Tuesday 25 December 2012

Breakfast for dinner


 

We had a huge dim sum lunch at Holiday Villa today. By dinner time, we were still full. My son, upon hearing there's no dinner, was worried (he loves food!). So we had simple snack - pancakes with lemon and sugar sprinkle and fruit salad. Yum!

Anyway after the dim sum, my hubby and kids decided to burn off the calories at the hotel pool (their weekly  
activity).

The kids showing off their swimming skill in adult pool. 

Sunday 16 December 2012

Decorating with branches

Plain.. rustic..frugal..

I found the fallen branches this morning while taking the kids to the playground opposite our house. Mommy suddenly got a light bulb moment - let's decorate! The other excited person was Aisya. I asked them what shall we do with it. Imran said 'Why don't we use it to hang our caps and jackets?'... 'It cannot hang, the branches are not strong', I said and thinking to myself .. typical boys.. they don't have any creative neurons. Aisya came to the rescue saying 'Why don't we put the lights from my bedrooms?' Great idea!

For a moment I was not sure if this would be like celebrating Christmas. What I read from googling about Christmas tree + Muslims made me worried. Aisya meanwhile whines..

Aisya: When are we going to put the lights?
Mommy: Wait, wait.. do you know that we cannot celebrate Christmas? (I already explained to them before)
Aisya: Yeah.. I know.
Mommy: Do you know that this is not like Christmas tree?
Aisya: (getting angry) I know. It doesn't even have leaves!
Mommy: (lol..Mommy worries silly again.)... Okay.. let's get your lights.

Found a perfect corner for it... 


We made some tulle pompoms

another alternative, mandarin tree.

I love LED or 'raya' lights as we call it. I hung them everywhere in the house, the kids' rooms, the kitchen, the porch... Aisya puts her star lights on every night before she goes to bed. We got mandarin lights, ketupat lights, lantern lights, etc... They are cheap (depending on where you go).. Now I'm thinking if I should get cottage lights I saw on the Ikea catalogue...

Monday 10 December 2012

Beautiful Bali, indeed...

I just came back from a week long holiday in Bali. Bali surely lives up to its reputation - mystical and magical. 'The land of gods' as they say it, Bali has more statues than people. Temples are everywhere. Our driver/tour guide told us it is compulsory to have one in every house, every kampong, every district. The locals are friendly, religious, very proud and protective of their Balinese tradition. They love tourists (tourism is the only major income). The land is a gardener's heaven. Everything and anything grows. Their papayas were like something from 'Honey I blew up the kids' movie. Stray dogs were everywhere but amazingly no droppings were at sight! (putting Paris or even my neighborhood to shame). I was told that the Balinese conduct 'gotong royong' every week in their kampongs. They hold annual competitions for 'most beautiful, cleanest, kampong'. Those traditional spirit which Malaysia has already lost.

We stayed in Jayakarta Club Bali in Legian - service apartment fronting the Legian Beach. Except for rowdy Aussie youngsters, the place was otherwise comfy and beautiful. We did some touristy things, spent 2 days in the hotel catching up with some sleep and movies and lazed around the pool and the beach.

Our memories of Bali...


Balinese garden at the hotel

Legian Beach

Aisya doing the 'mudskipper'






Agent 0007






Stunning sunset

The photographer only managed to get her feet photographed



Ubud rice field
Too bad it was raining and the paddy was already harvested.
Holy Water Temple

Hindus waiting for their holy dips

Lots and lots of beautiful alleys like this


Ubud Water Palace

Kiddos with their farmer hats


Lots of whatever this thing is...






Petrol for motorbikes

Kuta Beach


Acres acres of rice fields along the way


The must-see Tanah Lot - too touristy to our liking though..


Tanah Lot

Snorkeling in Nusa Dua. Aisya jumped out of the water just after 5 minutes (gave Imran a chance to score points and annoyed her for the rest of the day).


Pecatu Beach. Freaking beautiful - clear blue water,  white sandy beach.

Strong current though - wished I was a surfing babe.

The beach won't be a 'virgin' for long. The area is  being heavily developed by Suharto's children (we were told) for the rich and famous.

Garlands of emerald-coloured seaweed... 

Can't get enough of it.. 


Uluwatu


Our only family portrait





Watching the famous Kecak Dance at Uluwatu Temple


while witnessing the setting sun... 


then ended the day with supposedly romantic candle-light seafood dinner at Jimbaran beach (we followed the Lonely Planet). If only I could see what I was eating...


Fisherman Snorkeling village in Blue Lagoon





View from Blue Lagoon


Rice fields


More rice fields.. 



View from the top of some mountain - near Mount Agung



Delish lunch at Lebih Beach

After one week of seeing too many temples and eating too much instant noodles (acceptable food is hard to find), we are glad to be home. So long Bali, till we meet again....