MOVING TO UBUD AND RICE PADDY VISTA

Our drive to Ubud took us through much of the same commercial properties but soon we were out into the rural part of the countryside.  The streets are all very narrow and so crowded with mopeds and motorcycles. Our first stop was to go to the rice patty vista.  On our way into the town we were halted by a scene that we were very fortunate to see.  The Barong was making his way down the street.  Our guides were very excited that we would be seeing this.  It occurs randomly on a Sunday when the children are out of school.  Similarly as our Dragon Dancers in Chinatown, teenage boys belong to a club that is the Barong Procession.  The purpose of the Barong is to ward off evil spirits in the town.  What a delightful tradition we were able to witness. 

At the top of the street we were taken to see a good view of the rice patty terraces.  My goodness – what a beautiful site it was. More fit people than our tour, went all the way down into the rice patties and part way up the other side.  My view was fine for me.  The terraced rice patties are so incredibly beautiful and a site I didn’t expect to see here.  Having only seen rice being grown at sea level in water, this is a wonder how they can get the water up into the hills. Tomorrow we will go on a rice patty walk – so I’m sure all my questions will be answered there.

On the way back we stopped at the studio of Jon StuartAnderson – a fimo polymer clay artist.  He is American by birth but has been living in Ubud for 20 years.  His talents are truly amazing.  His pieces are of museum quality and we were treated to a demonstration of how he creates his masterpieces.  10 years ago he was unfortunate to have developed Japanese Encephalitis.  Given this obvious disabling illness, and the toll that working with polymer clay has on his hands, it was wonderful to see that he is still able to continue with his artwork and create his masterpieces.  

From this size ......

....to this size a bit larger than a Twonie

Beautifully intricate patterns.

Driving back to the hotel, we had a brief break – time enough for cassava chips and beer.  Deb had her gin and tonic and Linda joined in.  Then it was on to dinner at Siam Sally’s – walkable Indonesian restaurant.  We no sooner got seated when the power went out.  However, all the kitchens cook with propane – so no fear – we would get our meal.  The staff was very inventive using cel phones and small flash lights we were able to order our meal and eat in the ambiance of candles and LED.  I had a meal of Cashew Chili Chicken – with no spice (i.e., no chilies) served on plain rice.  Well the plain rice was perfect – however the no spice cashew chicken was too spicy for me – go figure….sigh*  Our tour was very happy with the food saying how tasty and delicious.  I am not surprised that I will have some difficulty with the food here, but truly there are enough choices and western options that I will be fine. 

After dinner and back at the hotel it was straight to bed and it is only 9:30 between the heat, humidity and our activities – all of us are in bed early which is wrecking havoc with my entries.  However – most of our evenings from now on are free and travel days are over so I have some time to catch up!

SHOPPING AND DINNER WITH NEW FRIENDS

There was a beautiful breakfast buffet this morning.  Everything you can imagine for most regions in the world.  They even have an espresso machine for making magnificent coffees.  What a great way to start the day. 

Welcome to Dewi Mas

After about 40 minutes we arrived at the shops we were interested in and OMG it was a feast for the eyes.  Rayon Batiks on one side more for clothing, and cotton batiks on the other – more for quilting.  We had such a great time even just looking but did not leave empty handed.  The prices are so good – however, the weight of the fabrics coming home will be limiting….oh well it will be fun – and if I arrive home without shoes, clothes and toiletries – I know I will have shopped til I dropped! 

Look at the rainbow cascading down the wall - Many of the batiks were patterned and they are made with special stamps and handmade dyes.  Rayyis was kind enough to show us the dies and the pattern that it made on the cloth.  This is only a small taste of what is to come.   

On the way back to the hotel we stopped at a huge clothing and trinket store.  We were able to pick up a few dresses each to wear while we are in Bali – it is too hot and sticky to wear capris and t-shirts.  The flowy dresses are necessary and so much more comfortable.  So a few rupias later and we were finally back at the hotel to cool off and get ready for the arrival of our friends and to meet the rest of the group. 

At 6:30 the staff escorted our group to our waiting table on the floating restaurant.  Approaching this beautifully set candle lit table with the sun setting in the background took your breath away.  We had delicious pizza and they had Pimm’s Cooler on the menu – so of course I ordered that.  It was delicious even had cucumber and an orange slice in it – how civilized.  Our group is varied and interesting and so far a good bunch.  We will have fun together!

HONG KONG TO PATRA JASA RESORT IN KUTA

We arrived at the airport in the middle of the afternoon, and in disembarking, the 88% humidity hit us like walking into a wall.  We were picked up by the hotel shuttle and taken to our hotel resort.  It is a beautiful setting and exactly what I was hoping for.  The fragrance is amazing.  Plumeria, frangiapani and other fragrant trees and bushes are everywhere.  Add the various strange and wonderful bird calls and relaxed and smiling people of Bali and well you get the idea...The resort is very beautiful...the setting is so special and peaceful.  Our rooms were opulent and very large - but we did have to have a cot brought into the room as our twin room turned into a queen room.  

We were fortunate to have a note from Mary on our arrival.  She is already here and invited us to join her for dinner this evening.  She arrived yesterday and was looking forward to our arrival.  The rest of the ladies arrive later tomorrow so we are on our own to explore a bit.  Tomorrow we will go to a fabric shop in Denpasar.  We ate dinner outside under the palms enjoying a beautiful breeze…still humid – but how incredibly lovely.

This resort is on the ocean and a beautiful spot.  The airport runway is is just on the other side of the bay and makes for some interesting scenery as you watch the outriggers moored in the water and just past them, the planes leaving and landing every 30 minutes or so. There are so many visitors to Bali.  

How would you like your yard waste to look like this....sigh* 

We made it an early night so that we will be fresh for our trip in the city of Denpasar and our first chance for fabric shopping. 

HONG KONG FROM MORNING TO NIGHT

Today promises to be a busy day – we are going on a day tour around Hong Kong and then this evening we are going to have a Hong Kong Night Lights tour.  So we start off by having a lovely breakfast in the hotel and getting caught up on the travels of our friends who have just joined us.  We have lots of suggestions and information that we have learned to pass on to them to make their Hong Kong visit a little easier.  Always good to impart such information so they don’t suffer the same difficulties as we did.  They can have new and different ones!

Our tour guide Vincent picked us up and with only 7 on our small tour bus it promised to be a great and intimate look around.  We went to Victoria Peak for the beautiful panorama view of the large city.  Our day could have been a little clearer…however, after we had our look around and took some pictures, Vincent emailed us the shot that you would see on the sunniest day!  Spectacular!

We went to Repulse Bay, a beach area – with our second temple of the trip.  I’m sure there are more to come.  So when you see two lions at the front of a building, there is a male (with his paw on a globe meant to represent the world) and a female (with her paw on a young lion meant to represent family and home).  There is so much significance in every animal, deity or object in Asian culture.  Irene and I were both born in the year of the Snake in the Chinese Astrology.  This means we are flexible and intelligent….and I know this because we had to be flexible getting in and out of our airplane seats and in  playing the game Who Wants to be a Millionaire ….between Irene and I we made it all the way to $1,000,000 on two separate occasions!

We stopped at the Aberdeen Fishing Village and took a sampan ride around the bay.  It wasn’t long, but we had a good look at lots boats, yachts and dinghies. Everyone knows what a luxury yacht looks like - but not everyone has seen a sampan - so I take photos of these.

We also saw the world’s largest floating restaurant – The Jumbo Floating Restaurant.  Marvelous from the front, but the back was scary!  It was pretty nasty looking back there – not worth a picture – just take my word for it.  The only way to get to this restaurant is by a sampan ride and believe me – they won’t take you in the back way or you would never eat there!

Our tour ended and after lunch Irene, Deb and I had a drink at the Marco Polo Hotel. HK$123 or CDN$23 later we walked back to our hotel for a sit down before leaving for the evening tour.   Our evening tour was a fast 1 hour ride around the city looking at all the neon signs. 

We did learn that if you see a massage parlour sign with a happy face foot….you might wanna check just what massage you are getting or you could be in for a surprise ending!

It was hard to get pictures from the bus we were flying by everything so fast and then when we had to stop for a red light … the night setting on my little camera doesn’t make it easy to focus,  I was happy with the pics that I did get and the video I took.  I wonder about their source and the demands for electricity here – this was a question we forgot to ask Vincent on the morning ride.  

Double decker view of the night market on Temple Street that we visited last night. 

We were dropped off at the pier at 8:00 for the Harbour Laser Show.  Lots of people flock to this area for the 15 minute show of music and lasers and dancing lights on the participating buildings.  I am glad we saw this, however – it sure doesn’t compare to our Celebration of Light over English Bay in August.

Now for the perfect end to the perfect day and the perfect end to our Hong Kong experience.  We walked to the old Regent Hotel now called the Intercontinental Hotel for our celebratory drink in the beautiful bar.  Floor to ceiling windows looking out on Victoria Harbour. The windows are 3 stories high.  What a memorable evening before embarking on our Bali adventure.

EXPLORING HONG KONG ISLAND

Today the view out the window was one of sunshine and clear skies.  It was really lovely!!  We made a decision to wander to a Starbucks to have coffee and a bit of breakfast.  After we enjoyed our morning repast, we made our way down to the pier to catch the Star Ferry across Victoria Harbour to Hong Kong Island.  This is the financial district of Hong Kong. 

Getting off the ferry, it is a short walk into to the IFC mall.  Very large, very beautiful and very expensive!  We were basically just over for a stroll and to have lunch at a highly recommended restaurant for dim sum.  

The picture to the right is taken in the Victoria Harbour of the beautiful convention centre.

After asking directions a few times, we managed to find Tom Ho restaurant and had the best dim sum I have ever tasted.  It was well worth waiting in line for 30 minutes.  In line we met some very nice people from Canberra, Australia.  We were having such a lovely chat with Lana and Simon that the waitress kindly sat us together where we continued on with our visit.

So all in all a low key day as we came back to the hotel to wait for our other Canadian friends who were flying in this afternoon.  It was so nice just to hang out and relax after our super busy day yesterday.  Our friends have arrived and now we are going out for …… hmmmmm …… Chinese Food for dinner!

After a while we wandered down to the lobby to meet them when they arrived and our reunion didn’t disappoint.  The looked pretty good – and I think better than we did after the same number of hours in the air.  So now we are all together in the hotel and ready to take on Hong Kong.  

We went out for dinner at a place that wasn't too far away as the girls are tired from their travel day. The food was good and we certainly had enough to eat but ordering was a bit challenging as the menu items are not the same as we are used to ordering at home.  No sweet and sour pork, no chop suey and no deep fried wonton - my favourite.  I think I am getting ready for a change from Chinese food.

Then it was into a cab and Deb, Irene and I went to the Temple Street Night Market.  Wow what a vibrant and happening place.  There was street food galore and lots of stalls selling all kinds of trinkets, clothing, cell phone covers, t-shirts – you name it and I’m sure you could find it there.  We walked from one end to the other and then it was time to jump in a cab and come home.  What a busy couple of days we had.

So showered and ready for bed – it was another day to remember!

RESTED, REVITALIZED AND READY TO GO AGAIN!

In continuing on with our Macau adventure…our taxi tour yesterday took us to the highlights of Macau.  I didn’t know that this was originally a Portuguese Colony and there is still the influence of some of the culture.  There is an abundance of Spanish signage, catholic religion and some of the food treats like an egg tart. 

I sampled the most delicious pork jerky.  It had a bit of sweetness and was such a treat.  They were packaging up pieces and it was literally flying out of the shop in such a volume that I was surprised they could keep up.  They had some other samples available for tasting, however, I was reluctant to try some of the ones with legs or eyes.

We stopped at a temple and were nearly asphyxiated from the incense.  There were some huge coils that were hanging and smoldering.  Many people were making their offerings and saying some prayers – however my prayer was to get out of the heat and humidity and back to the air conditioned vehicle.

We climbed a small hill to see another church – however it was the view of the city that was worthy of the visit.  There were two brides up there – seems odd for the middle of the day on a Tuesday – no guests were there – just the wedding party and photographer.  So perhaps not the actual wedding.  The setting with the lovely church and the backdrop of the city below would make for some beautiful pictures.

Our next stop was to cross the bridge and see the “Las Vegas” part that we think of when we hear Macau.  The casinos are large and opulent.  We went in the Galaxy first and were blown away by the crystal fountain in the lobby.  No gambling – just some picture taking and then off again to see the Paris – with the Eifel tower, the Wynn where we rode a gondola to the entrance of the casino – quite a novelty – it is free to go TO the hotel but you have to pay the equivalent of about $6 to take the gondola out.  So we walked through and out of the casino and back for our last stop – The Venetian. 

At the Venetian, we opened our wallets to make our fortune!!  Well – what we didn’t know is that the slot machines which look like the ones we play at home – the betting keys are backwards so our first $20 Hong Kong was gone in one spin.  WTF – so after a quick lesson we learned how to play more to our speed and were able to enjoy spinning the wheels in Hong Kong.  Actually there is a Macau $ too which has a slightly lower rate of exchange to the Hong Kong $.  I don’t really understand that it isn’t the same as mainland China, but that’s a google for another day.

Display in the Wynn 

So now our day has come to an end and time to return to our hotel.  We were told there was a free shuttle to the ferry and to be sure to go to the Macau terminal not the Taipa terminal to catch the ferry back – fortunately we had already purchased tickets for the return fare.  So on the free shuttle we cross the very long beautiful bridge out of the gambling district ready to have some dinner and relax after our very busy day.  Tickets, exit paper and passport in hand we walked into the terminal to line up for our ferry across the water and home.  Suddenly … we are pulled out of line and a few people to help interpret and we find we are in the wrong terminal – our tickets are for the Taipa terminal.  Are you kidding??   We are tired and hot and hungry and now we have to find our way to the right terminal.  So they say 10 minutes by taxi – out we go to find a taxi.  

So he starts driving and lo and behold we are heading for the bridge back to the casino district.  OMG and now in rush hour.  So you know you are in trouble while in a taxi – crossing the longest bridge ever…in heavy traffic and he puts the emergency brake on – not once but three times while waiting in traffic…….arghhhhhh.  We finally made it to the Taipa pier and were able to board the correct ferry and get home by 9:30 instead of 8:00 – we were so beat.  So our free shuttle ended up costing $75.00 HK or the equivalent of $15.00 – not really that bad price wise but the aggravation and energy cost was expensive.  Another story and we were safe and sound after our adventure. On a happier note, we were treated to the beautiful lights of the night skyline of Hong Kong.  So all in all it is no wonder I couldn’t finish this last night.  Now we are up, showered and on our way to see what today will bring!

WE ARE HERE

After an uneventful and very full flight, we arrived at our hotel in Hong Kong for the next 4 nights.  It is very adequate and actually very nice.  We have a lovely view of the harbour and we were just so very happy to finally lay down.  Neither of us was able to get and sleep on the 13 hour flight.  So to finally arrive at our destination – we were more than ready for some well deserved rest.  Tomorrow will be soon enough to begin to get our bearings and have our first look around this metropolis!

Our sleep last night was rather fitful but still invigorating!  We opened the curtains in the room and gazed upon the spectacular harbour!   Lots of mist to stop me from getting the exact picture I was hoping for - but such a great location this is for our Hong Kong visit. 

We had breakfast at the café down in the lobby area.  The prices were quite good and we enjoyed a western breakfast before setting out on a walkabout.  We made it down to the pier and decided to take a ferry over to Macau for the day.  We were rushed along by a ticket seller to hurry to the desk as the ferry would be sailing in 15 minutes. After paying our fare, we proceeded through the gate to go through immigration ….. aren’t we still in Hong Kong, China?  Anyway we are ready to pass through when we were stopped because we hadn’t brought our passports with us – they were still back at the hotel.  Crap!  So a taxi ride back to the hotel and then a taxi ride down to the pier, passports in hand, we were able to board the hover craft for our one hour trip to Macau.  At least we were out of the hot and humid and in an air conditioned and comfortable vessel.  Next stop Macau!  

The Ruins of St, Pauls

It is very hot and humid here - but we expected it would be.  We were very glad for the air conditioned malls to help cool us off.  In approaching a tourist desk, we saw a fellow offering a tour of Macau.  It sounded like a good idea to take an impromptu ride and see the sights before trying our luck at the casino.  What a lucky find!  We were too late for the hop on hop off bus so we had our own taxi driver to take us around for 4 hours.  We were able to get out at several stops and take pictures or walk about – it was a great way to see the sights.  Sometimes it is nice to just let the day take you where it wants to and you end up with an unexpected good adventure. Today was one of those days where we had only expected to see casinos, but were treated to more of the sights, tastes, smells and sounds of Macau!

The Galaxy Casino

Our last stop on the tour was at the Venetian Hotel – no….not in Vegas – but in every way it could have been!  There are 50 casinos in Macau – Hard Rock, The Sands, Wynn, Studio City, Parisian, The Galaxy, MGM and City of Dreams – just to name a few of the bigger ones.  The casinos have hundreds of baccarat tables – but finding pai gow poker or blackjack was very difficult!  There is more to tell, but I am going to end it here and get to bed.  It was long and tiring day and I need to get to sleep.  

So tomorrow morning I will continue on.

NEW ADVENTURE STARTING SOON!

On April 16, 2017 I will embark on another great adventure!  This one will take me to Hong Kong and then on to Bali, Indonesia to see and to learn all about Bali Batiks. On this niche tour, I will be traveling with 9 other guests of which 5 of us are from the Langley Quilters' Guild.  Irene will be my travel partner on this journey.  I am sure it will be amazing, educational and a whole bunch of fun!

We will be staying in Hong Kong for a few days before - this will allow us to get a taste for a different country and to get over jet lag before our very busy tour begins on April 22, 2017. Our itinerary includes learning and trying dying, stamping, cooking and shopping!  Yes lots of shopping for the beautiful Bali fabrics.  

Perhaps a swim in the Indian Ocean...a luxurious spa treatment...trip to a market or two....some cultural activities - oh and did I mention shopping?  Well I hope you have time to poke around in the blog and see what we get up to.  Perhaps it will encourage you to travel to Bali - The Island of the Gods...

THIRD AND FINAL DAY OF QUILT FESTIVAL

Well what a great day we had today - no pressure...just re-visiting the booths just in case we missed something.  However, according to my credit card statement, I didn't miss anything!  I sure loved seeing more of the quilts on display.  There are so many creative and talented people out there.  

There were quilts made of leather and the description said techniques included machine and hand quilting.  I can't even think of pushing a needle through leather with my fingers - even if you first made a hole with an awl or other tool. It wouldn't even feel good in your hands.  Well, more than one person thinks they are wonderful to do and I have the pictures to prove it.

Over a couple of years, my cousin, Kit was working on a Jane Stickle Quilt - sometimes called a Dear Jane.  It is a sampler quilt, comprised of 169 square 5” blocks, each one different.  Jane made the quilt during the Civil War, completing it in 1863.  In addition to the 169 5" squares, there are there are 52 border triangles and 4 larger corners pieces.  Some of the pieces of fabrics that are used in this masterpiece are as small as an inch!  Can you even imagine?  After seeing my cousin's quilt finished and all during the construction, I have a huge admiration for anyone who would tackle this.  So the display of several at the quilt festival left me gobsmacked - what a great word gobsmacked.

There were dolls that were just fun - but still the construction exceptional and the dolls were full of whimsy - a delight for all to see.  

Then there was fashion.  Only a few of these individuals appeared now and then - but what a treat when I saw them.  

And last but certainly not least were a couple of quilts that didn't win prizes, but certainly took my breath away.

v

So that was our trip to the Quilt Festival in Houston - won't ever forget these past few days.