Part 1…Exotic foods and shopping in Cambodia and Vietnam…Did we eat insects? An issue in Phuket?

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Kong took this photo of Tom and a tarantula!

First, we begin our post with a few points regarding our stay in Phuket.  With 37 remaining days on the island, we want to make the very best of our time here considering my current circumstances. 

After analyzing the higher cost of taxi service here, we reconsidered the possibility of renting a car. As it turns out a short trip for shopping will cost approximately THB (Thai Baht) 700, US $20 with more for sightseeing and dining out.

The kitchen is spacious and relatively well equipped. We certainly appreciated the size of the refrigerator, the drip coffee pot and the double sinks.

As a result, the kindly local owner of this house, well aware of high taxi fares, offered us a rental car for the balance of our stay for a total of THB 9000, US $256. Gregory will deliver the car on Thursday morning, the first day we’ll need to use it.

It’s an older car, but has AC, seat belts and works well which is fine. For our local exploration and shopping this will be fine regardless of how old or worn this car may be.

As for our past day, we were a little worried when there was no running water yesterday afternoon.  Within minutes of reporting this to Gregory, two workers arrived at the house, spending several hours repairing the issue. This reminded us of similar issues we’ve encountered without water and electricity in less developed countries throughout the world.

We dine at this table.

There’s a bottled water dispenser here, which would have seen us through the night if necessary. Unfortunately, the water quit while Tom was in the shower after soaping up. 

When he appeared in the living room, covered in soap, I suggested he take some bottled water to get the soap off until we had water again. He did so, but felt dirty and sticky until hours later when the water was working and he was able to finish his shower. 

We won’t be using this sofa, preferring to spend time in the living room. Photos will follow tomorrow.

We postponed dinner when the workers were attempting to resolve the issue right outside the dining room door. Finally, they were done. The water was running again and we were able to quietly enjoy our meal, most of which we’d prepared earlier in the day. 

Here are a few more photos of the house taken from the listing here.  We’ll be back with Phuket photos as soon as we get out and about later this week. Thanks for your patience.

Back to the Mekong River Cruise: With all the heart wrenching photos we’ve shared over the past many days, we decided to lighten it up a bit and share some food photos we’d taken over the 17 days we spent in both Cambodia and Vietnam.
First off, I must espouse the virtues of the popular Vietnamese soup, known as “pho” which is pronounced as “fuuuuur” in Southeast Asia not the commonly pronounce “Foe” in Vietnamese restaurants in the US and other countries throughout the world.
Delicious pho without noodles.

In my old life before my special diet, pho was a favorite Vietnamese soup which I often enjoyed with son Greg at a local Minneapolis Vietnamese Restaurant. At that time I was able to have the wide noodles added to the delicious broth along with the vegetables and basil. 

In Cambodia, they don’t use basil but other types of greens. In Vietnam, depending on the region, basil is an available option to be added to the delicious soup at one’s option. 
Everywhere we traveled in the 17 days, I tried the pho, (without noodles) often for breakfast instead of eggs or as a first course with dinner. I was never disappointed although the flavor of the broth varied from region to region. Many other passengers raved about the pho along with me anxious to try it at each new location in our journey.
The server passed this plate of appetizers…tarantulas, tiny whole frogs and crickets.
One night at dinner on the cruise, we were served insects as a first course.  Unfortunately, to add to the less than desirable taste, we discovered that such creatures are usually marinated in a sugary broth to enhance the flavor and/or dipped in flour before frying. Had this not been the case, I’d have happily tried any of these.
Tom, on the other hand, took a few small bites making some awful faces after doing so. Many passengers opted for the full experience eating some of each of the items presented. 
Eating a variety of insects including grasshoppers, crickets and small frogs is an inexpensive source of protein for citizens throughout the world. Of course, it was the tarantulas that captured our attention the most.  We were only served these items on one occasion on board the ship during our travels.
I made up this plate for this photo although I never took a bite since they’re soaked in sugar to make them more palatable.

The remainder of the meals on both on the ship and at a number of restaurants included in the cruise/tour were varied and overall excellent. Most of my meals were good, especially on the ship although, a few restaurants had a more difficult time often presenting me with overcooked steak, boiled fish and steamed bok choy for a bland and unseasoned meal. 

We had such a great time dining with our co-passengers, food became of little importance to me. Tom, on the other hand, fully enjoyed most of his meals, especially when they included bread, potatoes and sweet desserts.
Tom took a few small bites.

Tom gained back 10 of his recently lost 20 pounds in Bali but now since our arrival in Phuket he’s already rapidly dropping those pounds by eating homemade meals befitting my way of eating based on what we were able to find at a local market.

Even I had gained a few pounds since I wasn’t used to eating three times a day. I’m feeling good to be back to my regular intermittent fasting regime, no longer hungry all the time from eating too much, too often, although I totally stayed on track of acceptable foods during the 17 day period. I’ve since lost the few pounds.
Food is a huge appeal for travelers, many who dine two to three times each day. Most parts of the world offer their own unique style of cuisine that makes dining out irresistible. 
A tarantula leg was resting on my tooth making me look like I was missing a tooth in this goofy photo.
Being able to experience tastes of the spices and methods of cooking becomes appealing and interesting for me as well. Southeast Asia provided a number of options that fit my criteria at times with some adjustments by conscientious chefs and cooks who made considerable efforts to enhance my dining experience. Kong took personal responsibility for each of my meals to ensure they were properly prepared.
Tom ate his fair share of local meals along with “western” options found on many menus. With warnings from Kong about street food, we stayed with the foods offered on the ship, the three hotels and the several restaurants where we dined.
Overall, it was a great dining experience and look forward to our readers enjoying the many photos we’ll share over the next few days. Our list of future stories and photos will continue in days to come as an adjunct to our daily quips on life in Phuket, Thailand.
Be well. Be happy. Eat insects when available. I guess.
Photo from one year ago today, July 26, 2015:
A beautiful bouquet already made by nature at the Cairns Botanical Garden in Australia. For more photos, please click here.

Off we go to the ship…Long drive through the Cambodian countryside…Mode of transportation

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Local danger and musicians greeted us with a ceremonial dance as we entered the hotel.
In Cambodia, US dollars are tendered for most purchases, receiving Cambodian money, the reil for change which can be confusing especially when one US dollar is KHR 40,973.50. The cost for the drive back to our hotel was US $3. The driver was so grateful when we gave him a US $5 bill. Tipping isn’t expected in Cambodia but greatly appreciated based on low wages.
Fountain in the lake at the hotel, taken last night in the dark.

As much as long drives in cars, vans and buses are not our favorite mode of transportation, I’m looking forward to the almost five hour drive through the Cambodian countryside as we make our way to the awaiting boat on the Mekong River.

As we approached the entrance to the Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra in Siem Reap, Cambodia, another five star hotel.

These past tour portions of this cruise/tour have been rich in history and highly entertaining including the extra three days we spent on our own in advance of the cruise in Hanoi when we arrived from Singapore over a week ago. I did my best to keep up, only missing a few days of touring, having participated in the remainder.

The first night in the hotel in Cambodia we were entertained by local dancers performing in the dining room.

Last night, the final night at the Hotel Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf and Spa Resort in Siem Reap, Cambodia it dawned on me that we’d yet share any photos of this five star hotel and its surroundings. It’s been a glorious hotel stay once again, with the past two Sofitel Hotels providing the utmost in both ambiance, amenities and service.

Upon entering our beautifully decorated hotel room with a full veranda overlooking the river, the table was set with fresh flowers, complimentary linen napkins as a gift to keep, baby bananas and cookies (all of which Tom consumed).

I’d never paid much attention to Sofitel Hotels other than occasionally dining (in my old life) at the hotel’s restaurant in Bloomington, Minnesota for business type lunches. 

It was a long walk from the lobby to our hotel room down several long bridges such as this over the lake on the hotel property.
Each walkway to the various buildings provided a lovely view of the hotel’s massive grounds.

Now that we’re signed up as members, we’ll certainly pay the Accor hotel chains a little more attention when we’re wondering where to stay for a night or two on occasion.

A portion of the hotel’s lake.

We had the opportunity to chat with one of the hotel’s managers, Sam Sorn who, along with the remaining staff have provided exemplary service and attention to detail. 

This sign is posted along one of the walkways in the hotel.

From the complimentary handmade linen napkins left in our room as a gift from the hotel, to the baby bananas, fresh flowers and chef’s perfection in seeing my menu, the hotel nor the other two restaurants where we dined in Siem Reap, left a stone unturned. 

Its unfortunate the mosquitos are so bad and the heat and humidity uncomfortable or many guests would have spent more time outdoors.  Instead, everyone stayed inside the air conditioned comfort. 

From the gentle-hands-clasped-bow elicited by each Cambodian we encounter, whether it was the pool man or the tuk tuk driver, each individual made us feel supremely invited as guests into their country. I could easily return here for an extended stay, although, practically speaking, it may not be possible with so much world left to see.

A bicycle rickshaw on display.

Last night’s dinner for 54 guests at Malis Restaurant, ranked #4 of 622 in TripAdvisor, excelled beyond most restaurants when they prepared entirely different meals for me than those offered on the menu. They went as far as making a totally sugar free mousse/flan dessert than surprisingly was quite delicious without any form of sweetener.

These gorgeous flowers are commonly seen on display in hotels and restaurants in Cambodia.

Of course, the conversation was indescribably delightful as we’ve continued to get to know one couple after another, never disappointed, always enlightened by the stories of others as they freely ask question after question about our peculiar lifestyle. I suppose if it was the other way around, we’d be curious as well.

One of several seating areas in the hotel’s lobby.

We try to temper our enthusiasm and ask about their lives. Most of the participants on this type of cruise are well traveled with equally fascinating stories to tell. Most of the passengers are within our age range with a few much younger and equal number, a bit older. 

A shrine in the hotel lobby.  Most Cambodians are Buddhists.

Age seems to be no barrier in keeping these adventurous folks from continuing to travel well into their 70’s and 80’s. Some have obvious disabilities and yet forge ahead with the excitement of 20 year old, seeking to fill their lives with new experiences. 

This talented young man played peaceful music in the lobby.

A few stayed behind like us on the more difficult excursions over the past few days while others returned exhausted and hobbling with aching joints, hips and knees commensurate with older age. 

Fresh flowers are frequently replenished.  This humid climate in Cambodia is a perfect environment for growing flowers.

As for my continuing recovery, its still a work in progress. In reviewing the calendar we tried to recall the exact date of the injury and we believe it was around June 1st. Most likely it’s been almost six weeks. If I blew out a disc (or two)  or whatever, it could be several more weeks until I’m pain free once again. 

A humidor with a variety of cigars for sale including Cuban.

My only fear is that the pain won’t go away and this will be my lot in life, not unlike my life before I started this way of eating. I will no longer be pain free as I’d been two months ago. Could I continue on at this level of discomfort? I think so. 

Elaborate desserts such as these are offered in the buffet as well as at “high tea” in the bar where we worked on the posts. Tom was only interested in the doughnuts on the bottom right.

As we mentioned in the post on July 11th, “In the past two weeks we moved into four different hotels in four different countries, flown on three international flights, taken over 1000 photos and posted each and every day.

We sat at the left corner of this banquette in the bar each day while posting.

As you’ve seen, we’ve been able to continue on. If we were living a “fixed” lifestyle and this injury occurred, I’d still have the discomfort and life would go on. It’s not a whole lot different now other than the hours of moving from one location to another which generally isn’t quite as often as its been lately.

Sam Sorn, the hotel’s second in command, worked his “way up” after 16 years of employment at the hotel, originally working in maintenance. His kindly demeanor and interest in each guest is delightful.

However, we both remain hopeful that soon I’ll be back to my “old” self once again, able to walk longer distances and manage more steps and rough terrain. I remind myself how grateful we are that it wasn’t totally debilitating where I couldn’t (or wouldn’t) get out at all. Sheer will and determination have kept me moving. 

With rain each day, we never took advantage of the hotel’s enormous pool.  We have plenty of pool time upcoming over the net several months.

As soon as we upload this post, we’ll head back to our hotel room to leave the already-packed and ready-to-go three checked bags outside our hotel room door to be picked up by staff and delivered to the two buses for both Group A and B (we’re A) and off we’ll go at 11:30 am for the long journey to the ship awaiting us in Kampong Cham, Cambodia. 

Last night on our way to dinner on the bus, we tried to take a few photos through the glass.

Once we’re all onboard and checked in, we’ll be offered complimentary welcome aboard cocktails (along with cocktails included  at no charge at both lunch and dinner) and be introduced to the ship’s captain, other officers and support staff. Then, we’ll set sail.

Siem Reap is filled with a multitude of shopping options from expensive galleria type malls to strips centers such as this.
Many building copy the design of the Angkor Wat temple.

We’re as excited as always to be back on the water, this time on our first river cruise which so far the land portion, has proven to excel our expectations. Back at you tomorrow with photos and updates! Stay tuned!

The entrance to last night’s restaurant, Malis. It was absolutely exquisite for me although Tom found some of the unfamiliar spices less appealing to his taste buds.

Have a glorious day!

Bob and Tom having a great time, sitting across from Tina and I We arrived at the restaurant at 5:45 while it was still light.  At 8 pm, some of the group were headed to a local circus with bleacher-type seating.  , there was no way I could sit on bleachers for any length of time. Instead, we had a fabulous time returning to the hotel in a local tuk-tuk.

Photo from one year ago today, July 13, 2015:

Holloways Beach, near Cairns Australia. For more details and photos, please click here.

An unusual city…An unusual experience…Surprising cost of owning a car in Singapore…Three days and counting.

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The Chinatown Point mall contains more restaurants than apparel shops.

Singapore is unlike any city/country we visited in these past 44 months of world travel. For the enthusiastic shopper, food and wine aficionado, and avid tourist this location has it all.

Yesterday, we grabbed a taxi for the final trip to the Thailand Embassy to pick up our visa extensions. Two down, with one more to go in Hanoi. Arriving on time, we waited in a short queue on the sidewalk outside the official compound to all be let inside at 2:00 pm.

Most food items contain starches, sugar, and grains.

We didn’t wait long once inside. Singapore is known for short queues with little waiting time wherever one may go and we observed this as entirely true over these past few busy days.

Also, the traffic is light. The reason for fewer vehicles on the roads is due to  governmental regulations making car ownership beyond the financial realm of most residents.  

Of course, we stopped to eyeball the sweets. Tom didn’t order a thing. He’s always looking for donuts which few countries outside the US offer.

In order to limit vehicle ownership, the Singaporean government imposes fees and taxes in a successful attempt to keep their beautiful country clean, smog-free, and uncrowded on the roads. As a result, there’s little traffic even during peak hours.

Most residents and visitors use public transportation and reasonably priced taxis. Most of our trips to and from the embassies haven’t exceeded US $10, SGD $13.46. Tips aren’t expected and are refused when offered.

Taxi drivers have explained that only natural-born citizens of Singapore can acquire a license to drive a taxi and that the management of fares and services is strictly monitored by the government. 

Added to these realities is the uniform attention to detail, cleanliness, organization, and efficiency one can see in all areas of business. The citizens of Singapore are proud of their homeland and its evident in the smiles on their faces and their willingness to assist visitors in their pursuit of an extraordinary experience.

The displays with menu options are meant to whet the appetite.

Generally, we didn’t do much shopping but yesterday, we found ourselves at Chinatown Point, a relatively new indoor mall located in Chinatown. When we arrived, we expected there to be mostly tourists and visitors.

Instead, we found it filled with what appeared to be mostly local shoppers. Also, surprisingly, most of the shops in the huge mall were restaurants, bakeries, candy shops, and Asian health products shops with very few apparel shops as one would expect in a mall.

There are numerous malls packed with major brand and designer clothing, but Chinatown Point appears to be a mall specifically for the needs of the locals. We had a list of products we needed from a pharmacy and stopped to check out the grocery store to purchase some cheese and nuts for snacking.

There were a number of appealing sit down restaurants in Chinatown Point.

We were thrilled when we were able to find a shop similar to a traditional pharmacy (if there is such a thing) with over-the-counter products we needed, including such items as coconut oil, contact lens solutions, pro-biotics, Vitamin C, Vitamin b and such.

We found everything on our list, although the prices were twice as much as we’d paid in other countries. We walked out the door having spent US $200, SGD 269, not unlike we may have spent in the US, London or Paris.

Food, food, food, everywhere in Chinatown Point. Neither of us was hungry, so we decided to wait until dinner.

In the evening, we wandered the streets, enjoyed the scenery, and had dinner in a busy local Asian restaurant in Chinatown. Tom ordered sweet and sour pork with rice and I had steamed shrimp with veggies.  It was a good meal and reasonably priced.  We’ll continue to try different restaurants each day.

Many dishes are prepared with noodles.

This morning we had another fabulous breakfast at Tartufo Restaurant, next door to the hotel. As we write here now, we’re still stuffed and just may decide to just snack tonight on the nuts and cheese we purchased at the mall.

To our family and friends in the US, we pray you have a safe and enjoyable Fourth of July weekend. To everyone else, have a lovely few days off, if your schedule allows.

We’ll be flying to Hanoi in three days on to the next adventure!

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

The flock of Cockatoos was busy foraging for food in Trinity Beach Australia. For more photos, please click here.

Food and shopping attracts tourists to Singapore…

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Tom likes these “wienie wraps!’  These are SGD 1, US $.74.

Breakfast is an easy meal to accommodate my restrictive diet in most countries when eggs, vegetables and bacon of some sort or another are readily available. For this reason, we’ve been having breakfast each morning over these past few days since we arrive in Singapore.

An evening meal is more challenging. Having perused menus from many restaurants both while out walking each day and online, the pickings are slim for my way of eating.

Three long rows like this one shown here at the Maxwell Road Hawker Centre, a short walk from our hotel.

There are dozens of local restaurants that would be able to accommodate my diet, but most of these would be in the range of SGD $269, US $200 for dinner, drinks and the always included 17% taxes and service fees.

There’s no meal that’s worth that type of expenditure for us. Subsequently, I’m left with being creative with more modest options at mid range establishments. Tom’s picky taste buds also limits his choices when he’s adamantly opposed to unfamiliar spices and seasonings. He almost gagged over a cardamom roll he purchased in the open market.

Many vendors were selling unique items used in Asian cooking.

Last night, we decided to try the local and highly popular open food market, Maxwell Road Hawker Centre rated #38 of 8067 in TripAdvisors reviews for dining venues in Singapore. For the typical tourist and local citizen this is the place to eat.

Prices are unbelievably reasonable with a typical meal at SGD 4, US $2.97, although, there higher priced options. The huge draw for tourists in the popular establishment is the famous “chicken and rice” dishes which is often boiled or sautéed chicken atop a bed of tasty fried rice.

There are no chicken parts wasted in Asian cooking.

Tom, off his diet over these next weeks, has no interest in boiled chicken and rice. He’s ravenous for starchy, fried Asian foods with minimal spices and sauces. That’s tricky in itself. 

Last night’s boiled chicken, bean sprouts and steamed cabbage didn’t quite do it for me last night.  The boiled fatty chicken (with the skin) without being able to include soy or oyster sauce, made it bland and uninviting.

Tom, unable and unwilling to try something new especially when he saw a number of dishes made with intestines and chicken feet, resorted to ordering  several sausage stuffed rolls (kind of like “wienie wraps” of the 1970’s) and the cardamom bun that caused him to gag.

Had I not been on this way of eating, I would have loved most of these items.

As we perused each and every stand in the enormous marketplace, there were no other dishes I could try when all were made using sugar and sauces made with flour with rice as a foundation.

Going forward, we’ll continue to experience the midrange restaurants located in Chinatown and see what we can accomplish. No, we don’t like it that we both have limitations; my issues revolving around health and Tom, the simple fact of his picky taste buds.

The prior day Tom had one of these shown blueberry muffins which were sold out when we returned last night.

This reality doesn’t bother us. We seldom become frustrated or complain about our limitations. It is what it is. We enjoy perusing the wide variety of restaurants and dining venues, curious as to unusual products used, methods of cooking and presentation. It’s more visual for us. 

Tom always call me a “food voyeur.” No doubt, this is true. I never walk past a bakery or candy shop without stopping for a look. Oddly, Tom, who could try something if he wanted to do so, seldom makes a purchase. 

The central city, where we’re located, is filled with business centers. It was obvious many workers stopped here for lunch, returning in the evening for takeaway.

Recently, the only time he expressed enthusiasm over food was when we drove past a Dunkin’ Donuts shop in Denpasar on Tuesday. We didn’t stop. Most likely, in Bali those donuts weren’t the typical US variety anyway. 

However, I did notice him to be somewhat enthused this morning at a breakfast buffet when he buttered four pieces of white toast with his bacon and eggs. Yesterday, I dug out the scale and put it on the bathroom floor. So far, he hasn’t gained back an ounce which surprised us both.

Soon, we’re out the door once again to return to the Thai Embassy to collect our visas. As mentioned yesterday, we won’t be getting the Indonesian visa until we get to Hanoi next week, where we’ll have five days to get it accomplished.

Two days in a row, Tom ordered several of these hot dog filled buns shown on the center rack. They smelled amazing, reminiscent of a similar item I made for my kids in the 1970’s.

After we’re done at the embassy, we’ll have the taxi driver drop us at the far end of Chinatown and we’ll walk back to the hotel in time to relax for an hour and then we’ll be off again to walk the streets of Chinatown at night hopefully finding a good spot for this evening’s meal.

We’ll be back tomorrow, with nighttime photos of magical Chinatown and the results of our dining experience. 

May you have a magical day!

Photo from one year ago today, June 30, 2015:

At AUD 64, USD $49.26, all of these items which includes a huge Barramundi filet, two pieces of made-without-sugar smoked fish and two containers of crab meat which we used to make low carb crab cakes resulted in four meals.The cost per entree resulted in a cost per day of AUD 16, USD $12.31, not bad for such delicious fish and seafood. We struggle to be motivated to go out to dine when we do so well at home and have just as good a time.  For more details of our trip to the wholesale fish market in Trinity Beach, Australia, please click here.

Singapore is unlike any other city…10 laws punishable by fine and jail in Singapore…

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Sri Mariamman Temple, which we’ll tour in the next few days.

It’s expensive in Singapore… in restaurants, hotels and for products and services. We realized this fact, prior to booking a one week stay when we had a gap to fill in the itinerary and hoped to apply for necessary visas.

So far, we’re doing well staying within our daily dining budget of US $100, SGD 135 per day.  We’re reading online reviews on local restaurants as well as walking through the area to check out endless menus posted outside a wide array of restaurants. This is an adventure in itself!

Shoes left outside the Sri Mariamman Hindu Temple.

With the two embassies we visited yesterday and this morning, we weren’t able to have breakfast before heading out, nor did either of us have coffee or tea, fearing we’d have to make to bathroom stop. We’ve been on a mission to get as many of these three visas knocked off.

Hindu temple rooftop adorned with the revered cows in India.

By noon, we’d returned from today’s two embassy visits with the much needed completed Vietnam visas we collected first thing this morning. From there, another taxi ride to the Thai Embassy where again we applied for another visa for the upcoming  six-week stay in Phuket. 

Soon, we’ll tour the Sri Mariamman Temple in its entirety.

Efficiency and organization is of the utmost importance in Singapore, we weren’t surprised when the process at the Thai embassy would be seamless as it was at the Vietnam Embassy. 

We were well prepared with all of the required documents, including passports and extra passport photos, copies of airline tickets in and out of Thailand accompanying both completed signed applications with cash fees of SGD 100, US $74.14.

Chinatown is a very exciting area to scout.

On the return drive to our area, we stopped at a restaurant for a somewhat mediocre brunch/lunch. Currently, we’re back at our hotel preparing today’s post and documenting all the receipts we’ve accumulated over these past few days.

Each business has its own unique storefront.

Once we’re done with these tasks, we’ll make a plan for the remainder of the day, most likely heading back outside to walk more of the exciting streets surrounding us. We chose a perfect location allowing us to walk to one amazing area after another.

At dusk, the streets began to fill with hungry tourists and locals.

Based on timing, we won’t be able to apply for the Indonesian visa while in Singapore. With a morning flight on Tuesday and the fact the Thai Embassy has our passports right now which we’ll collect tomorrow between 2:00 and 300 pm, the required time slot, we won’t have time to apply for the Indonesian visa with its two to three day processing.

The number of dining options in our immediate area is astounding.  We’ll try a new spot each night.

As a result, we’ve decided to wait and apply for Indonesia once we’re in Hanoi arriving next week for a five night stay. The Indonesian Embassy in a 10 minute drive from the Hanoi hotel allowing us ample time to get it done with relative ease, we hope.. 

The evenings activities begin at dusk in Singapore with lots of cars, taxis and pedestrians. 

With peace of mind intact, we’ve begun to relax a little to fully embrace this short period in Singapore as long as we observe some of the peculiar laws in this country which may result in fines and jail time:

On our first night we wandered through Chinatown at dusk.  Diners had yet to arrive for the evening rush.
1.  The sale of or chewing gum is strictly forbidden anywhere in the country.

2. No walking naked in one’s own house.

3. No jaywalking.

4. Failure to flush the toilet in a public venue.

5. No urinating in elevators.

6. No public displays of kissing or cuddling.

7. Gay and lesbians couples are not allowed to live in the country.

8. It is illegal to come within 50 meters of a pedestrian crossing marker on any street.

9. It is considered illegal to enter the country with cigarettes.

10. Singapore is not a place for lefties. It is considered rude to eat, wave and greet with your left hand because it is associated with using the bathroom.

Interesting historic buildings are seen throughout the city as well as modern high rise hotels, business centers and residential properties.

Of course, there are serious consequences including public canning for failure to observe these and all laws.  As a result of the strict laws, there is little crime in Singapore. In addition, there are no typical slum areas. Every area is clean and maintained to perfection.

Also, there’s no “countryside” in Singapore. The entire small country is built and developed into one of the most influential business meccas in the world. So far, we’ve met and spoken to many business travelers from many countries.

The exterior our hotel, the Scarlet Singapore.  Its quite a steep walk up or down the road.

Mandarin is the primary language although many service providers speak some English. Many locals have a thick accent and with Tom’s bad hearing, I’ve been “translating” for him as needed.

More on Singapore as we continue to explore this country over these next few days.  With the high cost for tourism here, a one week visit will prove to have been ideal for our needs. In the interim, we’re enjoying every moment.

Photo from one year ago today, June 30, 2015:

After leaving the beach we drove to a high point in the Yorkey’s Knob area of Australia with this expansive view.For more details. please click here.

Arrived in Singapore…Oh my, this city is over the top!…

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We’d expected the Vietnam Embassy to be guarded and much larger. As often is the case, many embassies are converted larger homes.

It’s spotlessly clean, low in crime, meticulously managed and literally filled with unusual shops, restaurants, boutiques and hotels that literally take one’s breath away. Although we’re not city people, it’s impossible for us not to be totally entranced by this magical place.

Upon entering the iron gates we walked this driveway to the Vietnam Embassy receiving fast efficient service.

Our flight was relatively uneventful from Denpasar, Bali to Singapore’s highly rated Changi Airport. We flew on one of the cheapest airlines on the planet, Jetstar, with a good safety record, but without even a glass of tap water included.

There were no pillows, no blankets, no movies, nor a nut or a cracker available for a cranky traveler. The seats are a little tight, but were leather and more comfortable with more legroom than on most US airlines

Desk area in our upgraded hotel room at the Scarlet Singapore, a boutique hotel, affordably priced. This is now cluttered with all of our extension cords and plugins. We’ll post final expenses on our last day.

In any case, our plane arrived safely without incident and once again, we were grateful for a good overall flight to another foreign land. Once off the plane, we quickly made our way through immigration, customs and baggage pickup.

The bed and bedding are extremely comfortable.

In no less than 20 minutes from touching down, we were in the taxi queue again without a wait.  Within a half hour we arrived at our hotel, The Scarlet Singapore, a Paris influenced boutique hotel, quite similar to the boutique hotel in Paris in 2014 where we spent two weeks.

We’d read that hotel rooms in general are small in Singapore. Once we checked in we asked to see the room we’d booked before having our bags moved. It was as tiny as a balcony cabin on a cruise ship. 

The French style furnishings in our upgraded room are typically in boutique hotels. 

I asked for an upgrade which we rarely do.  We can manage a tiny room on a ship, but the first hotel room we inspected was simply too small at 174 square feet, 16 square meters. For an additional US $344, SGD 435, we were upgraded to the sweetest Parisian hotel room one could imagine, roomy and with every possible amenity including free WiFi and free minibar.

The flat screen TV has multiple English speaking channels. It’s good to be able to watch world news.

After a good night’s sleep, we grabbed an 8:20 am taxi to the Vietnam Embassy to begin the process of acquiring the three needed visas while in Singapore including Thailand and Indonesia (for the upcoming second stay in two months).

I can’t wait to use the tub when we have a little more time in the morning. Few vacation homes have bathtubs.

Getting the timing to work is tricky when each embassy requires to keep our passports for a few days. The process is only applicable on weekdays. We’re here only until next Tuesday, not leaving us enough time to accomplish all three.

Instead we decided to apply for Vietnam (double entry) and Thailand which are most imminent.  We can apply for Indonesia while in Hanoi for five days starting next week. 

There’s also a spacious shower as well as fluffy robes.

The taxi ride was 30 minutes from our downtown location and surprisingly the traffic wasn’t as busy as we’d expected at rush hour. Arriving at the embassy a few minutes early allowed us to be first in line with our documents. 

We opted to pay the SGD 660, US $489 fees for both visas in order to be able to collect our passports and visas first thing tomorrow morning when we’ll be on our way back once again. From there, we’ll head to the Thai embassy to start the next process. If it goes as smoothly as it did this morning, we’ll be very grateful.

The room has adequate lighting and ample amenities.

Last night, we wandered the safe streets of Chinatown to scout for a restaurant. We found a cozy gourmet spot with a Michelin star rating. Tom’s full lobster tail risotto was delicious, but my 4 ounce, .11 kg slab of boney, Barramundi on a bed of greens was mediocre and certainly not enough for an entire meal. 

The complementary mini bar, restocked daily have everything we need. There’s even a bottle of Pelligrino in the fridge, my favorite bottled water. It’s safe to drink tap water in Singapore.

On the return walk to the hotel we stopped at a Seven Eleven to purchase raw nuts to fill in the blanks for me during our stay. In both Paris and London, nuts were a lifesaver for me when many of the items served in restaurants aren’t sufficient as a filling meal. 

After perusing menus of dozens of restaurants, we have a plan to try many anyway and see how they’ll accommodate my diet. Steamed or sautéed veggies, chicken, pork, fish and seafood will certainly work in any case. I’m not concerned it will work out well. More on that as time progresses.

Tom’s lobster risotto from Cato Restaurant last night.  He said it was delicious containing an entire large lobster tail draped across the top under a pile of pungent Parmesan cheese.

This city is conducive to lots of walking which we’re sure will be our primary means of checking out this amazing location. As for major sightseeing, we’re holding off until we get at least tomorrow’s embassy visit accomplished. But, we already have dozens of city photos we’re looking forward to sharing.

We’ll be back with more tomorrow, again a late posting after we return from the two embassies.  In a few hours we’ll be taking off on foot once again to explore this eclectic and fascinating city.

Photo from one year ago today, June 29, 2015:

A pretty restaurant on a corner on the Esplanade in Palm Cove, Australia.  or more photos, please click here.

Singapore, here we come!…Exceptional hotel and meal in Denpasar…Photos!

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Charming Chef Suhaimi spent considerable time discussing my menu options and creating a meal I’d have loved even if my restrictive diet wasn’t necessary. Also, we shared travel stories with him when coincidentally, he’s from Singapore where we’ll be arriving later today.  He also lived in Thailand (where we’ll be in three weeks) and then in Dubai which we visited in 2013.

Our expectations for the Hilton Garden Inn in Denpasar, close to the airport, were few. At IDR  817,705, US $61 per night, we assumed it would be as basic as a hotel room could be. 

My crab and avocado salad was crispy and tart with a lemon,garlic olive oil dressing Chef Suhaimi made especially for me.
My buttery dish of salmon and vegetables with a tangy tarragon sauce Chef Suhaimi had prepared was flavorful, fresh and seasoned to perfection.

The fact we’d be at the hotel for less than 24 hours, it wasn’t necessary to stay in an upscale hotel. If it was clean, with free WiFi comfortable bedding and a few amenities, we’d be content.

Tom, 21 pounds slimmer than when we arrived in Bali two months ago, couldn’t wait to tackle this bread. 

Little did we know that we’d find ourselves in a hotel befitting a nightly IDR 2,681,000, US $200 or more price tag for the low price we’d booked at this Expedia link on our website. 

Tom’s mushroom soup with a Tepenade Crustini.

We left the villa at 9:45 am, stopped for fuel and for Butu to purchase a SIM card for directions on his phone, as well as one quick restroom breaks (yep, that on the floor toilet again which I figured out how to use this time!)  We didn’t arrive at the hotel until 2:45. It was a long five hours in traffic.

Tom’s lemon chicken entrée with mashed potatoes, and roasted vegetable.

What a relief it was when we finally pulled into the hotel to see it was considerably more appealing than we’d expected. With security checking both us and our bags and only a few short minutes at the check-in desk, we were on our way up to our room on the second floor.

Tom’s Oreo Raspberry Cheesecake dessert.

After we settling into our room, we explored the property taking photos and checking out the dinner menu. After the many hours on the road, we had no interest in taking a taxi to dinner and hoped we’d find good options in the hotel.

We were surprised the reasonable bill for our dinner. Tom had the fixed price meal, the “Set Western” which included a cocktail of his choice. He chose a frozen Marguerita. This total of tour dinner was IDR 744,150 was US $51.50 including 21% in taxes and gratuity. 

We’d read several excellent reviews at TripAdvisor for both the hotel and restaurant inspiring us to give it a try. We weren’t disappointed at all, especially when Chef Suhaimi couldn’t do enough to make an exceptional meal for me. 

Outdoor dining area.  It was cloudy and we opted to dine indoors.

He also spent time chatting with us as we each shared some worldwide experiences. He made the suggestion that we take a photo together as shown here today. We gave him one of our cards so he can check out today’s post.

Interesting artworks are highlighted throughout  the hotel.

The courses were well paced by a conscientious wait staff, the food fresh, seasoned well, hot and beautifully presented. We never felt rushed or, a sense of waiting too long for the next course.  Timing is such an integral aspect of a finely served meal. Without this element, even great food can seem mediocre. 

The swimming pool is much larger than most hotel pool.

This morning, we decided to try the hotel’s buffet breakfast with made to order omelets, eggs, bacon, waffles and a variety of Balinese dishes. Tom was in his glory when they had donuts, white toast and pastries along with pork bacon and fried eggs. 

View from second level to the bar.

Of course, Tom has no intention of staying with our way of eating over these next weeks until after we settle in Phuket on July 22nd when I’ll begin cooking again after a three month hiatus. I zipped it up and didn’t say a word.

The hotel hosts business events providing many ample seating areas for conversations.

For breakfast I had a delicious fresh egg omelet with veggies, chicken and cheese with a side of bacon, a few bits of gourmet cheeses and steamed broccoli. Once again, we were thrilled with an excellent meal and good service.

I reached out to touch these beautiful orchids in the lobby to ensure they were real.  They were.

The total bill for breakfast was IDR 242,000, US $18.30 including tax and gratuity. Having prepaid the hotel for our reservation at time of booking all we had to cover was the cost for the two meals at a total of IDR 986,150, US $69.30.

The hotel’s public areas are tastefully decorated.

With plenty of Indonesian rupiah remaining, this morning after breakfast I visited the desk to pay the balance in cash and confirm our free shuttle to the airport at 11:45 am. 

The king sized bed is comfortable with fluffy pillows and quality bedding.

Although we’ll be back in a few months, there is no point in carrying rupiahs to other countries.  We have enough rupiah remaining to pay for beverages at the airport during the wait for the flight. 

The bathroom is well appointed and designed with upscale soaps and lotions.

Tomorrow’s post may not be available until approximately six hours later than usual since we’ll be leaving our hotel by 8:30 am on our way to the Vietnam Embassy to apply for the first of three visas.  However, if we find we have time tonight it will appear at our usual time. Please check back! See you soon!

Photo from one year ago today, June 28, 2015:

This was one of our favorite spots located on William Esplanade in Palm Cove Beach in Australia. The vivid colors reminded us of the village in Placencia, Belize from so long ago. For more details, please click here.

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.