchange which is a complicated and unusual scenario in Bali. Due to today’s longwinded post, I’ll cover that in tomorrow’s post.

Gede, holding our fresh caught Blue Fin tuna that we had for dinner last night, prepared whole with onions, garlic, lemongrass, lemon, and local spices. Our cost for entire fish…US $3.04, IDR $40,000 (Indonesian Rupiah); for the entire meal (for two) US $8.12, IDR $106,900 (more on exchange rate coming soon).

As promised yesterday, today we’ll begin posting a new concept during the time we’re in Bali, entitled, “Sightings on the Beach in Bali” which will consist of photos we’ve taken during the day or evening from the veranda of the property. These individual daily photos will be presented below the main daily photo.

These “Sightings on the beach in Bali” may include such simple sights as a unique passing boat, dogs playing on the beach, or a woman carrying a pot on her head. 

Or, these sightings may prove to be much more entertaining and interesting, some of which we’ve seen thus far as shown today in our first in this series.  We hope you’ll enjoy this segment during our first 60-day stay. We’ll continue with our year-ago photos, now that we have a better wifi signal.

In essence, paradise is a sensation, not a place. May your find paradise in your hearts today and always.

Photo from one year ago today, May 3, 2015:

With the help of friend Louise in Kauai, she’s identified this bird as a Chestnut Mannikin we encountered in Kauai one year ago. Please click here for more photos.

Fifth day of cruise…Sailing along with ease…Free Food aboard ship…Finally, a few photos…

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Tom’s dinner of tender steak, broccoli and fried potatoes.  In addition he ordered a starter and a dessert.

There are no rough seas, no notices of Norovirus or signs of the cruise cough. We’re as content as we can be.  Tom’s attending the “Shed” meetings each afternoon at 3 pm and finds me when he’s done, usually close to 5 pm. 

At 5:00, we head to the cabin, freshen up for dinner, check our email if we can get online and by 6:00 pm, we’re out the door heading to the bar. Tom has a cocktail, his usual cognac and Sprite Zero on the rocks while typically I sip on my mug of hot tea. Last night I ordered white wine with dinner.

With a tea pot in our cabin and a few spots onboard where I can reload at no charge, I’m reminded about the many complimentary perks aboard the ship which are included in the cruise fare as opposed to the many extra charges we mentioned over these past few days.

Every evening they serve me a plate of cut up avocado. I never have asked for it to be cut this small and suggested cutting it in half would be fine with me, but they continue to cut it in tiny pieces which is fine.

The single biggest perk included in the cruise fare, not surprisingly, centers around food. It’s everywhere. And, a vast majority of it is “free.” Sure, there are a number of areas where there’s a charge for certain items; specialty coffee drinks and shakes in the coffee bars; fancy cupcakes in the cupcake decorating center; and specialty restaurants which we mentioned a few days ago.

With several buffets at various times of the day along with the Windjammer Café on the 11th deck, always open, at least in part for anytime dining and the main dining rooms open for meals at specific times of the day, there’s never a shortage of venues for full meals or occasional snacks. 

Whether it’s a burger, hotdog and fries or a slice or two of fresh baked pizza, Chinese or Indian food, it all there for the taking included in the fare. For those with a sweet tooth there is a decadent array of every imaginable dessert including soft self serve ice cream. 

Although this may not look appetizing, it was a delicious steak dish suitable for my way of eating.

On the Promenade deck, a boulevard that runs through the center of the ship on deck 5 with many shops, there’s the popular Café Promenade with cases filled with baked goods including doughnuts, cakes, cookies, pies and pastries.  

In addition, there’s a wide variety of sandwiches, wraps and Panini to fulfill the tastes of most passengers at one point or another (present company excluded). Today, Tom had two chocolate covered glazed doughnuts after a big breakfast. Piglet. I keep my mouth shut and let him enjoy himself.

For sun worshippers and swimmers, there’s a complimentary grill by the pool with burgers, fries, hotdogs and more and a “healthy food” café by the spa (nothing there works for me).

Occasionally, the ship hosts social functions for Crown & Anchor members all of which include free beer, wine and appetizers for the guests. Many passengers partake in these free events for the complimentary alcohol and snacks.  Others choose to partake for the socialization.

Magically, the restaurants aboard the ship are the perfect venues for meeting people. We can’t believe how much fun we’re having each and every time we sit down for awhile in one of the eating establishments aboard the ship.

This, dear readers, is why we love cruising!

Photo from one year ago today, April 21, 2015:
Due to the poor wifi signal aboard the ship, we’re still unable to post the year-ago photo.