Tuesday 31st March – Goodbye Hong Kong
Walked to a McCafe in Causeway Bay to avoid paying £10/hr for internet. Then caught ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui and followed walk in guidebook, through jade market and northwards via street markets to Mong Kok and the goldfish market. Hundreds of tiny exotic pet fish hung up in polythene bags inn the open fronted shops.
Caught the underground mass transit system back to the waterfront and tried Dim Sum somewhat unsuccessfully, as what had looked like prawn balls turned out to be sesame seed coated rice balls with plum jam in the middle, which although quite nice, weren't really a great accompaniment to stir fried noodles.
The Hong Kong Art Gallery was patchy, the modern art was derivative, the contemporary art was so clever that we couldn't understand it. The ancient pottery though, was a delight, as was the exhibit of ancient gold articles.
Returned on the ferry to Wanchai, then caught a coach to the airport. The airport is very modern and well designed, but a disaster inside. You can buy diamonds from Cartier, but not a newspaper. It has entirely missed its market. We even incurred a 10% service charge at the bar on already overpriced drinks. These people are going to be in real trouble as the recession bites.
Writing this at the airport, sadly the last entry for this blog, but we have enjoyed our travels and are happy to be going home, pleased that the trip has gone so smoothly..
Thoughts on Hong Kong
I am afraid Christine is right. This place has lost its way. It used to be frenetic and cut-throat. It is now softer, flabbier and a shadow of its former self. I can only assume it is the effect of the change to communist government, and that the people who inspired the old regime and made it flourish must have moved on to places with less regulation. Perhaps it is significant that the newly reclaimed land between Central and Wanchai is going to be a park rather than more buildings. The skyscrapers are still here but the former spirit of the place isn't.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Hong Kong
Saturday 28th March continued – Hello Hong Kong
Comfortable flight with Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong. Watching 'Slumdog Millionaire' whilst flying over hundreds and hundreds of miles of jungle covered land. No settlements and just a few rivers and ridges breaking the monotonous vegetation.
Decided to take the bus from the new airport at Lantau Island to Hong Kong Island. It was dark and a bit rainy, but not cold. However the bus didn't quite follow the route we were anticipating and we were not sure where we were when the driver gestured to us to get off. It turned out to be next to Wanchai metro station, so we then set off in the direction of the hotel. The Saturday night streets in Wanchai were crowded with ex-pats overspilling from British pubs and clubs, and it was slow going manoeuvring the suitcases through the throng.
The Harbourview Hotel ( Harbourview International House – not to be confused with the Renaissance Harbour View just down the road) put us in a room on the 14th floor with a sort of angular floor to ceiling bay window overlooking Victoria Harbour. The view was magnificent with the tops of the skyscrapers lost in the clouds, the ferries scuttling across between the island and the mainland, and the lights of the magnificent harbour side towers reflected in the waters.
Sunday 29th March
After breakfast at a convenient DeliFrance, we walked eastwards to Causeway Bay via streets lined with bathroom and tap shops. Visited the Times Square mall and walked around the area until it woke up at about 11:00. Christine formed the opinion that Hong Kong is no longer the cheap place it used to be, electronics and clothes seem to be more expensive than in the UK.
Walked back westwards via the Hopewell Centre that I did the site investigation for in 1975. Then it wasn't even a hole in the ground, now it is a somewhat ageing cylindrical 70 storey tower, garishly lit at night and topped by a revolving restaurant.
Onward through the Admiralty and Central districts, picking our way through thousands of Filipino maids spending their day off picnicking in groups on the pavements, to the area around Hollywood Road. This was filled with antique/junk/curio shops where we browsed for ages. Mao Tse Tung would be glad to know his little red book is still being reprinted, there were large numbers of other reproduced articles, some such as Swiss watches with bullseye lenses were obvious, many were inscrutable and had no discernible purpose. Some of the antique jade and mammoth tusk carving in the finer shops was delectable and of course priceless.
Caught an old electric tram back. After we got on, the tram filled up completely with happy chattering maids. We were lucky to get off at the correct stop at Wanchai as we couldn't see where we were.
Tried to eat out locally in the evening. The whole area was seething with British, many in St George cross emblazoned fancy dress, due to an international rugby sevens match. Eventually ended up in a canteen style corner restaurant. Christine hadn't realised what Chinese cooks can do to fish and left most of it. Luckily I ordered pork which they are better at.
Monday 30th March
Took the tram to Central and then a whole series of covered travelators and increasingly steep escalators up to the mid-levels. Walked along to the Botanic Gardens which mainly housed aviaries and caged apes, including some very raucous gibbons. Then tried to keep the same altitude to find the Peak Tram, but the guide book was wrong and we had to descend quite a way to find the terminus.
Up the Peak Tram, a venerable cable car railway, to the upper terminus which had been rebuilt as a large, multi-storey steel clad anvil shaped construction with a viewing platform on top. It was hazy but bright and the view was spectacular. We had a snack lunch in a café next to a huge window looking out over the cityscape.
After descending, we walked to the Star Ferry terminal and boarded a ferry for Tsim Sha Tsui on the Kowloon side of the harbour. There is now a promenade there with magnificent views across to the island. We were stopped by a group of Chinese students conducting a survey on tourists' attitudes to Hong Kong food. Christine was very restrained in her response as despite her experience of the previous night, she didn't want to offend them.
Walked up Nathan Road, which has become far less seedy than I remember it, but still accosted by men wanting to sell copies of Rolex watches. Looked at cameras but they were more expensive than in the UK. Wandered around back street markets and then returned to the ferry terminal. Night had fallen and the lights of the skyscrapers on Hong Kong Island were reflecting across the harbour in a magnificent panorama.
This time, boarded a ferry to the Wanchai Conference centre which is close to the hotel, but after a Guinness in the pub, decided to walk another kilometre to a restaurant recommended in the guide book.
The Shing Thai in Causeway Bay was a canteen style eatery with formica tabletops, but the classic Thai food was excellent (and not Chinese). Caught the tram back to Wanchai and so to bed.
Tuesday 31st March – The final day of globe-trotting.
Comfortable flight with Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong. Watching 'Slumdog Millionaire' whilst flying over hundreds and hundreds of miles of jungle covered land. No settlements and just a few rivers and ridges breaking the monotonous vegetation.
Decided to take the bus from the new airport at Lantau Island to Hong Kong Island. It was dark and a bit rainy, but not cold. However the bus didn't quite follow the route we were anticipating and we were not sure where we were when the driver gestured to us to get off. It turned out to be next to Wanchai metro station, so we then set off in the direction of the hotel. The Saturday night streets in Wanchai were crowded with ex-pats overspilling from British pubs and clubs, and it was slow going manoeuvring the suitcases through the throng.
The Harbourview Hotel ( Harbourview International House – not to be confused with the Renaissance Harbour View just down the road) put us in a room on the 14th floor with a sort of angular floor to ceiling bay window overlooking Victoria Harbour. The view was magnificent with the tops of the skyscrapers lost in the clouds, the ferries scuttling across between the island and the mainland, and the lights of the magnificent harbour side towers reflected in the waters.
Sunday 29th March
After breakfast at a convenient DeliFrance, we walked eastwards to Causeway Bay via streets lined with bathroom and tap shops. Visited the Times Square mall and walked around the area until it woke up at about 11:00. Christine formed the opinion that Hong Kong is no longer the cheap place it used to be, electronics and clothes seem to be more expensive than in the UK.
Walked back westwards via the Hopewell Centre that I did the site investigation for in 1975. Then it wasn't even a hole in the ground, now it is a somewhat ageing cylindrical 70 storey tower, garishly lit at night and topped by a revolving restaurant.
Onward through the Admiralty and Central districts, picking our way through thousands of Filipino maids spending their day off picnicking in groups on the pavements, to the area around Hollywood Road. This was filled with antique/junk/curio shops where we browsed for ages. Mao Tse Tung would be glad to know his little red book is still being reprinted, there were large numbers of other reproduced articles, some such as Swiss watches with bullseye lenses were obvious, many were inscrutable and had no discernible purpose. Some of the antique jade and mammoth tusk carving in the finer shops was delectable and of course priceless.
Caught an old electric tram back. After we got on, the tram filled up completely with happy chattering maids. We were lucky to get off at the correct stop at Wanchai as we couldn't see where we were.
Tried to eat out locally in the evening. The whole area was seething with British, many in St George cross emblazoned fancy dress, due to an international rugby sevens match. Eventually ended up in a canteen style corner restaurant. Christine hadn't realised what Chinese cooks can do to fish and left most of it. Luckily I ordered pork which they are better at.
Monday 30th March
Took the tram to Central and then a whole series of covered travelators and increasingly steep escalators up to the mid-levels. Walked along to the Botanic Gardens which mainly housed aviaries and caged apes, including some very raucous gibbons. Then tried to keep the same altitude to find the Peak Tram, but the guide book was wrong and we had to descend quite a way to find the terminus.
Up the Peak Tram, a venerable cable car railway, to the upper terminus which had been rebuilt as a large, multi-storey steel clad anvil shaped construction with a viewing platform on top. It was hazy but bright and the view was spectacular. We had a snack lunch in a café next to a huge window looking out over the cityscape.
After descending, we walked to the Star Ferry terminal and boarded a ferry for Tsim Sha Tsui on the Kowloon side of the harbour. There is now a promenade there with magnificent views across to the island. We were stopped by a group of Chinese students conducting a survey on tourists' attitudes to Hong Kong food. Christine was very restrained in her response as despite her experience of the previous night, she didn't want to offend them.
Walked up Nathan Road, which has become far less seedy than I remember it, but still accosted by men wanting to sell copies of Rolex watches. Looked at cameras but they were more expensive than in the UK. Wandered around back street markets and then returned to the ferry terminal. Night had fallen and the lights of the skyscrapers on Hong Kong Island were reflecting across the harbour in a magnificent panorama.
This time, boarded a ferry to the Wanchai Conference centre which is close to the hotel, but after a Guinness in the pub, decided to walk another kilometre to a restaurant recommended in the guide book.
The Shing Thai in Causeway Bay was a canteen style eatery with formica tabletops, but the classic Thai food was excellent (and not Chinese). Caught the tram back to Wanchai and so to bed.
Tuesday 31st March – The final day of globe-trotting.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Goodbye Bali
Friday 27th March
We were both really upset by yesterday's events. It is the first time in our lives where our liberty has been curtailed by religion, and we were surprised how strongly we felt about it. It wasn't that we were mistreated or in any way made uncomfortable, it was the principle that we were not free to travel, even to the adjacent beach, which angered and alienated us.
Perhaps though it explains how the anti-communist pogrom, which was so violent here, could be reconciled with the polite, eager to please, apparently laid-back inhabitants. What was revealed yesterday was that beneath the smiles is something akin to an underlying authoritarian theocracy. An institution which has the power to police what is effectively a religious curfew using black clad men wielding large sticks.
We couldn't enjoy the day and realised that it was because we could not condone a system which could treat our rights so disrespectfully. A wasted day, except it taught us that however charming a place may be, if you are foreign to the society you may be treated in ways you do not understand.
Last night's supper was a farce. We. were guided to a restaurant in the grounds by torchlight. As most lights in the hotel were turned off as it was against the religious principles of the day to use artificial light, a high percentage of orders were being sent back as either wrong or inedible because although the cooking staff were doing their best to prepare the food in the inadequately lit kitchen, they couldn't see what they were doing.
Spent the morning snorkelling although a thunderstorm last night had left the water quite turbid.
Walked along the beach promenade in the afternoon. The tide was very low and people were wading in the lagoon or in small outrigger canoes, dotted across the surface right up to the reef, fishing in the low water.
Saturday 28th March – Goodbye Bali
Final swim in the sea, then onwards to the final part of our global tour.
We were both really upset by yesterday's events. It is the first time in our lives where our liberty has been curtailed by religion, and we were surprised how strongly we felt about it. It wasn't that we were mistreated or in any way made uncomfortable, it was the principle that we were not free to travel, even to the adjacent beach, which angered and alienated us.
Perhaps though it explains how the anti-communist pogrom, which was so violent here, could be reconciled with the polite, eager to please, apparently laid-back inhabitants. What was revealed yesterday was that beneath the smiles is something akin to an underlying authoritarian theocracy. An institution which has the power to police what is effectively a religious curfew using black clad men wielding large sticks.
We couldn't enjoy the day and realised that it was because we could not condone a system which could treat our rights so disrespectfully. A wasted day, except it taught us that however charming a place may be, if you are foreign to the society you may be treated in ways you do not understand.
Last night's supper was a farce. We. were guided to a restaurant in the grounds by torchlight. As most lights in the hotel were turned off as it was against the religious principles of the day to use artificial light, a high percentage of orders were being sent back as either wrong or inedible because although the cooking staff were doing their best to prepare the food in the inadequately lit kitchen, they couldn't see what they were doing.
Spent the morning snorkelling although a thunderstorm last night had left the water quite turbid.
Walked along the beach promenade in the afternoon. The tide was very low and people were wading in the lagoon or in small outrigger canoes, dotted across the surface right up to the reef, fishing in the low water.
Saturday 28th March – Goodbye Bali
Final swim in the sea, then onwards to the final part of our global tour.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Sanur Beach - Prisoners of Nyepi
Tuesday 24th March – Sanur Beach
Breakfast at the hotel is a n impressive affair with a great selection of foods of various nationalities and eggs fried or made into omelettes on the spot in front of you by very deft ladies.
Snorkelled for most of morning, watching various fish, starfish etc. Was fascinated to find that the beach is oolitic. As well as coral and shell sand are spherules of calcium carbonate about 2mm diameter caused by precipitation from saturated solution in this evaporation enriched lagoon behind the barrier reef.
The tide was low in the afternoon and after lunch when we did get into the sea it was too turbid and the sun was too low.
Walked to Lumut restaurant almost opposite the Bali Hyatt as recommended in guide book, more competent cuisine than seems normal on Bali. Tried Arak, their rice wine, which is very smooth, dry and goes down well after a few Bintang lagers.
Wednesday 25th March
Snorkelling in the morning we saw what looked like a black ball about half a metre in diameter in the shallows. It turned out to be a shoal of thousands of tightly packed small black catfish. The fish at the leading edge of the shoal burrowed their mouths into the sandy sea bed, then the next wave of fish swam over them to repeat the activity and so the shoal progressed parallel to the beach. I assume this behaviour had evolved as it gave the appearance of a single very large creature to any prospective predator. Above them swam a number of yellow-tails presumably feeding off fragments of food disturbed from the sand by the catfish below.
We have been warned that tomorrow is Nyepi day, Hindu New Year. The whole island closes down. No traffic, no flights, no work, no lights and no entertainment. The Hindus are supposed to spend the day contemplating God. I wonder if God spends the day contemplating Hindus.
Thursday 26th March – Nyepi
I can't believe it. Not only can't we leave the hotel but they have cordoned off the beach too. Apparently it is OK to swim in the pool, but disrespectful to swim in the sea.
I don't mind being trapped in a hotel by storms or floods, but it is extremely galling to be confined by superstition. The Lonely Planet guide mentions on page 856 that businesses shut for the day, but had we realised the extent of the disruption, I think we would have brought forward our travel to Hong Kong to miss it.
It is an insidious entrapment, we don't want to cause offence to these very nice people, but we are effectively being held prisoner by their quaint beliefs.
Breakfast at the hotel is a n impressive affair with a great selection of foods of various nationalities and eggs fried or made into omelettes on the spot in front of you by very deft ladies.
Snorkelled for most of morning, watching various fish, starfish etc. Was fascinated to find that the beach is oolitic. As well as coral and shell sand are spherules of calcium carbonate about 2mm diameter caused by precipitation from saturated solution in this evaporation enriched lagoon behind the barrier reef.
The tide was low in the afternoon and after lunch when we did get into the sea it was too turbid and the sun was too low.
Walked to Lumut restaurant almost opposite the Bali Hyatt as recommended in guide book, more competent cuisine than seems normal on Bali. Tried Arak, their rice wine, which is very smooth, dry and goes down well after a few Bintang lagers.
Wednesday 25th March
Snorkelling in the morning we saw what looked like a black ball about half a metre in diameter in the shallows. It turned out to be a shoal of thousands of tightly packed small black catfish. The fish at the leading edge of the shoal burrowed their mouths into the sandy sea bed, then the next wave of fish swam over them to repeat the activity and so the shoal progressed parallel to the beach. I assume this behaviour had evolved as it gave the appearance of a single very large creature to any prospective predator. Above them swam a number of yellow-tails presumably feeding off fragments of food disturbed from the sand by the catfish below.
We have been warned that tomorrow is Nyepi day, Hindu New Year. The whole island closes down. No traffic, no flights, no work, no lights and no entertainment. The Hindus are supposed to spend the day contemplating God. I wonder if God spends the day contemplating Hindus.
Thursday 26th March – Nyepi
I can't believe it. Not only can't we leave the hotel but they have cordoned off the beach too. Apparently it is OK to swim in the pool, but disrespectful to swim in the sea.
I don't mind being trapped in a hotel by storms or floods, but it is extremely galling to be confined by superstition. The Lonely Planet guide mentions on page 856 that businesses shut for the day, but had we realised the extent of the disruption, I think we would have brought forward our travel to Hong Kong to miss it.
It is an insidious entrapment, we don't want to cause offence to these very nice people, but we are effectively being held prisoner by their quaint beliefs.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Hello Bali
Friday 20th March – Hello Bali
After lunch at Darwin airport, Jetstar decided to feed us on the flight to Bali, so we had supper as well. The link between Jetstar and Qantas seems to be inconsistent. However we took off into the sunset and landed at Denpassar inthe dark.
We discovered that the landing time given in our schedule was actually an hour later than when we arrived and there was an anxious time when no-one met us. Luckily I had the telephone number of the hotel and although my mobile again claimed the number was unrecognised ( it only seems to work about every third call), the information desk at the airport rang through and soon the welcome sight of my name on a placard held by an apologetic driver appeared.
The drive to Ubud was interesting after the soporific traffic of Australia. Motorbikes, scooters, cars and vans all vied with the occasional dog and pedestrian for possession of the road. Many of the roads were one way for cars but two way for motorbikes which was confusing. Mostly it didn't seem to matter which (if any) side of the road you drove on, as long as oncoming traffic could pass on the right
The hotel, Alam Indah, is charming. Perched on the side of a jungle filled ravine, it consists of a series of traditional Balinese dwellings terraced into the hillside. There are only 12 rooms with deeply carved doors, stone facades and private terraces. The buildings are up to three storeys high beneath a thatched roof. Set well back from the road, it is tranquil place with shrines to various gods at every corner. Offerings of flowers and incense in small woven palm leaf baskets are placed in the shrines daily, and also scattered on the ground to propitiate evil spirits.
Saturday 21st March
After a delightful breakfast, spent the morning around the swimming pool. The temperature must be in the 30s, and the stone edged pool is beautifully cool. Within the stone walls surrounding the terraces are carved animal reflecting the animist nature of the Hindu religion here.
Walked through the nearby Monkey Forest Sanctuary to Ubud village. The Monkey Forest teems with grey macaques which tried to steal my water bottle, and by the litter around had obviously had previous success with both water bottles and cameras. The temples in the forest could be part of an Indiana Jones movie set. As we explored one temple, a huge reptile well over a metre long splashed its way along the adjacent stream bed and darted out of sight between some rocks. We were assured that despite its appearance it wasn't a crocodile, just a large monitor lizard. I can see why the people here believe in dragons.
We reached the centre of the village past rows of art galleries, clothing shops and restaurants. The market was open and there were throngs of people. After a local beer, we asked the restaurant to phone the hotel who sent a driver to take us back. The Alam Indah has a complimentary on-demand shuttle service to and from the village running until 22:00.
Back for afternoon tea on the terrace and a rest, then shuttle back to the centre of Ubud to the Royal Palace for a performance of a traditional Balinese Legong dance. With night haven fallen and the temperature now about 25, the courtyard of the palace fills with people around a stage set in front of a magnificent entrance with gold doors and oil lights on the tiers of carved stonework above. Either side, the musicians in uniform costume beat out the rhythms on highly decorated xylophone like instruments with what look like geological hammers. Add a couple of wooden flutes, several drummers and some impressively large bronze gongs and you can produce an amazing amount of sound without any need for electronic amplification.
The dance lasted without interruption for an hour and a half, performed by slight Balinese ladies in traditional costume, a handsome prince and a masked ogre. The ladies kept an impassive face whilst they danced, but their eyes darted from side to side to express emotion. Each dancer, or group of dancers, would appear at the entrance, descend the steps in a stilted fashion, perform a dance and then retire in similar manner. There was a story to it, but as everything was so stylised it was better to ignore it and just enjoy the spectacle.
We ate at a posh restaurant, the Cafe Lotus where the tables looked out over a lily pond to a temple entrance and the massive bill came to just over 300,000 rupiah (about £18.60) .
Sunday 22nd March
Decided to centre ourselves at Sanur for the remainder of the stay and the hotel let us use their internet connection to book a hotel and arranged a car to take us.
Walked to Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA), an art gallery spread over several buildings in a compound. There were traditional as well as modern paintings, including some striking surrealist perspectives by Walter Spies. A cup of tea was included in the admission price which was welcome as it was hot, even in the tea pavilion.
Walked back to the hotel for a light lunch and a swim. In the evening the hotel minibus took us to the performance of three dances at the Padang Tengal dance stage, a roughly tarmacked arena in front of a temple.
The Kekac dance consisted of an extract from the Ramayana with the musical accompaniment provided by about 150 men wearing only black and white checked skirts. They sat on the ground in a circle, three or four deep, around a central candelabra like structure of oil lamps, waving their hands and chanting “chak chak chak chak” rhythmically in time with calls and yelps. Traditionally dressed Balinese dance girls moved angularly in the centre, with appearances of masked characters from the temple behind and the story sung in Indonesian by a narrator during gaps in the chanting. The effect was often hilarious and both performers and spectators were obviously having a good time.
The second dance was a trance dance performed by two young girls with a chorus of ladies squatting on the ground behind, flanked by some of the men from the previous dance. The girls danced with their eyes shut then symbolically collapsed to the ground. Finally a shaman sprinkled them with holy water and the dance ended. The mood of this dance was more sombre, apparently it is a ritual to rid the village of evil spirits.
The third dance was preceded by removing the oil lamps and tipping a heap of dried coconut shells in the centre of the arena. These were then soaked in kerosene and set on fire. A dancer with a Balinese version of a hobby horse pranced around, kicking the blazing embers towards the encircled audience amidst smoke, spectacular showers of sparks and general consternation. Western health and safety officials would have loved it. I had to repeatedly kick burning coconut shells away from where they came to rest against my plastic chair leg. Men with brooms then brushed the embers back into the centre so the scattering could be repeated several times.
In all the dances lasted about an hour and a half and we ended the evening with probably the best presented meal of the trip so far at the Ibu Rai restaurant on Monkey Forest Road.
Monday 23rd March
Left Ubud and were driven to the coast at Sanur, to the Sanur Beach Hotel. It is an enormous rambling 1980s affair, somewhat haphazard in design and construction, half a dozen separate buildings surrounding palm shaded gardens and swimming pools adjacent to the beach. What it lacks in charm is, however, outweighed by the friendliness of the staff and the painstaking attention to maintenance and service of what is a comfortable but somewhat tired establishment.
The beach is sandy, gently sloping and the water very quiet as the bay is protected by a barrier reef where the waves constantly break with a faint roar.
We tried snorkelling but the water was very shallow and filled with long sea grass. Amidst the grass we saw large starfish, a few small fish and some long green worm shaped segmented creatures with tentacles at one end which were scraping algae from the surface of the grass and eating it. They were up to a metre long. The grass had small stinging creatures in it though which caused a short lived rash.
Went shopping, returning along the sea front to enjoy a beer at sunset.
After lunch at Darwin airport, Jetstar decided to feed us on the flight to Bali, so we had supper as well. The link between Jetstar and Qantas seems to be inconsistent. However we took off into the sunset and landed at Denpassar inthe dark.
We discovered that the landing time given in our schedule was actually an hour later than when we arrived and there was an anxious time when no-one met us. Luckily I had the telephone number of the hotel and although my mobile again claimed the number was unrecognised ( it only seems to work about every third call), the information desk at the airport rang through and soon the welcome sight of my name on a placard held by an apologetic driver appeared.
The drive to Ubud was interesting after the soporific traffic of Australia. Motorbikes, scooters, cars and vans all vied with the occasional dog and pedestrian for possession of the road. Many of the roads were one way for cars but two way for motorbikes which was confusing. Mostly it didn't seem to matter which (if any) side of the road you drove on, as long as oncoming traffic could pass on the right
The hotel, Alam Indah, is charming. Perched on the side of a jungle filled ravine, it consists of a series of traditional Balinese dwellings terraced into the hillside. There are only 12 rooms with deeply carved doors, stone facades and private terraces. The buildings are up to three storeys high beneath a thatched roof. Set well back from the road, it is tranquil place with shrines to various gods at every corner. Offerings of flowers and incense in small woven palm leaf baskets are placed in the shrines daily, and also scattered on the ground to propitiate evil spirits.
Saturday 21st March
After a delightful breakfast, spent the morning around the swimming pool. The temperature must be in the 30s, and the stone edged pool is beautifully cool. Within the stone walls surrounding the terraces are carved animal reflecting the animist nature of the Hindu religion here.
Walked through the nearby Monkey Forest Sanctuary to Ubud village. The Monkey Forest teems with grey macaques which tried to steal my water bottle, and by the litter around had obviously had previous success with both water bottles and cameras. The temples in the forest could be part of an Indiana Jones movie set. As we explored one temple, a huge reptile well over a metre long splashed its way along the adjacent stream bed and darted out of sight between some rocks. We were assured that despite its appearance it wasn't a crocodile, just a large monitor lizard. I can see why the people here believe in dragons.
We reached the centre of the village past rows of art galleries, clothing shops and restaurants. The market was open and there were throngs of people. After a local beer, we asked the restaurant to phone the hotel who sent a driver to take us back. The Alam Indah has a complimentary on-demand shuttle service to and from the village running until 22:00.
Back for afternoon tea on the terrace and a rest, then shuttle back to the centre of Ubud to the Royal Palace for a performance of a traditional Balinese Legong dance. With night haven fallen and the temperature now about 25, the courtyard of the palace fills with people around a stage set in front of a magnificent entrance with gold doors and oil lights on the tiers of carved stonework above. Either side, the musicians in uniform costume beat out the rhythms on highly decorated xylophone like instruments with what look like geological hammers. Add a couple of wooden flutes, several drummers and some impressively large bronze gongs and you can produce an amazing amount of sound without any need for electronic amplification.
The dance lasted without interruption for an hour and a half, performed by slight Balinese ladies in traditional costume, a handsome prince and a masked ogre. The ladies kept an impassive face whilst they danced, but their eyes darted from side to side to express emotion. Each dancer, or group of dancers, would appear at the entrance, descend the steps in a stilted fashion, perform a dance and then retire in similar manner. There was a story to it, but as everything was so stylised it was better to ignore it and just enjoy the spectacle.
We ate at a posh restaurant, the Cafe Lotus where the tables looked out over a lily pond to a temple entrance and the massive bill came to just over 300,000 rupiah (about £18.60) .
Sunday 22nd March
Decided to centre ourselves at Sanur for the remainder of the stay and the hotel let us use their internet connection to book a hotel and arranged a car to take us.
Walked to Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA), an art gallery spread over several buildings in a compound. There were traditional as well as modern paintings, including some striking surrealist perspectives by Walter Spies. A cup of tea was included in the admission price which was welcome as it was hot, even in the tea pavilion.
Walked back to the hotel for a light lunch and a swim. In the evening the hotel minibus took us to the performance of three dances at the Padang Tengal dance stage, a roughly tarmacked arena in front of a temple.
The Kekac dance consisted of an extract from the Ramayana with the musical accompaniment provided by about 150 men wearing only black and white checked skirts. They sat on the ground in a circle, three or four deep, around a central candelabra like structure of oil lamps, waving their hands and chanting “chak chak chak chak” rhythmically in time with calls and yelps. Traditionally dressed Balinese dance girls moved angularly in the centre, with appearances of masked characters from the temple behind and the story sung in Indonesian by a narrator during gaps in the chanting. The effect was often hilarious and both performers and spectators were obviously having a good time.
The second dance was a trance dance performed by two young girls with a chorus of ladies squatting on the ground behind, flanked by some of the men from the previous dance. The girls danced with their eyes shut then symbolically collapsed to the ground. Finally a shaman sprinkled them with holy water and the dance ended. The mood of this dance was more sombre, apparently it is a ritual to rid the village of evil spirits.
The third dance was preceded by removing the oil lamps and tipping a heap of dried coconut shells in the centre of the arena. These were then soaked in kerosene and set on fire. A dancer with a Balinese version of a hobby horse pranced around, kicking the blazing embers towards the encircled audience amidst smoke, spectacular showers of sparks and general consternation. Western health and safety officials would have loved it. I had to repeatedly kick burning coconut shells away from where they came to rest against my plastic chair leg. Men with brooms then brushed the embers back into the centre so the scattering could be repeated several times.
In all the dances lasted about an hour and a half and we ended the evening with probably the best presented meal of the trip so far at the Ibu Rai restaurant on Monkey Forest Road.
Monday 23rd March
Left Ubud and were driven to the coast at Sanur, to the Sanur Beach Hotel. It is an enormous rambling 1980s affair, somewhat haphazard in design and construction, half a dozen separate buildings surrounding palm shaded gardens and swimming pools adjacent to the beach. What it lacks in charm is, however, outweighed by the friendliness of the staff and the painstaking attention to maintenance and service of what is a comfortable but somewhat tired establishment.
The beach is sandy, gently sloping and the water very quiet as the bay is protected by a barrier reef where the waves constantly break with a faint roar.
We tried snorkelling but the water was very shallow and filled with long sea grass. Amidst the grass we saw large starfish, a few small fish and some long green worm shaped segmented creatures with tentacles at one end which were scraping algae from the surface of the grass and eating it. They were up to a metre long. The grass had small stinging creatures in it though which caused a short lived rash.
Went shopping, returning along the sea front to enjoy a beer at sunset.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Goodbye Australia
Friday 20th March – Goodbye Australia
Left Hervey Bay just before 06:00 and drove south-westwards, joining the Bruce highway at Maryborough. The drive was slow due to speed restrictions until the road became motorway close to Noosa and the speed limit increased to 110 km/hr. Dropped car off at the airport at 10:00 after a big Aussie breakfast in the Coolabah Cafe at the nearby service station.
Superb flight to Darwin over outback and then the Gulf of Carpentaria. Darwin airport has free internet access so I can get up to date whilst waiting for the flight to Bali!
Notes on a Large Island
Aussie Speak
In Australia, they seem to be using English in an idiomatic fashion. Someone will tell you a fact, then invite you to wonder at it. For example the statement ' These trees are 30m tall.' may be followed by the question 'Isn't that amazing?', or 'This lake is 80,000 years old.' by the question 'Can you imagine that?'. The standard reply in most cases is 'Awesome!'. Conversations are thus carried out as a series of interposed statements and questions, inviting short appreciative responses. This fits in well with the cadence of the speech where phrases tend to be delivered with a rising pitch towards the end.
Possibly in an immigrant country where English is frequently not the first language, this form of speech allows the speaker to frequently monitor whether the respondent is actually understanding the information being imparted, similar to the use of 'innit?' or 'OK?' in some vernacular English dialects.
Questions are also used as introductions, so you are frequently asked ' How are you today?' by way of opening a conversation.
Inanimate objects are often imbued with personality, so I've heard ' A truck has decided to off-load its contents on the motorway' and ' Our submersible decided to go walk-about during the cyclone'.
Names are often abbreviated to end in 'y'. So Rockhampton is referred to as 'Rocky', Tasmania is 'Tazzy' and Bundaberg is 'Bundy'. I have no idea what 'Sydney' is the contacted form of.
Aussies.
From the media, I was expecting to meet Australians who were beer swilling, drunken, loud, opinionated and boorish. What I found was that those attributes seem to be confined to a few professional football players whilst the vast majority of the population are sober, happy, friendly, well educated, polite and charming people with a natural exuberance and inquisitiveness.
Aussie Driving
Australia is big. Everywhere is quite a distance away and you need to allow a lot of time for travel. The roads are like the UK in the 1960s. Speed limits are low, and because of urban sprawl along ribbon developments, speed restrictions make long distance driving extremely tedious in populated regions. Most accidents seem to be caused by drivers falling asleep and I think the soporific nature of the driving conditions is mostly to blame. Motorways are more like main roads. Bypasses are infrequent and where they do exist are likely to be restricted to similar speeds as driving through the town centre, and may actually take longer to drive round. Main roads tend to be single carriageway, one lane each way, with an additional passing lane every 5km or so. Petrol stations are infrequent and even on main routes may be over 50km apart, so it is important to refill more often than normal in order to maintain a range of at least 100km.
Hire cars are restricted to sealed roads, so you need to check on a map to make sure the road to your destination is metalled.
Left Hervey Bay just before 06:00 and drove south-westwards, joining the Bruce highway at Maryborough. The drive was slow due to speed restrictions until the road became motorway close to Noosa and the speed limit increased to 110 km/hr. Dropped car off at the airport at 10:00 after a big Aussie breakfast in the Coolabah Cafe at the nearby service station.
Superb flight to Darwin over outback and then the Gulf of Carpentaria. Darwin airport has free internet access so I can get up to date whilst waiting for the flight to Bali!
Notes on a Large Island
Aussie Speak
In Australia, they seem to be using English in an idiomatic fashion. Someone will tell you a fact, then invite you to wonder at it. For example the statement ' These trees are 30m tall.' may be followed by the question 'Isn't that amazing?', or 'This lake is 80,000 years old.' by the question 'Can you imagine that?'. The standard reply in most cases is 'Awesome!'. Conversations are thus carried out as a series of interposed statements and questions, inviting short appreciative responses. This fits in well with the cadence of the speech where phrases tend to be delivered with a rising pitch towards the end.
Possibly in an immigrant country where English is frequently not the first language, this form of speech allows the speaker to frequently monitor whether the respondent is actually understanding the information being imparted, similar to the use of 'innit?' or 'OK?' in some vernacular English dialects.
Questions are also used as introductions, so you are frequently asked ' How are you today?' by way of opening a conversation.
Inanimate objects are often imbued with personality, so I've heard ' A truck has decided to off-load its contents on the motorway' and ' Our submersible decided to go walk-about during the cyclone'.
Names are often abbreviated to end in 'y'. So Rockhampton is referred to as 'Rocky', Tasmania is 'Tazzy' and Bundaberg is 'Bundy'. I have no idea what 'Sydney' is the contacted form of.
Aussies.
From the media, I was expecting to meet Australians who were beer swilling, drunken, loud, opinionated and boorish. What I found was that those attributes seem to be confined to a few professional football players whilst the vast majority of the population are sober, happy, friendly, well educated, polite and charming people with a natural exuberance and inquisitiveness.
Aussie Driving
Australia is big. Everywhere is quite a distance away and you need to allow a lot of time for travel. The roads are like the UK in the 1960s. Speed limits are low, and because of urban sprawl along ribbon developments, speed restrictions make long distance driving extremely tedious in populated regions. Most accidents seem to be caused by drivers falling asleep and I think the soporific nature of the driving conditions is mostly to blame. Motorways are more like main roads. Bypasses are infrequent and where they do exist are likely to be restricted to similar speeds as driving through the town centre, and may actually take longer to drive round. Main roads tend to be single carriageway, one lane each way, with an additional passing lane every 5km or so. Petrol stations are infrequent and even on main routes may be over 50km apart, so it is important to refill more often than normal in order to maintain a range of at least 100km.
Hire cars are restricted to sealed roads, so you need to check on a map to make sure the road to your destination is metalled.
Fraser Island
Tuesday 17th March – Emily's Birthday
Happy Birthday Emily. Sorry we missed your birthday. We were driving from Agnes Water to Hervey Bay, just a couple of hundred kilometres southwards. The weather was beautiful as we drove through pasture, sugar cane fields and groves of macadamia trees.
The information site at Hervey Bay recommended Lisianna holiday apartments right on the sea front, with a balcony on which I write this looking across the beach road to the safe, sandy beach. With the aid of the helpful owner of the comfortable apartments, we booked for a two day excursion to Frazer Island. The tour company will come to pick us up at 07:15 tomorrow and we will spend tomorrow night in a tent on the island. We leave the rental car here ( only 4WD roads on the island) and return for Thursday night. That will mean a very early 06:00 start to travel to Brisbane Airport on Friday morning, but we will return too late to travel on Thursday as night falls rapidly at about 18:30.
Spent the afternoon on the beach, swimming and snorkelling. As the tide fell, I discovered a small coral reef about 100m offshore. Nothing in comparison with the Great Barrier Reef, but there were several varieties of coral and fish. I've named it 'Emily's Reef' in honour of Emily's birthday, although being only a few metres across and perhaps 200mm above the surrounding sea bed level, I doubt it will make an appearance on any nautical charts of the bay. It's about 50m northeast of the seaward end of the pier.
Wednesday 18th March – Fraser Island
Picked up at 07:15 by what we mistook from the front to be a big green refuse truck, but turned out to be a 4WD 24 seater coach. Picking up a further 6 people, we crossed from Riverheads on the 09:00 barge to Fraser Island.
The bus was driven by Fritz, an exuberant Austrian Australian. We drove to Lake Birrabeen and swam in the white sand fringed perched dune lake, a hundred metres or so above sea level and with acidic water with a pH of 4.8. Then to Central Station for a quick walk through the rain forest, and on to the east coast. We drove up the beach to Happy Valley for a great buffet lunch, then northwards up the beach via various cliffs of coloured sand.
The cyclone had eroded a lot of sand from the beach, exposing 'coffee rock', a sediment where a lot of organic matter was mixed with the sand. (This formed the aquiclude under the perched dune lakes.) As we negotiated one outcrop, the bus rolled and the window next to Christine collided with a pandanus tree which had been brought down by the cyclone. The glass shattered, showering her with small shards of glass, but she was unhurt if a little shaken. We changed seats and for the rest of the trip she kindly let me have the window seat.
At about 17:00 we reached the camp at Cathedral Beach after visiting the historic Maheno ship wreck. The camp comprised permanent tents with wooden floors and a large communal tent with cooking facilities. To my surprise, Fritz turned out to be a man of many talents, one of which was cooking. Preceding the meal he cooked a taster dish of kangaroo which tasted similar to beef.
Thursday 19th March – Fraser Island
Awoke to heavy rain, but after a good breakfast, drove northwards up the beach to Indian Head, which turned out to be a porphyritic rhyolite headland. A sea eagle soared above and ospreys were perched in the pandanus trees.
Fritz preferred to call rain 'liquid sunshine'.
Then back southwards down the beach to walk to Lake Wabby, dammed by a moving sand dune called the Hammerhead Blow. We swam with large catfish, then walked south-eastwards for a couple of kilometres to where Fritz was waiting for us with the bus. Then to Central Station for a good lunch under cover as it was raining lightly. We then walked for a couple kilometres through the rain forest by a stream where we saw a catfish and an eel. Then it was time to rejoin the bus, return to the mainland on the barge, and back to the apartments.
It was an interesting trip despite the disappointing weather. Fritz was a great guide with a wide range of cultural, geological and botanical knowledge which he was enthusiastic in passing on to us.
Happy Birthday Emily. Sorry we missed your birthday. We were driving from Agnes Water to Hervey Bay, just a couple of hundred kilometres southwards. The weather was beautiful as we drove through pasture, sugar cane fields and groves of macadamia trees.
The information site at Hervey Bay recommended Lisianna holiday apartments right on the sea front, with a balcony on which I write this looking across the beach road to the safe, sandy beach. With the aid of the helpful owner of the comfortable apartments, we booked for a two day excursion to Frazer Island. The tour company will come to pick us up at 07:15 tomorrow and we will spend tomorrow night in a tent on the island. We leave the rental car here ( only 4WD roads on the island) and return for Thursday night. That will mean a very early 06:00 start to travel to Brisbane Airport on Friday morning, but we will return too late to travel on Thursday as night falls rapidly at about 18:30.
Spent the afternoon on the beach, swimming and snorkelling. As the tide fell, I discovered a small coral reef about 100m offshore. Nothing in comparison with the Great Barrier Reef, but there were several varieties of coral and fish. I've named it 'Emily's Reef' in honour of Emily's birthday, although being only a few metres across and perhaps 200mm above the surrounding sea bed level, I doubt it will make an appearance on any nautical charts of the bay. It's about 50m northeast of the seaward end of the pier.
Wednesday 18th March – Fraser Island
Picked up at 07:15 by what we mistook from the front to be a big green refuse truck, but turned out to be a 4WD 24 seater coach. Picking up a further 6 people, we crossed from Riverheads on the 09:00 barge to Fraser Island.
The bus was driven by Fritz, an exuberant Austrian Australian. We drove to Lake Birrabeen and swam in the white sand fringed perched dune lake, a hundred metres or so above sea level and with acidic water with a pH of 4.8. Then to Central Station for a quick walk through the rain forest, and on to the east coast. We drove up the beach to Happy Valley for a great buffet lunch, then northwards up the beach via various cliffs of coloured sand.
The cyclone had eroded a lot of sand from the beach, exposing 'coffee rock', a sediment where a lot of organic matter was mixed with the sand. (This formed the aquiclude under the perched dune lakes.) As we negotiated one outcrop, the bus rolled and the window next to Christine collided with a pandanus tree which had been brought down by the cyclone. The glass shattered, showering her with small shards of glass, but she was unhurt if a little shaken. We changed seats and for the rest of the trip she kindly let me have the window seat.
At about 17:00 we reached the camp at Cathedral Beach after visiting the historic Maheno ship wreck. The camp comprised permanent tents with wooden floors and a large communal tent with cooking facilities. To my surprise, Fritz turned out to be a man of many talents, one of which was cooking. Preceding the meal he cooked a taster dish of kangaroo which tasted similar to beef.
Thursday 19th March – Fraser Island
Awoke to heavy rain, but after a good breakfast, drove northwards up the beach to Indian Head, which turned out to be a porphyritic rhyolite headland. A sea eagle soared above and ospreys were perched in the pandanus trees.
Fritz preferred to call rain 'liquid sunshine'.
Then back southwards down the beach to walk to Lake Wabby, dammed by a moving sand dune called the Hammerhead Blow. We swam with large catfish, then walked south-eastwards for a couple of kilometres to where Fritz was waiting for us with the bus. Then to Central Station for a good lunch under cover as it was raining lightly. We then walked for a couple kilometres through the rain forest by a stream where we saw a catfish and an eel. Then it was time to rejoin the bus, return to the mainland on the barge, and back to the apartments.
It was an interesting trip despite the disappointing weather. Fritz was a great guide with a wide range of cultural, geological and botanical knowledge which he was enthusiastic in passing on to us.
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