My Birthday Party in Bali

The staff at Bhanuswari held a Pool Party for my birthday! And it was so much more than I expected.

First, they decorated the area between the salt water pool and the Villa with a combination of crepe paper streamers and traditional Balinese decorations made from young coconut leaves.

Can you see the archway?

Tables had balloons with both Happy Birthday and "Selamat Datang" - Indonesian for "Welcome!"

You can see the staff were relaxing. (And this is a better view of that archway!)


We had a great time playing in the pool (yes, that's my back) - recorded pop music, volley balls,


and mattress floats.

At sunset, I went in to change and came out to find that the setting had changed! Candle light now surrounded the pool.

Of course there was a cake - beautiful!

I had requested catering in the form of "nasi campur" (literally "mixed rice" - the Indonesian "blue plate special") so that the kitchen staff could join the party. What I actually got was "bebek betutu", the Balinese smoked spiced steamed duck - delicious.

And I got presents - totally unexpected! I had just wanted a party so we could play together.


The packages were beautifully wrapped and practical: sandalwood folding fans and cotton face cloths (I still sweat a lot), a new handbag (my pink-striped one is getting tired), and chocolates (yes, I’m still addicted).


Am I still loving living in Ubud, Bali? You bet!!

Nusa Dua and Ubud

If you have only been in the Nusa Dua area (beach and 5 star resorts and shops), and if you have enough time, come up to Ubud (pronounced "oo-bood"). How much time is enough? Well, it takes about 1 hour each way by car. What would you see that's different from Nusa Dua? Terraced rice paddies (a healing, relaxing green), hills & trees, Balinese villages.

Different villages specialize in different arts - jewelry (gold & silver), wood carving, paintings (at least 7 different styles in 7 different villages), batik & ikat fabric making, basket weaving, carving & painting masks used in traditional dance and religious performances - and much, much more.

If the free afternoon includes evening, you could have dinner up here, too. Maybe try a Balinese specialty - bebek betutu (steamed spice duck - or you can get chicken prepared the same way), or grilled crispy duck. Or babi guling - roast pig.

If you want to stay near Nusa Dua, 2 favorite tourist sunset locations are the temple at Ulu Watu on the cliffs. And dinner at a fresh seafood restaurant at Jimbaran Bay; we've gone to "Aroma" several times. They usually offer at least 2 types of fish, shrimp / prawns, sometimes lobsters. And a choice of cooking methods and chili-spice levels. We usually go for grilled.

There's almost always a music (gamelan) or dance performance somewhere. While there are no major Balinese Hindu ceremonies Dec 10-15, there may be a village celebrating the "birthday" of its temple.

Bongo Visits Bali!

I just met a really sweet traveler, and thought you might enjoy meeting him too. He's very polite, never shouts, never irritates other travelers.

His photos from Bali have not yet been posted - I'll post another update when that happens.

http://www.altbongo.com/

A mini-vacation with all 5 senses

Here's my recipe for a mini-vacation with all 5 senses:
- get something that smells tropical (perfume, essential oil, coconut scented suntan lotion, fresh-cut lemon...)
- put on music that sounds tropical (hula, gamelan music, Balinese bamboo & flute music...)
- turn on an oscillating fan (so you feel a tropical breeze)
- fix yourself some fresh fruit juice, or a pina colada or Singapore Sling so that you taste something tropical
- browse through this BLOG to see photos of beautiful Bali
or dream about your perfect trip to Bhanuswari Resort & Spa: http://www.BhanuswariResort.com/

Soloist and Bird of Paradise Balinese Dancers

There was a teenage soloist.

The final dancers at the Panorama party were the Birds of Paradise -

2 women who were exquisitely beautiful in their dance.

Anniversary at Panorama Hotel Bali

1 Year after Nyoman Suweta took over as Managing Director of Panorama Hotel in Ubud, Bali,

he threw a party for the staff to celebrate.

There were awards for "The Best of the Best" in 3 categories.

The Best of the Best Departments: Food & Beverage - Product - accepted by Chef Ketut

The Best of the Best HEAD of Department: Winner Kadek Suwalo

The Best of the Best Employees: Winner Wayan Suarjana Putra

And there were Balinese dancers in costume.

Young girls in the traditional Welcome dance,

with offerings and flower petals.

Slightly older dancers with folding Fans.

A truly bizarre game where female staff members picked up worms (or benign snakes?) and stuffed them into beer bottles.

The bottle with the most worms won.

Locally Crafted Pillows - with Built-in Aromatherapy

While shopping, we found these lovely throw pillows (just up the street from the Delta Dewata supermarket).


They come in several colors, as well as neutrals, with built-in aromatherapy in the fabric inserts. I'm not sure what it is - a bit like sandal wood.

They also have small bolsters - perfect for the sofa arms.


And matching magazine holders.


They have many other styles and sizes - silk covered poufs, for example - that would suit other decors. And they sell a few very original purses! Ever seen a leopard skin handbag



with an enormous zipper? The teeth were almost 1 inch wide - unfortunately, I didn't have my camera at the shop.

Guests and Everyday Ceremonies

While this group of guests were having breakfast at Bhanuswari Resort & Spa...

The wife of the resort's Balinese Hindu priest was making offerings and prayers in the lobby.

Unfortunately, the small temple rests at a height more appropriate for her husband. She is quite a bit shorter than he is, so she relies on a lobby chair to get up and down.

More Butterflies

Yes, I'm a sucker for butterflies. And I will continue to add new photos for your enjoyment.

You really need to come here and see for yourself - still photos don't capture the joy of 2 butterflies dancing together in the air. A couple of days ago (withOUT my camera handy), I even saw FOUR dancing together!

For this shot, I'm looking up at the pergola over the lobby entrance. I think the butterflies get confused and are "trapped" by the glass on top of it - much to my photographic advantage!

And a perfect profile.

A different location, a different butterfly, thanks to my telephoto lens! The Swift Peacock (irridescent blue-green) seems especially fond of this flowering tree.

Cooking Lesson

A guest who is currently living in Seoul, Korea decided to take his first-ever cooking class while staying at Bhanuswari Resort & Spa.

Here, he demonstrates how to roll and fold a banana leaf around a filling of spiced fish. The package is then steamed for about 20 minutes.

While eating the results, he said that it was all delicious, and that he plans to cook Balinese cuisine for his friends when he returns. Lucky friends!