Babymoon: Parents’ Guilt, Fun in the Sun and Everything in Between (Day 3/5)

Here’s sharing Day 3 of our babymoon #2, and the activities that we squeezed in since we were travelling sans bub. Leaving the little one at home was a struggle, but this couple time was much-needed, until B2 comes along as that means we’ll have much lesser time together

Day 1 and Day 2 zoomed past while we were having fun, dining and whipping up a storm during a culinary class!

Day 3: The Trans Resort Bali – Babi Guling Chandra – Bisma Eight Boutique Hotel at Ubud – Owl House – Dinner – Hotel

It was our last morning at The Trans Resort Bali, which was a really splendid hotel, with spacious-everything. So at breakfast, I made a mental note to snap more photographs of this family-friendly accommodation. Hubs and I both agreed that the next time we visit Bali with the kids, this would be our top choice for our family :)

Within the breakfast area, there was a kids’ corner where their staff are stationed to mind kids should parents wish to leave them there for a quiet breakfast. Kid-sized chairs, tables, toys and even a television are in place. Just a few steps away, lies a mini golf course for the little ones. Well, Lilliputt came to my mind!

Another sneak peek at the pool side – it was really shiok to just lay on the beach chairs with a book or simply to bake in the sun, or perhaps take a dip in the waters. The lighter blue area has a kid-friendly depth, whilst the section in dark blue is much deeper.

When I learnt that there was a Kids Club within the premises, I just had to check out that place! It’s somewhat like a childcare area where kids are dropped off and left in the care of minders, and plenty of entertainment, as well as an ice cream palour!

After breakfast, we lazed around a little back in the room, and prepared to check-out of the hotel. We had gotten the random driver who picked us from the airport to take us to Ubud, and the journey took about 2 hours+ (depending on traffic), with pit stops along the way!

After chatting with the driver, we discovered that there was actually another recommended babi guling place, which apparently was better than the popular Ibu Oka’s in Ubud!

When hubs heard that, we definitely had to go for it and sink our teeth and stomach to experience it for ourselves!

Between the three of us, we ordered a set each with an additional plate of pig’s skin and a packet of deep fried pig skin, which the driver highly recommended. Truth be told, the deep fried pig skin was really yums and was not fused with those old stinking oil, if you know what I mean?

That plate of pig’s skin was devoured – really crispy!

The set comes with rice, sliced pork, satay on sticks, some innards (which I skipped!) and 2 – 3 pieces of pig’s skin. And boy, I loved that soup! And happily asked for a second helping. It was flavourful, and spice level was perfect – I would have gone for a third bowl if not for hub’s reminder about the unhealthiness of it…. bummer!

Our verdict? It was GOOD! Highly recommend it because the portion was good, food was delectable and well-seasoned, plus the price was reasonable.

BABI GULING CHANDRA
Jl. Teuku Umar 140, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia
(0361) 9940098 225559

Although our last visit to Ibu Oka in Ubud was about 3 years ago… but we still remember the food there! So this time, we’ll definitely be making our way to try it again, since we’ve heard that standards have dropped and they have expanded from the roaring business over the years.

After an early lunch, we continued our way to our accommodation for the next two nights: Bisma Eight Boutique Hotel at Ubud.

This boutique hotel was barely two months old when we were there, and hubs definitely deserved credit for hunting down such a serene place. Despite being located at a rather “ulu” area, the quiet environment offers a back-to-nature feel, allowing us to unwind and bask in the laidback atmosphere. Makes a really nice place for city dwellers like us who wish to get away from the bustling cosmopolitan life.

Looks like hubs deserved more than a pat on the back for picking out this hotel via Agoda! There was a special surprise promo then, no less!

While checking-in at the lobby, I was greeted by a middle aged male who came up to me and started chatting, asking where we were from etc. Then he introduced himself as the owner of this space, and he graciously took us on a tour around the new hotel, sharing about the ideas and concepts behind the design and why he chose to built this escapade in Ubud.

There were also morning yoga sessions at sunrise taught by a yoga instructor, and guests are welcomed to join the class at the patio, just outside of Copper, their cafe.

Here’s a little tour of our home for the next couple of days. Contemporary-industrial theme design took the lead; a rather refreshing concept for a hotel. I guess they do want to differentiate themselves from the thousands of hotels in Bali.

At first impressions, we appreciated the new look. But with time, the feeling turned a little cold – maybe because hotel rooms are supposed to be cosy and relaxing; but with the colder outlook of the appearance, it sort of takes you to a different space altogether. What do you think?

The lovely touch of a Japanese onsen in the bathroom was a nice experience. The owner shared that all 38 rooms had this handcrafted Japanese-inspired bath installed within. Of course the hubs had to give it a go without me – I couldn’t because pregnant mums aren’t supposed to be soaking in hot baths :(

Enjoyment aside, it did use up quite a bit of water, if I may say so. And it took time to fill up the bath too, so do be patient before enjoying your very own in-house hot spa – bath salts included! ;)

Do note that while a hair dryer was provided, other basic necessities such as toothbrushes are not. Just in case travellers plan to leave them out of their toiletries.

After checking in, we decided to take a stroll down the lane and walked out to explore the area.

And as luck would have it, we chanced upon a really special place… and someone who shares my love for owls! But he is definitely a bigger fan than I am – check out his amazing works below!

Welcome to the Owl House by artist Wayan Sila!

We were pretty mesmerised by his dedication and fine works of art… and contemplated getting a painting for our home. The only thing was, we’re running out of space! So, I took home a miniature version of his owl masterpiece in the form of a notebook with his painting :)

We left the Owl House and headed down to a busier street to hunt for some cakes. While planning the trip, we did our research and found out that there was a lovely place that served cake nearby, known as Honeymoon Guesthouse. After locating it, we were disappointed to be turned away and told that they didn’t have any more cakes and was recommended to head over to another cafe which sold their cakes.

Well, I can’t recall the name of that other cafe, but it wasn’t an indie cafe per se. More like a a shop space which had some random cakes on display (the kind you know aren’t baked by them) and served hot and cold drinks such as coffee, tea and soft drinks. There weren’t much variety to choose from, so hubs and I each chose a slice (I think we had a banana cake and a red velvet cupcake) and we ordered a pot of tea and a cappuccino.

The cakes were pretty forgettable – dry and a little on the tough side – not impressed. Did take some photos of what we had but they seemed to have disappeared…

After our late tea break, we decided to walk to the City Centre, where the bustling crowd was. Truth be told, I know wonder where my energy came from, because my legs were moving so much with all that walking. By the time it was nightfall, I was getting annoyed and feeling tired, so we settled for a late dinner in one of the pubs with ‘live’ music.

Well, B2 called for bread during womb service, so there! Philly Beef Sandwich for mama and bump :P We made a call home over dinner, but the lighting and reception was simply terrible, so we decided to call again when we returned to Bisma Eight.

Sensing I was tired, hubs suggested we made our way back to retire earlier. And to think he had the audacity of suggesting a walk right back to the hotel! I could have strangled him!

Well, we cabbed back eventually, and do note that taxi rates are higher in Ubud than Seminyak. They don’t go by the meter, but rather, they propose a flat rate after knowing where your destination would be. It was probably double that of what the drivers offered at Seminyak, and any haggling would be greeted with guffaws!

We took a shower and hit the sack right after. My legs were protesting, no less!

More adventures to come on Day 4, where we signed up for a workshop to discover our artistic abilities. Or lack thereof, in MY case! Stay tuned!

Is babi guling one of your must-eat in Bali? If you’ve tried other yummy places, do tell us too!

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