When women think of shopping, beads and precious metals must be near the top of the list.
In '06 we found that bead shops had multiplied like rabbits in 6 months since our previous visit, although Toko Central on the first bend of Jl Imam Bonjol out from Bemo Corner remains the first stop for bulk items.
Another find that warmed her heart and froze my
wallet is Solomon Silver 2 in Jl Werkudara in Legian. The 2 in the name suggests
that there might be another one somewhere but I am keeping this thought strictly
to myself as a matter of cash preservation.
Solomon Silver has better quality jewellery than you will find in the markets
and in street stalls and this quality is easy to see in shine and shaping if you
compare similar items from the two sources. Of course you will pay extra for
this quality but I have to admit the extra was not as much as I feared - and
guys, a word of warning; your girlfriend will easily see the different
qualities. Get her everything from one place or the other, don't get a mix
because it will be obvious and lead to the inevitable question, 'And who did you
buy this stuff for?'
Also on the shopping list will be wooden carvings and again there are some wonderful items to be had from skilled artisans. Again we have found that the extra price is not great and it was easy to by pass the tourist quality we were shown on a tour that we took which included carving shops on the road to Ubud. The most obvious difference I think is that the cheap stuff has a surface finish straight off the chisel with no attempt to sand the surface smooth and reveal the subtle grain of the timbers.
Leather clothing, handbags, shoes and sandals, tops and bottoms will also be right up there on the list.
Beads, beads and more beads.
Boxes of rings and racks of bracelets.
Boxes of rings and of silver beads.
Necklace ornaments and brooches.
More rings at Solomon Silver 2 in Legian.
Tourist quality woodcarvers.
Dolphins Leather shop In Jl Sahadewa, Legian.
Bag sale at the Animale warehouse outlet on Jl Imam Bonjol, Legian.
Shoes, dresses, shirts and blouses also available at discount prices.
The links below will take you to some other photos of other parts of our holiday.
Not all will be ready and active straight away but they will evolve as July rolls in to August and so on.
The pillow case run to the NEGARA ORPHANAGE.
Stuff we took, the flight and the airport taxi fare board.
The orphanage for children with handicaps, Panti Asuhan Kesa Yanikang Papa in Gianyar.
Friends including the girls on the beach, little Kadek, the feet and fingers, driver Made and family including the newly-weds, waitresses and food, and of course the old boat builder of Jimbaran Bay.
The Baleka Beach Resort and the Baihai.
Rice and the Subak Museum at Tabanan.
Pura Luhur Batu Karu, north of Tabanan.
Food, glorious food.
Kintamani and the crater and lake of Mount Batur.
Kites and batik quilts, tea/coffee/spices plantation.
Back to the 2006 contents page, 'The Year of the Pillow Cases'?
Right back to our home page for the shoppers Cheat Sheet, the first visit to the Negara Orphanage, a long Bali story (the 2003 'Rushed Trip'), the details about Bali's peoples, rices, religion and culture or history or things to do and see in Ubud as well as many others.
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