Second long post on Bali

After looking at the magnificent terrace paddy fields in my last post, we were well on our way to another center of attraction that was Tanah Lot. We scheduled our time such that we would reach Tanah Lot (about 1 hour away) around 6+pm, to be in time for the famed sunset that everyone told us about. I was getting really excited during the journey because I would finally see the brilliant view that I was only able to see in pictures before.

Luck was really not on my side for when I reached there on the fateful evening, it decided to rain. No, it was not just rain, it was POURING and the wind was furious. We had to stay under shelter for a good 15 minutes or so to wait for the rain to subside so that we could at least walk out to see the raging sea.


The strong rain came pouring at regular intervals, so it was really a funny sight. Every 5 minutes or so, the rain would stop, and we would run with all our might from one shelter to another. Then, when it started raining again, we would stay put. Another 5 minutes more, and GO! we all moved nearer to the seaside.

Finally, we made it to the seaside albeit being wet. The sea looked angry and fierce, the waves were pounding off the rocks, like they were trying to knock the rocks down.



Look at the raging sea. No doubt I was not able to admire the beautiful sunset but I experienced the other extreme of it, which I could not say was bad. It really was not bad at all (Except for the strong winds). I've never seen waves go so high up, so much so that they could easily collapse any boats if they were unlucky enough to be in contact.




Even the Tanah Lot temple which was usually accessible by foot was drowned by the high tide. It was really unfortunate that I wasn't able to visit the temple itself.

Temple submerged in water

With another long look at the sea and the magnificent view, we decided to leave with a heavy heart (before the strong wind blew us away *LOL*). It was truly an amazing sight to behold and I would definitely come back again, this time to see the sunset! =)

Angry waves

We then headed back to have dinner in Denpasar night market. We wanted to experience the local food so the driver suggested to bring us there. The night market was not unlike the ones we find in Malaysia, except that they spoke rather different Malay. We chose one stall and sat down before ordering the famous 'satay kambing' or mutton satay. The same stall also served mutton soup, which we also ordered. I personally liked the soup more than the satay, because the stay was slightly burnt. :P
Mutton satay and soup

Our driver Ketut also recommended the sweet kuih for dessert, which was also sold in the night market. I absolutely LOVED this!

Sweet dessert <3

Then, we moved on to the next stall to try out the famous 'babi guling' or roasted pork. It is the specialty of Balinese cuisine that one must not miss. A set came served with soup and rice. I thought the dish was too spicy for my liking, since cili padi was used generously in the serving.
Crispy pork skin

That was our last dinner in good old Bali. The next day was our last day and we asked Ketut to give us a short tour nearby before sending us off to the airport. We went to Nusa Dua beach first since it was only 15 minutes away from the hotel. According to Ketut, Nusa Dua is a popular place for the Japanese. Sure enough, I managed to spot many Japanese restaurants when I was there. The beach was also breath-taking, with clear blue water and white sandy beach. However, we reached there near noon time and it was scorchingly hot to be under the sun!

Clear blue sea


We then headed to the coffee factory in Denpasar since Saucer was supposed to buy fresh coffee powder and beans from there. The factory that we went to was called Kopi Bali The Butterfly Globe Brand (weird!). Kopi Bali looked impressive and even provided a guide to talk us through the whole coffee making process.





Art produced using coffee beans!

After the tour, we were led to the coffee tasting room, yummy! We were given small cups of different coffee flavours.


Made from different coffee beans

Then, we were also shown the different beans that were sold, with Kopi Luwak being the most expensive type, with a price tag of USD150 per packet!
Expensive coffee!

We bought the normal range coffee, which retailed at USD30 for a pack of 6. They came in fine powder, medium grain and beans, depending on your choice.


This place is definitely a coffee lover's paradise! Unfortunately, I'm not one of them :P

Finally, it was time to go. Ketut was waiting patiently for us outside the factory. We reached the airport in good time and left Bali with a heavy heart.

Goodbye Bali!