Day 3...exploring Day...and spending day!! Off to Ubud, up in the mountains!! This morning started just beautiful with breakfast at The Corner House in Seminyak. Another great cafe with awesome decor - an historical spin.
Then it was off to Ubud for the day with our driver Mr Wayan providing us with all the local information! It's great to get out of the big places of Bali to see the countryside. Driving pass the rice fields and other farming! Everyone working so hard in such simple ways! Our first stop was the Sacred Monkey Forest. We had a guide which keeps the monkeys off you unless the guides want them to be on you!! There are lots of stories when you visit places with monkeys, and I have been to others previously, but this has been the best experience. No items stolen or even attempted to be. Anthony got quite a shock when one bigger monkey jumped on him unexpectedly! It was a great experience and the monkeys were a little bit cute!!
No time to keep playing, away we went to the Silver Workshop in Ubud - Prapen and shop...I was in heaven. So many beautiful pieces of jewellery...a few purchases were made. The detail in the making was amazing, such steady hands!! At this workshop, as well as seeing the pieces on display for purchase, you get a tour around the workshop area and explanations are given regarding the silver processing.
Lunch was next and it was at a traditional Indonesian restaurant in the rice fields...crispy duck! Yum!! I was so mesmerised by the location. A table overlooking ricefields that I missed the name of the restaurant.
Straight after lunch we went to the Luwak Coffee Plantation, Teba Sari, for coffee and tea tasting. This is where the Lowak eat the cocoa beans off the cocoa plants and their poop is gathered and processed to make what Anthony described as very good coffee! Made some more purchases - Lowak coffee, Lemongrass tea, cigars and chocolate.
Last it was a visit to the Master Artist Community...such beautiful work both contemporary and traditional...another purchase for the house and our visit was over. Next for the drive back to Seminyak, we met the evening 'knock off time' traffic...crazy stand still for ages!! To conclude a fantastic day it was sundowners and dinner at Manos! Manos is a beachside relaxed bar and restaurant. It was a great place for tapas but yet again no sunset. A fantastic day!!
