Wakeup call was 5:30 am, as we embarked by boat at 6 am. Destination was the north waters off Bali, about a mile off the coast. The attraction was the hundreds of dolphins that patrol these waters, along with a breathtaking sunrise over the peaking green mountains of Bali.
I'd like to think we were out there to watch the dolphins and enjoy the scenery. But I'm writing this blog from a perspective of reality, and not everything we see here is the best and the greatest. In fact, it's sometimes shockingly Third World. So reality, huh? OK. We were on a full-fledged dolphin hunt. Should a dolphin periscope his head 2 inches above water.... Well, then he's got 3 dozen motorized outrigger boats, full-steam ahead. At first the dolphins were playful, and we got a real "Sea World Moment," as one lept about 10 feet in air, spinning more times than I could count. That was terrific, as it was close to our boat. However, the rest of the tour was mostly cat-and-mouse with the dolphins. It was fun enough, and some photos will hopefully turn out nice.
A quick breakfast followed, and then it was off to cooking school. Terri, myself, and 3 of the Brits booked a class with Putu, who offers the unique experience of learning to cook Balinese recipes in his home. Putu is a local chef, and the guy knows what he's doing. These experiences are what this way of traveling is all about. The ability to cook and share food in a local's kitchen will be one of the highlights of this trip. We started in the local market, getting a crash course in local ingredients and veggies. After a quick bus ride to his home, Putu had us shaving coconuts, pounding chilis with a mortar/pestle, and putting everything together. A noteworthy event, however, is that prior to cooking the seasoned chicken, Putu put a healthy amount of RAW chicken into his mouth, sampling for taste. Even better---our recipe book says to do so. Fantastic! So salmonella doesn't exist in Bali I guess. Who knows--maybe the chicken we ate today was dispatched only minutes before entering the kitchen. Also of note was Putu's snappy chef attire. Cut-off shorts and no shirt. Yes, this is the REAL Bali. Despite the occasional worried looks we gave each other, the food was prepped and it was time to chow.
Menu: Nasi Goreng, Bergedel Kelapa, Lemon Grass Shredded Chicken (Insanely Tasty), Wok Fried Chicken/Tomato Sauce, Jeruk (Spicy Coconut Milk with Long Bean). By long bean, I mean LONG bean. End to end, these beans were nearly 3 feet long.
It goes without saying, but this meal will be one of the more memorable of my life. The Balinese people don't have much as far as worldly possessions go. Putu's kitchen was modest at best. He operates on just a two burner propane/table top stove in a house that most of us would consider to be a shack. The conditions are what any American would consider to be far below the poverty level. Putu has three part-time jobs, trying to make ends meet for his wife and 3 kids. He also works as a taxi driver and guiding tours to Balinese Cremation Ceremonies. Nonetheless, Putu could outcook any top-name Asian restaurant in America. Hands down. No contest. It probably has something to do with the fresh local ingredients, but this was one to remember.
Happily fed, we all piled into the van for our ride to Kintimani. This area boasts the tallest mountains of Bali, Mt. Agung and Mt. Batur. Upon arrival, we checked into our lodge at Lake View Hotel. Walking into our room, the view was fantastic. Below us, Batur lake. Directly across, Mt. Batur rising to 5500 feet. Gorgeous. Also welcomed are the temperatures, as we're up in the mountains and it's a bit cooler. By cooler I mean about 85 degrees instead of 95.
Dinner was VERY local at a warung (local restaurant) down the street. Not really great, but I got some protein in for a big day tomorrow. Off to bed at.... 9pm Yes. 9 pm. Tomorrow's gonna be rough.
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