* The Rambutan Cottages, Lovina -
* A new orphanage in Singaraja -
* The Octopus's Garden Restaurant -
* The Kubu Lalang Bungalows & Restaurant -
* Flowers in profusion -
* The King's cremation -
* and our favourite driver in Lovina.
Our 2005 holiday had been planned with the usual lack of detail but it was going to be a full program including a stay with friends at Seminyak, two visits to Negara to photograph all the orphans and later to take their photos back to them, another stay in Ubud and the regular wind down at the Balihai in Tuban.
It turned out to be a good thing that the arrangements were loose because on the Saturday night before we were to leave there was a dinner at the Pondok Sari Restaurant in Adelaide. It was a dinner for the posters and readers of the Bali Travel Forum with proceeds to go to the Learning Centre that the Helen Flavel Foundation was building in Singaraja on Bali's north coast. Because of this charitable aim there were many donations of stuff for the door prized, raffles and auctions.
This is what caused our undoing!
Two of the auctions were for stays at the Rambutan Cottages in Lovina on the north coast (1 night) and at the Pacung Indah Cottages and Restaurant at Pacung on the southern slopes of the central mountains on the road up to Bedugul and Lake Bratan. We had enjoyed stays at both of these places before and the thought of being able to return at an even cheaper cost was too much to ignore.
With only a little nudging from Herself we won both raffles.
Now one night up on the north coast at Lovina is a total waste because we knew we would call in to friends at Pacung on the way up, would stop at the Baturiti market to get black and red rice for our friend Made and at the Bedugul market to get Cashew nuts for Richard Rambutan's dogs [he really doesn't feed them properly - ;-)) ] as well as to Ngiring Ngewedang for coffee. This would mean that we would arrive in Lovina in time for dinner and a similar program for the trip back would require that we leave after breakfast with no time in between to enjoy Lovina, Singaraja and the north coast. No, we had to have at least 3 nights in Lovina and with 2 at Pacung we had to fit an extra 5 nights into our plans.
So, what to take out?
Well of course you can't just take things out of the holiday can you? No, you have to fit the extras in somehow and no matter how you did it a nice holiday was going to turn into an endurance race - again.
So, here are the results of those extra 5 nights starting with the Rambutan Cottages.
We hope you enjoy them.
One of the original cottages near the front of the property.
These units are spacious and very good value but these don't have air conditioning.
Towards the back of the property (to the left in this photo) are newer units ranging from four-in-a-2-story-block to very large, freestanding family units and a couple of choices in between.
A feature of the newer cottages is the coloured pebbles set into the walls of the bathroom in seemingly random placement around carved sandstone tiles. If you stand back a bit the artistry becomes evident as flowers and sea themes emerge.
The important features of any accommodation (well, as far as we are concerned) are the restaurant and the pool.
At Rambutan the restaurant (left in this photo) is not large but the menu is inviting and the food is well prepared. We went to a dance theme night dinner during this stay and enjoyed the local style foods as much as any other we had.
This is the shallow end of the larger of the two pools with single story cottages behind the gardens.
Most hotels in Bali take advantage of the luxuriant tropical growth available and cultivate cool, relaxing and multi-dimensional gardens. These trees, many lit at night, are around the larger central pool at Rambutan.
These palm varieties grow around the pool waterfall and camouflage the stone frog sitting by the rock wall.
A dog's life is tough, guarding the restaurant steps at breakfast time.
One of the things that separates Rambutan from any other place we've stayed at in Bali are the household pets. Where else would you find two German Shepherds and a fat old yellow local dog roaming the grounds, with no-one taking any particular notice of them?
These are the dogs that we bought the cashew nuts for, but I'm sure that Richard had been training them on nuts soaked in chilli since our previous visit as their tastes had certainly changed and we ate the cashews ourselves this time.
This, I think, is Bravo - but it might be Bonny. I'm sure it's not Snowy.
Adding to the family atmosphere are the ducks, a white rabbit (who comes in handy at Easter time when everyone joins in a hunt all over the grounds for Easter chocolates left by the Easter Bunny), and a couple of birds.
The ducks have their own pool, for which I'm sure all of the guests are grateful, towards the back of the property. Their fountain is decorative and colourful and adds it's own tinkle to the noises of the garden.
They have free run of their own lawn around their pool during the day. At night they are shut in their enclosure away from any feral antagonists and relish their morning freedom and feed of fresh rice.
No Bali garden would be complete without frangipannis. At Rambutan there are the common white variety with the small yellow centre -
- as well as a giant variant with petal that curl back as though embarrassed about their velvet whiteness. These are about twice the size of the standard ones.
This pink frangipanni at Lovina has more yellow in the centre than others more commonly seen.
These are blooms that have fallen overnight but they still retain their colour and delicacy.
A short walk of a couple of minutes from the Rambutan are the warm, calm waters of the Bali Sea.
The beaches are often described as having black sand but in most places its a brown mixture of the black volcanic sands and the more usual white sand.
Jukungs abound as Lovina is still a fishing village, but one which has diversified as a result of tourist interests and now includes dolphin watching early in the morning as well as short trips to take snorkelers out to the inshore reefs.
SINGARAJA - Singaraja was a royal capital before being adopted by the Dutch as their capital during their occupation of most of what was to become Indonesia until the Japanese usurped the role of occupiers during World War II. The Dutch chose the site mainly because of its closeness to the spice, timber and slave trade routes of the Dutch East India Company (the main reason for Dutch interest in this part of the world) and because of its security as a port on the warm and calm Bali Sea.
Singaraja developed into a modern multi-cultural society under Dutch influence which ensured the preliminary civilising influence (I have no doubt that some would argue with the choice of words I use there.) in the north which later spread to other areas of the island either with or against the wishes of the native population.
The emblem of Singaraja, the winged lion ['Singa' the lion and 'rajah' the king], at the intersection of Jalans Ngurah Rai and Veteran in the heart of the city also symbolises the basis of Indonesian independence.
The 5 sided base represents the five principles of the 'pancasila', the independence declaration. These principles, also visually represented in the Indonesian crest are -
1. A belief in one god serving all religions represented by the star in the Indonesian crest.
2. The belief in a just and civilised society is shown by the circle of chain where the links are many countries linked in a circle of inter-dependence.
3. The unity of all the divers peoples and islands that make up Indonesia is shown by the banyan tree under which all can safely shelter.
4. Consultation leading to wise and democratic government is shown by the head of the bull.
5. Social justice for all is shown by the ear of rice symbolising food and the balls of cotton representing clothing.
Independence was declared by President Sukarno on the 17th of August, 1947. This date is symbolised in the statue by the 17 feathers in the lion's wings, by the 8 leaves on the cob of corn in the lions claw (August is the 8th month of the year) and 1947 is remembered by the 47 grains of corn on the cob.
The statue is a permanent lesson in both history and culture to all Indonesians who pass.
Such reminders are common and popular throughout Indonesia and serve as a unifying force within the society.
For some reason some of the picture here might come up as a blank square with a little red cross in one corner. Just right click on the cross and select 'Show Picture' in the menu that pops up.
Our welcome here at the Hindu and Buddhist orphanage in Singaraja was assured by a recently replenished bag of Chupa Chups.
Word quickly spreads!
Some were either a little older or a little shyer.
Now something here is just so funny - and since I hadn't told any jokes it must have been me.
The orphanage is housed in a primary school building (the school went bankrupt!!!) so the facilities are pretty good at the moment. How long they will stay that way will depend on a maintenance program which is more than likely non-existent.
Some of the classrooms now serve as dormitories and there is a lrrge assembly room in which we met the carers and the children.
Indonesian children seem to be taught imitation from an early age in their schools.
We have seen whole schools assembled on ovals doing physical education which seemed to consist of following random and rapid-fire exercises demonstrated by an instructor at the front of the group. We have found it easy to engage kids in this way, turning a simple finger up sign into a climbing, finger-on-thumb coordination exercise and -
- an old Charleston dance 'step' which is easy sitting down but brings hilarious results from someone who tries to do it for the first time standing up.
The reward is balloons (given to us by a friendly party supply man) followed by -
- soft toys and trinkets for all.
I think that the local Hardys Department store in Singaraja will long remember our shopping on the previous day.
I am always amazed at how the smallest things bring the biggest smiles in Bali.
Such a difference to our own children's culture of 'great expectations' at home.
Leaving took longer than arriving.
Like to go to the kid's photo page?
KUBU LALANG RESTAURANT - Across the rice fields and onto the shores of the gentle Bali Sea leads to Kubu Lalang Cottages and restaurant. It has become our Number1 must-visit eatery when we come to the north coast now.
Kubu Lalang is not an in-your-face sort of a place. You have to find it, and the search itself is as pleasant as the rewards once found.
From a small sign at the edge of the road running from Singaraja to Lovina you can drive or walk along a narrow and rutted road across the rice fields. It is not a walk for the night time when a hire vehicle is the only safe option. Hire car drivers and Bemo drivers all seem to know the roadside sign and will get you there without trouble.
The farmer who works these fields is a bit of a joker I think. With not a soul in sight I was tempted to walk to the edge of the field to get a better photo and suddenly the scarecrow standing nearby in the field, and the plastic flags, all went berserk. I nearly dropped the camera and only just composed myself in time to turn around and see a slight wave from the little shelter in the middle of the padi where he was jerking strings to frighten off birds and photographers.
The entrance opens into a small car park and a flower bordered path runs past the bungalows to the restaurant and the beach.
The bungalows and the restaurant are surrounded by brilliant flower gardens.
This bougainvillea is the largest and brightest I think I have seen in Bali, and it was only one of several at Kubu Lalang.
The small kitchen in the restaurant is open to view. It is organised and spotless.
Just a short walk across the lawns is the beach, patrolled by fishermen with enormous rods angling for fish that seemed about the right size to go into the home aquarium.
For a real thrill (or a romantic night?) you can sail from Lovina to the beach at Kubu Lalang.
And where there are flowers in Bali there just has to be frangipanni.
The OCTOPUS'S GARDEN - is on the main road through Lovina towards the western end of the developed area. The front of the restaurant, closest to the road, is the kitchen which has big windows allowing all to see the activities within. Larger than the one at Kubu Lalang (perhaps too large to be efficient?) it is still organised and spotless.
Behind the kitchen is a large dining area with a raised bale to one side and bar and toilets to the rear. Along the walls are art works, either from an exhibition of local works or from the owners collection. 'Cool' music (I do like Enya in the background) plays softly, audible but not disturbing if you want to have a conversation.
The menu is a blend of Javanese, Japanese, French and German, reflecting the ethnicities of the two owners and their partners.
Irfan, part owner, manager, gracious host and fill-in chef when the place is under pressure.
The art work on the walls was an exhibition of modern works when we were there but there was no hesitation in bringing out his print of one of my favourite paintings, 'Mutual Attraction' by Abdul Azziz. Painted in 1974 and 75, these two paintings were separate and somewhat un-remarkable entities until the owner of the Neka Gallery in Ubud (where you will find the originals on display) noticed their similarities and re-framed them as a no longer un-remarkable single work.
FLOWERS -
There are a profusion of orchids in the Rambutan grounds, and I venture to say, in the grounds of most hotels and homes in Bali.
And what Bali garden would not have Hibiscus?
THE KING'S CREMATION - As we were leaving the north coast final preparations were being made for the late King's cremation. These large and elaborate structures, all destined to be burnt, were at the edge of the road up to the mountains.
If I remember the story correctly, two of the King's family who died quite some time previous were to be disinterred from their temporary graves to be cremated with him. This explains the multiple biers and the three effigies of black bulls.
OUR FAVOURITE LOVINA DRIVER, Komang Yopen, works from the transport office opposite the Rambutan Cottages. He will proudly show you the Aussie flag in the corner of the windscreens of the vehicles we have been driven in and will almost turn himself inside out to get your blessing for his version of "Oi, oi, oi" in response to your, "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!"
Because he had a prior booking during our stay he insisted that he would drive to Pacung on the other side of the mountains to pick us up at the end of our stay there and take us on to Ubud.
You can contact him at yopen_artawan@yahoo.com or on his mobile, 081 3383 65761 or you can contact his boss, Ketut, on (0362) 41104.
Now, would you like to go back to our home page index? -
Or to the start of the 2005 story?
or to the Bali Travel Forum lists of recommendations for all Bali travellers?
Perhaps you'd like to find out about the culture of rice in Bali? -
or something about the Balinese people themselves?
What about a shopper's Cheat Sheet or some Bahasa Indonesia words?
Like to go to the orphanage kid's photo page?
.