One of our favorite activities from our honeymoon in Bali was the day trip to visit the elephants in a village north of Ubud. We booked our trip with Bali Adventure Tours, and we highly recommend any tourist book via this operator, as they treat the elephants very well. I’ve never played with elephants before, as they’re very dangerous when you encounter them in African safaris. These massive animals were far from threatening – they just wanted to be your friend (and I was willing to concede). We fed the elephants, then took a 40 minute ride through a park. Afterwards, we ate at the delicious buffet before seeing the show. The show leader emphasized that the elephants weren’t being paraded like in a circus, rather they were showing off their intelligence. And I believe it – they are so smart. We befriended another American couple, Julianne and Cody, on the trip. They were staying at the same hotel as us, and of course, we had multiple friends in common. This world is so small!
Balinese Cuisine
For the best seafood on the island, any Balinese native will point you toward Jimbaran Bay. We hopped in a cab one night and headed to this gorgeous sandy beach which is lined with seafood restaurants where you literally hand pick your dinner (this is far beyond my vegetarian mind can grasp). Sasha loved it and definitely over indulged (see photographic evidence below) at Kampoeng Restaurant.
The following day, we were picked up at 6am from the hotel and went to a local market, where we met up with our cooking class and instructor from Bumbu Bali. Heinz von Holzen is the Swiss man who runs the show – and we (especially Sasha) loved him. We were gone for 9 hours and loved every single second. We shopped in the local markets for fruit, vegetables, meat and fish, all the while learning about the local Balinese culinary customs. We headed to Heinz’s bed and breakfast, where we spent the latter half of the class learning how to prepare 20 traditional Balinese meals. We were both in awe of Heinz’s passion towards food and left inspired to recreate the dishes we made in class (and devoured after). It was one of our five favorite things we did on the trip. I recommend anyone traveling to Bali to take this class!
Sunset at Jimbaran Bay
Loving the soft white sand on my toes
Sasha working it
Sasha at Kampoeng Seafood where we ate dinner
Deciding which poor lobster to eat
Weighing his dinner for the night
Please see Sasha’s snapper, shrimp and lobster (eyes bigger than the belly)
The most gorgeous sunset
Heinz showing us the local spices
Gorgeous colors in the market
A local Balinese woman preparing rice religious offerings
Bali bananas are all this tiny
Traditional Balinese flower offerings that you will see everywhere on the island
We used plenty of these gorgeous peppers in our cooking class
Another local Balinese woman prepares another type of Hindu offering
Getting ready to get his hands dirty
Preparing the vegetarian peanut sauce salad
The vegetarian end result (heaven on earth)
Certified Balinese chefs (i.e. we have a certificate!)
Sasha demonstrating the hardships of the sulphur porters of Indonesia (read more here)
Initial Bali Snapshots
I’m in love with Bali. It’s truly one of the most magical places I’ve ever visited, and the people here could not be any nicer. I’m a little behind on posting, so I’ve compiled our first few days in one post and will share additional pictures from our cooking class, trip to Padang Padang beach (where they filmed Eat, Pray, Love), dinner at Jimbaran Bay, and elephant ride soon.
Food
Eight Degrees South – great Mediterranean food Suku – tasty Asian cuisine with nightly Balinese dance performances Azure – our poolside go-to for lunch East – a casual dining spot at the Conrad Sakala – a phenomenal food experience – a trust “must” in Bali Lakeview Cafe – delicious Asian buffet with breathtaking views 2Day Cafe – as close to a warung (local restaurant) as we’ve tried – great veggies ______________________________Experiences
Relaxing at the gorgeous Conrad Bali lagoon pool and beach Eating miso soup and drinking freshly squeezed mango juice for breakfast Practicing outdoor yoga and exploring Nusa Dua by foot Watching the awe-inspiring Devdan Show (think Cirque du Soleil + So You Think You Can Dance?) Trying fresh Luwak coffee (read this to find out how it’s made) Exploring the Balinese coffee plantation, Santi Witnessing a perfect rainbow between Mt. Agung and Mt. Batur (sleeping volcano) Trying lots of fresh fruit (except the stinky durian fruit – see Sasha eating it below) Enjoying the cultural Barong and Kris Dance performance Our favorite so far – praying in Bali’s holiest water at Tirta EmpulMorning view from our room
Where you’ll find us (every second day – 50% culture, 50% tan!)
Temple style watch guard points
I’m never leaving
Miso and mango for breakfast
Onsite temple
Practicing my yoga moves (outside of the 7:30 Sunrise Yoga class)
My poolside Summer Salad and Sasha’s hamburger – is there anything better?
At the Kris and Barong Performance
Evil and Pure Spirits are fighting (can’t you tell?)
Amazing costumes in play at the performance
Two of the main performers
Waiting to pray in the holy springs at Tirta Empul
Lots of people and things to be praying for
Sasha looks darn good in a sarong (I’m totally biased)
Trying teas and coffees at Santi Plantation
The freshly picked coffee beans and spices at Santi
In front of Mt. Batur
A gorgeous rainbow outside of Lakeview
Sasha being brave and trying durian
Me being less brave and trying mangosteen
Durians look as unappealing as they smell (and taste!)
My only picture at Devdan before getting scolded for taking pictures!
And we’re off to Bali!
Annual Christmas Card Photos
Since our family moved to the States in 1997, we have taken Semple family pictures every single year. I love this tradition, and I’ll make sure that my own family continues it. I had the honor of being asked to take our good friends’ Christmas photo – I was so thrilled. We took the pictures in the Houston Arboretum at Memorial Park (I am obsessed!). I took about 400 and narrowed it down – my favorites are below. Isn’t “Mister P” precious? He’s 15 months old now – see his 6 month photos that I took here and him at the hospital here. I love this family.