Bali food

Bali is catered to tourist.Every one and everything, so it seems, are made just for tourists. The best thing about Bali, maybe just Ubud, its the people. They are so accommodating and quite talkative.

Another good trait about the people, they aren't as aggressive as some people in other cities I'd visited - Beijing or Shanghai. Even the Thai merchants can be very aggressive at times. Once you say, 'no thank you' they stop and just smile.

Bali food is good and mild for a Thai who like here food rather spicy. So the Bali stomach is nothing to me. I find myself putting more sambal on my food so that I can get more bite. Surprisingly, the western food here is rather tasty. You just have to know where to go.

My favorite little 'warung' is Ayam Jakarta near the T-junction of Jl Hanoman and Jl Raya, about a couple blocks before the Ubud Market. An unassuming place, a hole in the wall type place with local food. The first time I went there, I have no idea what it was like. There were two touriststhere so I thought it must be fine if the 'farangs' are eating here. And yes, it was becausethe Mie Ayam, the local noodle soup, was as good as home. Very tasty too.

I went there are becuase I like it somuch. Their 'Mie Siyam Special' is like Mee Krob Lard Nah' but with more vegetable. It's must be the Hindu influence, vegetarian food is omnipresent. Although not a vegetarian, I love vegetables and Bali serves up plenty of vegetables to my liking.
I have been a happy camper when it comes to food.

Local bars:

I'd been to two bars since I'd arrived. I would have gone to more bars if there were more bars to visit. But Ubud, unlike Kuta, is not a night place. The town seem to roll up its carpet once past ten. Eleven is almost pumpkin hour to the locals. Ubud is an early town, morning is busy.

The Jazz Cafe, is the liveliest night life I experience in Ubud. It's comes highly recommended,for Lonely Planet genre, and it's the best in Ubud. I am sure that in Kuta there are livelier places.

Now, Warung Damatia, or Peace bar, really cater to locals. Ngura, my guide for the day, took me there on my request because I want to see how the local entertain themselves. It's like the 'bar-beer' at home but without the pool tables and food. Everyone gets a girl to sit with you, whether you want one or not. Realizing that Ngura might be bored with my company, I allowed Lita, our table girl, to sit with us as Ngura's companion.

Now, a place like Warung Damatia, athome with be dotted with men enjoy the girls' company and eating and drinking. But the warung does not serve food, only drinks. So I waited and waited for the dancing to started. I wanted to experience local dancing. Alas, not much happened, so we left at midnight back to the house.

Amazingly, late at night, Ubud's streets are ruled by the dogs. You can see dogs every where on the streets. They appear late into the night but during the day, the dog population seem to diminish. Where they disappear to, I don't know.

Until next time, namaste.

Ms. Mak