19th Aug:: Day 11 || Reflectionz

"Happy Bday tc...?"

I find birthdays an irony.

Thru social conditioning, we somehow expect to have ourselves at the centre of attention on this day. We expect some big-bang things to happen, to be showered with gifts & wishes (if not, we'll be unhappy), aka, eh... why u nvr wish me happy bday? U not friend >< *faintz* Truth is, on this fateful day, our moms - the ones who gave birth to us - put their own lives in gravest danger to pop us out. It's said that to give birth is to put one leg into the grave; the other might just follow. Current moms or moms-to-be will appreciate that. Probably that's why I'm not into hoo-haas on such days (I dun have so many friends too hoo-haa for me any way)... It should be right that we dedicate this dangerous occassion of our births to our parents, to reflect on ourselves and be grateful that we're able to reach this stage in life only because of our them... to people who still bear grudges of me not wishing 'em happy bdays... well... get real!

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Anyway, to give myself a treat, I booked myself a half-day cycling tour (35000RP) ((:

Padi field bfast: banana jaffle (bread stuffed with my fav fruit) ^^

8am: pick up by Bike-Baik Tours (my guest house told me they also have such tour, but includes a visit to Sacred Monkey Forest too... which I thought is quite optional). The owner of Bike-Baik actually worked with the other cycle tour organisor, but left to start Bike-Baik... I can sense some competition.

1st stop: drove 1hr++ to have bfast at this cafe by the hill-side, overlooking 2 volcanos - Mt Agung (tallest) & Mt Batu. I believe liJEN & others who did cycling few days ago had the same thing ^^

Bfast again: with volcano view - Mt Batu

... and Gunung Agung, tallest volcano in Bali

After bfast: visit to plantation - growing kopi & other plants...

蛇皮果: the one which tara_tang bought in huge lots before returning so Spore

Free: different types of kopi & tea (3rd cup - ginseng kopi, supposed to be aphrodisiac)

Selling other colorful fruits too...

After shopping @ plantation (spent like S$50++ for 2 bars of choc & a pack of ginseng kopi *faintz*), the cycle tour got started... it's an easy cycle through the padi fields (which I've seen yesterday)... through the villages with friendly folks.

Kids ran out & shout "hello!! hello...!!" ... & stretch out their hands (we're supposed to hi-5 them); lucky my bike skills still ok, nvr crashed into the kids when I hi-5ed them ^^

The old folks will stand around, look at you & nod with reserved smiles. I felt like Lance Armstrong in Bali (:

Tour de Ubud

Festive decorations

Toilet break @ one family house. Ended up eating their festival satays. So friendly 哦

Lunch stop: Owner, Wayan, hosted us at his house. Plus some intro to traditional Balinese house.

Wooden ducks

Split gate at Wayan's family temple. All balinese family has a temple. So god loving

Inside family temple

... and that's the end of my happy-bday Ubud cycle tour (: I wun say it's really-really great, but it's smth enjoyable heh heh...

Back to guest house, bathed, slapped my new friend with some life-saving Mopiko & out for dinner. But not before making a stop @ the freight-forwarding shop to post my post-card painting... if not they'll close shop for the next 2 days for the festival *eeeww*

One of the many chic-looking eating restaurants along the road. It says "not cheap"

And many art galleries too

Namaste!!! ... surprised to find a Nepalese shop here ^^

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Bikin kibin: Arts for Living

Lamps: 70% glass, 30% crystal for strength, much thinner than normal glass lamps

This is one hell of an interesting shop - its sells lamps. And its owner is more interesting. Initially, I wanted to just go in & take a snap run off, but ended up chatting with the owner for 30min... this's the kinda thing I like about Ubud. I take time to sit around & talk to people ^^

Owner is a friendly Ethiopian-Italian chap (how exotic)... who does lighting design for people such as Thai King bday & owner of Four Season's etc... & used to design lighting for our Orchard Rd too. But closed up his biz & shifted to Bali. Has a very global background too - educated in Swiss, now sending his kids to study in India (they dun like Spore education system). So wow...

When I walked in, he was just squatting outside smoking & I don't even bother a second glance... thought he's some shady taxi driver waiting for biz *ops*!!.... don't judge a person too early.

~~ as we talked... an ang moh buyer dropped in, saw that he's got nice lamps which she wanted for her new house in Bali... then commissioned him to do bigger ones =.=" price wasn't mentioned in the conversation, hmm... who do we have here in Ubud?? ~~

As he closed shop, I found out that his gallery only opens when he's got appointment. Lucky me yeah ^^ next time, I shall work by appointment only.

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Next, dinner: Jazz Cafe

Cozy litt corner with live band. Cover charge 20000RP (S$4) to support the artists. I thought this is a nice concept; if we're willing to pay a litt to support musicians, we could have a more vibrant artistic culture here too...

Band was quite good. Environment was not bad too... & the main hall was fully packed. But I had a nice litt table by myself with 6 pillows at the side pavilion. What a nice way to end the day ^^

Main hall: reservations advised

Poor lighting. Listen to the jazz...

Quiz: why take pizzas in alternate manner??

Fell asleep a few times on my 6 pillows. Just as I was leaving, they did an encore (: That was the real highlight of the evening:

Blocked by the crowd

After dinner: back to guest house. Decided to venture out into the padi field & steep myself in the darkness & silence of the night... & saw fire-flies flickering in the padi field. Nice (: