Travel With Jonna

A Culture Vulture In Bali

I can’t keep away from Bali!  The fact that it’s only about a 2-hour flight from where I live makes it pretty irresistible.  My husband and I recently booked tickets on a Saturday and were on the plane early next morning.

One particular day was exceptional because there were three special days in one… 1) Kajeng Keliwon 2) Purnama (full moon) and 3) Anggara Kasih (a good day for love)

Kajeng Keliwon is a favored day for temple ceremonies and other religious ceremonies.  However, it is a day when evil spirits might be lurking about, so offerings are given to protect people and their families from any harm.

My friend (and guide/driver), Leroy, picked me up bright and early and we headed to Tirtha Empul (a holy water temple fed by a big natural spring).  It is in a region northeast of Ubud called Gianyar, known for being thickly religious.  There were hundreds of people there waiting outside the temple walls for entry, where once inside the walls, they stepped into the pools and lined up until they could bathe their heads in the water spouts of fresh spring water and become purified.  This was done this particular day because of the combination of aforementioned events that made this day particularly auspicious.

  

The air at the temple was festive.  Families brought picnics to eat.  Everyone brought abundant offerings to leave in the temple and people prayed at the adjacent temple.  Incense burned, blessings were bestowed upon the Balinese by priests and others, and there was a riot of color everywhere. 

When we left, Leroy took me shopping for traditional Balinese clothes for my husband and I to wear to that evening to Besakih (the mother temple) at the foot of the volcano, Mt Agung, the most sacred mountain in Bali.  We would be going to the most sacred place in all of Bali where people went to pray and give offerings in honor of the full moon - Purnama.

Later that evening Leroy’s family picked us up at our hotel.  They were all dressed for the temple.  We drove 1.5 hours to Besakih, and when we arrived the sky was dark and the full moon shone from high above and gave us light to find our way up the stairs to various temples within the large mother temple.  We participated in a few rounds of prayers (involving holy water, rice and flowers) at some of these temples.  I love seeing the Balinese devoting themselves entirely to these beautiful religious ceremonies and prayers.  We enjoyed the serene ambience in this most sacred of places and returned to Ubud fulfilled and peaceful.

On my last morning in Bali, Leroy took me to his home village where two ceremonies were to take place.  The first is Matalubulanan (3-months-old-ceremony) which is similar to a Christening.  However, many young children who had not yet participated in this ceremony were included along with babies.  Children wrapped in gold cloth and wearing ornate hair pieces knelt in rows on the ground, along with mothers holding babies.  Other adults sat in the back on chairs, or on the ground where there was space to kneel.  This ceremony was held in a family compound in the village and the decorations were very ornate and beautiful.  I wish I’d had my video camera with me to capture the sounds… the priest was chanting, the audience was singing, children were chatting… it was such a festive atmosphere and an absolute sensory feast.

The children were blessed many times in many ways and participated in receiving these blessing from a variety of ways, including holy water, coconuts and incense.   There was much praying as well.  This ceremony was absolutely beautiful and meaningful, and I felt so privileged to be witness to it.

 

Immediately following that ceremony, the villagers moved to a different house for a tooth-filing ceremony, an important event that only happens every 3-5 years in this particular village.  It is very costly to hold a tooth-filing ceremony.  The cost in decorations and food rivals that of a wedding, so villagers combine forces to hold the event for any number of participants.  This is such a significant ceremony in one’s life, that if someone dies before having their teeth filed, it will be done on that person before cremation, to ensure a peaceful transition to the next life.  This day there were 28 youth between the ages of 14-21 who were to have their teeth filed.  They, too, were wrapped in gold cloth.  There were musicians present, plenty of friends and family members, and glorious decorations. 

Canine teeth represent animal-like behaviors and evils, and filing those teeth, along with the four upper teeth between the canines, symbolically removes those earthly evils from a person.  After a person has his or her teeth filed, he or she spits out the saliva & filings into a young coconut, which is then buried in the family garden, which signifies burial of those evil characteristics.  

The other interesting thing I did in Bali was visit the Green School.  What an inspiring place!  This school was the vision of John Hardy and his wife, Cynthia, who have lived in Bali for decades and were disenchanted with the available educational opportunities for their children.  Green School is focused on educating children in a holistic environment with a global vision.  The structures are built entirely of bamboo and are architecturally stunning and cutting-edge.  Every classroom has its own garden for the children to care for.  Most of the food consumed at school is organically grown on site.  The school is self-sustainable.  The toilets are all compost-style.  The environment is beautiful and nurturing.  The Ayung River runs along the edge of the school.  It is worthwhile to visit the school and take a tour (check website for tour times and book an appointment).  You will be inspired!

http://www.greenschool.org/

 

I spent a night at Green Camp (on Green School's property).  I am taking a group of teens there in the fall so I wanted to experience a night in the camp so I can better prepare everyone.  The camp consists of 12 yurts, gardens, a campfire, and a camp kitchen.  Programs include Balinese culture, adventure (white-water rafting, biking, hiking), service, and much more.  I am so impressed by the entire campus, vision, mission, everything about it!

On every trip to Bali I love to explore and make new discoveries.  Here are some of my latest recommendations:

STAY:

The Purist Villas – the smallest boutique hotel in Ubud, consisting of only 7 villas, each with a private pool.  We stayed one night in the Bamboo Villa.  Next night we were transferred to Hill Villa (because of availability).  Both are nice, but we prefer Hill Villa.  It is a 2-level Timor house which was moved to and reconstructed in Bali.  A lovely place to chill out.  Only complaint is the only bathroom is downstairs and the master bedroom is upstairs.  But I’d still stay there again.  There’s a second bedroom downstairs, sitting area, nice little pool and bale outside for relaxing.  The meals are delicious, beautifully presented, and delivered to your villa where you can dine al fresco.  Really lovely place and very good butler service.  They have a couple of mountain bikes which we took for a ride through nearby rice fields.  Perfect way to travel through Bali.

http://www.thepuristvillas.com/

Green Camp – You can participate in family weekends or enroll your child(ren) for camp fun during your visit to Bali. 

http://www.greencampbali.com/

EAT:

Bridges – Great location in Ubud above the Campuhan River.  The food is absolutely delicious. 

For those with a sweet tooth… the following dessert are a must!

Chocolate Fondant - Rich chocolate fondant (basically a chocolate lava cake) topped with comfit orange, and served aside a light cointreau cream mousse and vanilla gelato.

Cinnamon Creme Brulee - Oven baked cinnamon infused creme brulee accompanied by soft lime butter stewed apples and finished with vanilla bean tuile.

Jalan Campuhan (near Antonio Blanco Museum), Tel (62) 361 970095 (make a reservation)

http://www.bridgesbali.com/

Sari Organic – Tucked up in the rice fields.  It’s hard for me to even explain where to find it, but ask a local driver and they can point you in the direction to go (it’s at Subak Sok Wayah in Ubud).  Off the main road in Ubud you walk up a hill, then along a path through the rice fields for about 15 minutes until you come across this very casual organic restaurant.  The food is simple and healthy, and the smoothies are colorful and yummy.  It is a nice environment to enjoy a relaxed lunch. 

Reserve a table overlooking the rice paddies (62) 361 972087 

Above all, contact Leroy if you want an excellent guide and driver.  He will show you the side of Bali most tourists don’t see.  (62) 361 7462298 or (62) 8123904631 (mobile), email: leroykp@yahoo.com, website: http://www.Bali-tour-Leroy.com   Tell him I sent you!

 

A Taste Of Tasmania

I’ve been dreaming of a visit to Tasmania for quite a while.  I finally made that dream come true.  I most recently took my children there for a quickie trip, where we really got just a tiny taste of Tasmania.  One needs at least a couple of weeks to see the entire island, but we had only 5 nights.

Given our short visit, I decided to explore the east coast, and leave the rugged west coast for a future visit. We flew in and out of Hobart. 

Tasmania is gorgeous, peaceful and pristine.  It is an island & Australian state (part of an archipelago made up of 300 islands!) off the southern coast of Australia, about the size of West Virginia or Ireland. The population is only about 500,000 people.  When we first arrived and were driving north, one of my daughters commented, “I’ve only counted three people!”  It is a very quiet place, and humans are far outnumbered by animals.  I have never seen so much roadkill anywhere else in my life!  Animals lay dead on the side of the road all over the place.  I’m sure the authorities clean the roads regularly (everything on that island is spotlessly clean!), but there is just no way they can keep up with it all, as animals are constantly crawling out onto the roads and getting hit by oncoming cars.  I tried to drive carefully, but our last night, driving along a country road in the pitch dark, a kangaroo jumped into the road in the blink of an eye and we hit the poor thing…

We spent our first night in Bicheno, which is at least two hours drive from Hobart.  We went there specifically to see the fairy penguins.  From my research of Bicheno, which is described as a “laidback surfing town”, we were rather surprised when we arrived and saw that it is one of the tiniest towns we’ve ever encountered.  In fact, if you’re not paying attention, you’ll whiz right through it in about two seconds! 

We went to see the penguins in the evening after it was dark.  A bus picked us up from our lodging and took us to the penguin rookery, a protected area home to all the  penguin burrows.  Our very knowledgeable guide gave us quite a thorough education about the fairy penguins (also called “Little Blues” because of their blue feathers).  They are the smallest species of penguins on the planet, weighing only 2 lbs (1 kg) and measuring 16” (41 cm) tall!  In a few minutes, these tiny penguins came waddling up from the sea to their burrows.  The first to appear stood patiently waiting for the others to arrive.  On a good night in a different season it is possible to see hundreds of penguins.  We were there in the slow season and saw only a dozen or so, but it was a thrill all the same.  They spend the majority of their time in the sea, and come to shore in the evenings for breeding and also for molting.  We enjoyed learning about their quirky nesting and courting habits.  It was a unique experience.

http://www.bichenopenguintours.com.au/

  Photo courtesy Bicheno Penguin Tours (Guests are not allowed to take photographs)

There are not many accommodation choices.  We stayed at the Wintersun Gardens Motel.  The owners were helpful and it was a convenient location (and nice to pull the car right up to our room).

http://www.wintersunbicheno.com.au/

Launceston – A smallish city up north (another gateway to Tasmania).  We drove there for a look-see and to eat lunch.  The town itself isn’t a thrill, but the surrounding national parks and Cataract Gorge are the attractions.  We did stop at Design Centre Tasmania, which sells a wide selection of beautiful Tasmanian-made products.  I was drawn to the items made of Huon pine, which trees are some of the oldest on earth.  The wood smells divine.  There are also objects crafted from pottery, glass and wool.  Definitely worth a visit.  http://www.designcentre.com.au/ Corner of Tamar & Brisbane Streets in Launceston (on the edge of City Park), open 9:30-5:30 Mon-Fri, 10:00–2:00 Sat & Sun. 

Freycinet National Park - A jewel in Tasmania’s crown, located on the rugged Freycinet Peninsula.  Pink granite mountains, wild and remote beaches and bays, it is a stunning place to truly get away from it all.  We stayed two nights in the park so we could have time to enjoy this beautiful place.  We stayed at Freycinet Lodge, which I believe is the only accommodation located IN the park (although there is a range of accommodation in nearby Coles Bay).  I think it is overpriced, but I bit the bullet and opted for the convenience and fabulous location.  We had our own cabin, which was very comfortable and quiet, on the edge of the bush.

http://www.freycinetlodge.com.au/

 A kookaburra on the back balcony of our cabin at Freycinet Lodge

There is much to do in the park… various hikes and walks, kayaking, camping, fishing, etc.  The highlight for us was the Isthmus Track Circuit Walk (an 11 km hike with visits to Wineglass Bay and Hazard’s each).  The scenery was breathtaking and the white sandy beaches empty.  Even my 9-year-old completed the hike!  Of course, we took breaks to collect shells and eat the snacks we brought.

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=3363

Wineglass Bay

Wineglass Bay

On the trail

Pretty little coves off the trail

 Taking a break during the hike

Tasty stop:  Kate’s Berry Farm (near Swansea, on the Tasman Highway).  We stopped by en route from Freycinet to Hobart for some tasty treats (berry ice cream, chocolate dipped freeze-dried raspberries, and all kinds of delicious berry and chocolate concoctions.

12 Addison Street, tel (61) 3 62578428, open daily 9:30-4:30

http://www.katesberryfarm.com/

Our final two nights were spent in the Hobart area.  This was a very educational experience and we packed a LOT into two days.

Tasmania was considered the ends of the earth in the 1800’s, and tens of thousands of convicts were sent here (as well as many other parts of Australia) from England.  In fact, Australia was built up using convict labor, and most Aussies are descendants of convicts.

Men who were sent to Tasmania usually ended up at Port Arthur, the harshest prison settlement on the island, which is, ironically, in such a geographically pretty setting.  Even boys as young as 9 were sent here for petty crimes, such as stealing a toy or a shirt.  Although sentences were given in 7’s (7, 14, or 21 years) it usually meant a life sentence because it was nearly impossible for anyone to afford passage back to England once they finished their sentence.  Port Arthur is located on a peninsula connected to the island by a very narrow strip of land (“neck”), which was guarded by starved dogs, and called the “dog line”.  That and the fact it was surrounded by wild sea meant that it was virtually impossible to escape from prison. 

Port Arthur is Australia’s largest penal settlement, which operated as such from 1833-1877.  It consists of several buildings, including the penitentiary, a church, the separate prison (the hellish place where convicts spent months, if not years, in silent isolation, and where most lost their minds), homes for those in charge, Boys’ Prison, etc.  There is lodging on the peninsula if you choose to spend more than a day exploring the area.  However, we spent an afternoon there (would have preferred a full day), and took a guided walk, toured a couple of the buildings and visited the very interesting visitors centre downstairs, where we learned many of the stories about the men and boys who were sent there.  The latter will be of particular interest to children, because upon entry, each person is given a convict card, which leads him/her to a particular convict’s story.  It is very visual and informative with lots of photos and various rooms set up so kids can see a glimpse of life in those times.  They can even try on leg shackles. 

One thing we missed was the night time Ghost Tour by lantern light, which I think would be fascinating, but would likely have frightened my youngest children.

Our visit to Port Arthur was a very sobering experience, which left quite an impression on all of us. 

For detailed information http://www.portarthur.org.au/

Sunset on the drive from Port Arthur to Hobart

What about the women?  They realized after sending all those men to Tasmania, there would need to be women for the men...  So, female convicts were rounded up in England and sent to Tassie as well, to spend the miserable duration of their sentence in the Cascades Female Factory in Hobart. 

http://www.femalefactory.com.au

Many of these women were prostitutes, but there were also many women who were sent for minor “crimes” (e.g. a widow stealing a loaf of bread to feed her children), and thus, sent by sea to prison a world away, forced to leave their children behind.  Unimaginable!   One story, in particular, was gut-wrenching, and told to us in the form of live theatre by a husband and wife who brought me to tears with their realistic reenactment in the ruins of the Female Factory.  This is called “Louisa’s Walk.”  It was absolutely a highlight for me and I can not recommend it highly enough.  My children were held rapture throughout the entire performance, and it brought our experience at Port Arthur full circle to learn about the female convicts.

http://livehistoryhobart.com.au/

There were many babies born at the Female Factory, and many of them died, as they were forced to wean from their mothers by the age of two weeks and spend all their time in flea-infested cots, until they were old enough to be sent off to an orphanage.  The mothers (some of whom had been raped by their masters as they worked as servants during the day) were punished with prison isolation for their crimes of becoming pregnant.  The Female Factory is located in a residential and commercial part of Hobart, not on a dramatic coastal setting like Port Arthur, but every bit as sobering and striking in the tragedy of human suffering that took place.

We stayed for two nights in an historic village about 20 minutes outside of Hobart called Richmond.  It is a very charming and beautiful place, located along the convict trail.  There are numerous cottages built of convict-cut stones, and several have been turned into bed and breakfasts or self-catering accommodation.  We stayed at Mulberry Cottage B&B, a charming inn with a very pretty garden.  Best of all, the owner of the B&B, Miriam, has created a one-woman live theatre show telling the story of a convict’s daughter, known as Grannie Rhodes, who owned the small stone cottage on the property, where she raised her family, baked bread, and lived life.  Fascinating!  We were spell-bound as this woman transformed herself into Grannie, and other characters as well, while sharing fascinating stories in this cottage filled with real history.

http://www.mulberrycottage.com.au/

http://grannierhodes.com.au/

In Richmond, we had a delicious Italian dinner at Anton’s.  The owner, Anton, emigrated from Switzerland many years ago and serves outstanding pizza and pasta.

42a Bridge Street, tel (61) 3 62601017

Oh yeah, the animals…

Tasmania is a haven for animals, which thrive in this beautiful place (except for the Tasmanian Devil, which is quite endangered, unfortunately).  We spent our last evening in Tasmania among some of these animals, at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, where we had pre-booked a private after-hours tour.  We were the ONLY ones in the park!  Well worth the money ($149/adult and $39/child).  We spent as much time as we wanted wandering around the sanctuary, feeding wallabies, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, a spotted-tail quoll and other Australian animals (some of which are native only to Tasmania).  We loved cuddling an adorable and fat wombat named Major Morris.  My kids enjoyed chatting with the cockatoo who speaks with an Aussie accent!  We saw for the first time the other members of the macropod family (which include the more common kangaroos and wallabies) … bettongs, pademelons and potaroos.

Feeding the kangaroos

Cuddling a chubby, snuggly wombat

Tasmanian Devil

It was the richest animal experience we have ever had… my children were giddy with delight (and we’ve been to plenty of zoos and animal parks in various parts of Australia).  Don’t miss it!

http://www.bonorong.com.au/

Note:  It is outside the city of Hobart, not far from Brighton.  Make sure you have good driving directions. 

Want to bring something home?

If you are in Hobart on a Saturday, be sure to visit the famous Salamanca Market, a fabulous outdoor market flowing with handicrafts, jewelry, handmade soaps and body products, art, clothing, lots of food, live music and much more! 

Every Sat 8:30-3:00 at Salamanca Place (near the waterfront/docks).

Adventure in the City of Sunshine…Sydney…In The Rain

Autumn in Sydney is usually a lovely time to visit (March and April).   I just took my daughters there for a holiday.  We were looking forward to blue skies and cool fall weather… after all, Sydney is the city of sunshine.

But alas, the heavens opened and the rains fell.  And fell.  The wettest weather to hit Sydney in a year.  Oh, what timing! 

Sydney is a city that is meant to be enjoyed outdoors.  We had to make lemonade with those lemons that were falling from the sky!  Here’s what we did:

The Rocks – Sydney’s oldest neighborhood.  Atmospheric old restored buildings, lots of restaurants, several art galleries (blown glass, Aboriginal paintings, beautiful burl wood products all caught my eye) and a delightful weekend market.  Much of the market is covered, so you can stay mostly dry if it rains.  My children and I love visiting weekend markets in other countries.  This one sells locally made items (arts and crafts) as well as food, accessories, etc.  My youngest daughter, a very petite child, has an obsession with sharks.  She was drawn to a booth selling necklaces with pendants of shark and crocodile teeth.  I tried to persuade her to go for a small tooth, such as one from a tiger shark or mako shark, but she would not budge when she found the object of her heart’s desire, a massive Great White shark’s tooth, which she now wears with pride above her heart.

http://www.therocks.com/sydney-Shopping-The_Rocks_Markets.htm

When we had a break from the rain, we headed over to the Botanic Garden for a little walk, a great space for kids to run around and blow off some energy.  There are many wonderful events occurring at the gardens, so check out the website to see what’s on. http://rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/

Sydney Opera House – We took the “Essential Tour”.  Excellent!  We learned much about the history of the building and how it was conceived and constructed, quite a fascinating story.  All three of my girls really enjoyed the tour.  We went on a 3:45 pm tour, a wonderful time to go on a Wednesday or Saturday (matinee days) because the sets were being changed in the opera theatre between shows.  Really interesting to see the busy bees working in the hive, moving big sets around and transporting them between floors on the monstrous lift.  Our guide, Molly, was a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm.  It is so interesting to see what happens behind the scenes, something that normally does not cross our minds when we go to the theatre.  This structure poses particular logistical challenges because the theatres have no wings, unlike most traditional theatres.

The Sydney Opera House is the busiest performing arts center in the world, hosting operas, plays, musical performances, and much more.  Opera Australia usually has about five operas running during the same period.  On our tour we saw the set of “The Barber of Seville” being put in place, and Molly told us what a fun and fantastic show it was, so we decided to book tickets.  If you’re lucky and there are seats available, you can go to the ticketing booth at 6:30 pm (one hour before show time) for the student rush, when tickets are sold to students for $50.  We did that on a Monday night and got very lucky.  I paid $215 AUD for a 5^th row ticket and my girls got seats with me for $50 each.

This was my 9-year-old’s first opera.  What a great first opera for a child!  It is a very amusing storyline and the characters are a hoot!  My children were captivated the entire three hours of the show.  We read about the story ahead of time and I made sure my children understood the storyline and characters so they would know what was going on throughout the show.  They were also able to read the surtitles (don’t take a child who doesn’t read – I recommend 8 years and up). 

Seeing an opera at this iconic structure (it is one of Australia’s 5 world heritage sites, and the only opera house in the world to hold world heritage status!) was certainly a highlight of our visit to Sydney!

http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/

On the one day when we had a break from rain, we high-tailed it over to Manly Beach.  You can take the ferry from Circular Quay, but we had a car so we drove.  It was quiet and lovely.  My girls enjoyed the beach for a while then we visited some of the surf shops.  You can’t visit a Sydney beach without sampling some of the seafood.  We were in the mood for fish & chips, by recommendation of a local resident we went to Manly Fish Market and Café, which has a wide variety of fresh seafood on the menu.  As we were returning to the car, I spotted Mongers, one of our favorite gourmet fish & chips restaurants on the globe.  We’ve eaten at their restaurant in Byron Bay on the northern coast of New South Wales.  They have two restaurants in Sydney, Manly Beach and Bondi Beach.  It is fabulous!

Manly Fish Market and Café Shop 1, 2 and 3 at Ocean Beach and Wentworth Street, (02) 97763777, 8  am – 8 pm

Mongers Rialto Square, 11-27 Wentworth Street, (02) 99771777   www.mongers.com.au

Next up we visited Sydney Harbour National Park.  I read an article a while back on Hugh Jackman’s Sydney favorites.  He recommends a coastal trail in the park.  I love the outdoors and my girls were game for a walk.  Thanks to the GPS I rented with my car, we found it (I entered the name of the trail and the GPS took us directly to the trailhead!)  The Hermitage Foreshore Walk is in a posh residential area of the park, which winds along the water with excellent views of the harbour and city.  There are several little beaches and coves along the way, which my children were drawn to like magnets.  It is a peaceful and pretty walk, a nice break from the city.  I love to do things that are off the beaten track, and this one is not in the guide books!  The rain started falling on our way back to the car, and we did get a bit wet, but we didn’t mind. 

We took a day trip to the Blue Mountains.  We followed the scenic drive by way of Bells Line of Road (google map for directions), nicer than the Great western Highway.  It was about a 2-hour drive through pouring rain. 

When we arrived we went directly to the visitor’s center in Blackheath.  I asked for a recommendation of what I could do with children in the rain.  It was suggested that we drive 1 hour 20 minutes to Jenolan Caves, the oldest caves on the planet.  But 1) I knew my kids had been in the car long enough, and we were on just a day trip, and 2) I didn’t come to the Blue Mountains to go underground!  The employee at the visitor center also told me about a little trail called Mermaids Cave, as well as a tea house in the Megalong Valley.  I would not be deterred from enjoying the forest in the mountains, so I purchased plastic ponchos for all of us and off we went.  We drove down a beautiful winding road to the valley, where we stopped at Megalong Valley Tearooms for homemade apple pie from locally grown apples, scones with mountains of cream and blackberry jam, garden tea and hot chocolate.  A really lovely little place with horses on the property and apparently, when it’s not raining, there are often wallabies on the grounds.  The autumn leaves were changing color (the first time my children have ever seen that).  Apparently, the teahouse is also famous for it’s delicious breakfast.

Megalong Rd, Megalong Valley, open every day 9 am – 5:30 pm

www.megalongtearooms.com

With full stomachs, we drove back up the road and stopped off for a walk at Mermaids Cave in the rainforest.  We were delighted to come upon a waterfall plunging into a shallow pool.  The girls enjoyed climbing around and prancing in the pool.  We lingered and took our time, and by the time we returned to the car it was past 4:00. 

We drove to Katoomba, a sizable touristy town, home of the well-known Scenic World, with it’s Scenic Railway (the world’s steepest passenger train), but it had just closed (5:00 pm) so we missed out on that.  Honestly, one day is not enough time in the Blue Mountains.  A weekend visit would be ideal, there is quite a lot to do and the region is studded with numerous bed and breakfasts.  Leura (a short distance from Katoomba) is a charming town with B&B’s where I would love to stay next time.

As fun as climbing the Harbour Bridge sounds, the minimum age requirement is 10 years, and with the rainy weather it would have been rather windy and unpleasant, I think.  Next visit, I suppose, when the sun is shining!

I would have liked to squeeze in a visit to one of the many museums in Sydney, ideal for rainy weather, but we were quite busy every moment during our 4-day visit and just couldn’t do it all.  There are many fun things to do… you must pick and choose.

Part of the experience of traveling is learning to go with the flow when things don’t go exactly as expected.  Although the weather didn’t cooperate we made the most of our time there and really had a great visit!

Postscript:  My friend wrote me to say the day we left was sunny with blue skies, a perfect day for the beach.  Of course it was!

TIPS:  If you are staying in the city proper you don’t need a car.  The ferry system is quite extensive.  We stayed in the suburbs with friends, so a car was necessary.  If you rent a car, you need to go online and register for a temporary e-pass (most of the tolls are cashless).  The car rental company did not tell me about this!  It is quick and easy to set up online at www.myrta.com.au  You can arrange the e-pass to take effect for up to the previous 48 hours you’ve already been on the road.  

 

THIS LITTLE PIGGY WENT TO HONG KONG

This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home.  This little piggy went to Hong Kong, and on Saturday, my final day there, I literally ate my way through the city in the afternoon, ensuring I would have absolutely no appetite whatsoever for any airplane food that evening on my flight home (Cathay Pacific is a great airline, but the food is really awful!)

I enjoy many of the colorful and varied eateries on Elgin and Staunton Streets.  But I returned to a favorite, TAKU (on Elgin Street in Soho), where I ate a massive Japanese lunch.  They have some lovely set lunches for reasonable set prices, but oh no, I really needed to have some California rolls and some tuna rolls, which were not available with any of the set menus.  Plus I wanted a little comfort food (miso soup) and the edamame… and it was only little me eating a solo lunch… so I pigged out and left very full.  …But I always seem to have room for ice cream, of course, so I waddled down to Cochrane Street  for some of my favorite gelato at XTC GELATO.  Both of these places can be found on my previous Hong Kong blog entry because they are among my faves…

Taku 35 Elgin Street, Soho, tel (852) 2545 9966  http://www.taku.com.hk/

XTG Gelato, 45 Cochrane Street, Central, tel (852) 2541 0500 (just below Hollywood Road near escalator)  http://www.xtc.com.hk/

I have looked all over Singapore for egg tarts reminiscent of Hong Kong, and no matter where I go, they just aren’t as divine!  And, it’s true, not every egg tart in HK is worth it’s weight in calories… But there is ONE bakery which sells the most delicious egg tarts on earth, and it is justly named “THE SUPREMECAKE”.  It is out at the flower market on Prince Edward Road West in Kowloon.  I schlepped out there, with a very full belly, JUST for the egg tarts.  After all, my trip home was just a few short hours away and I did not have my egg tart satisfaction fulfilled yet, having been disappointed a couple of days earlier when I eagerly purchased two egg tarts at a bakery on Hong Kong island, only to bite into a tasteless filling surrounded by a cardboard-like shell.  Two bites and the rubbish found its way to the trash where it belonged.

To get to The Supremecake, take the MRT to Prince Edward station in Kowloon.  Exit following signs to the Flower Market / Yuen Po Street Bird Garden.  When you exit to the street, go west on Prince Edward Road (the mountains will be on your left) a few blocks until you’ve arrived at the flower market, which consists of two blocks beginning at Sai Yee Street.  On the first block of the flower market after passing several shops you will see The Supremecake on your left.  They sell all kinds of fancy Chinese style cakes, yummy cookies and biscuits that go perfectly with tea, and three kinds of tarts:  The traditional egg tart, coconut milk egg white tart and coconut tart (the latter is more of coconut-meat style tart).  All three are nice, but the coconut milk egg white tart reigns SUPREME as the winner! 

The Supremecake, 176A Prince Edward Road West, tel (852) 2392 9399, 8:00 am - 7:30 pm.  

Moans of pleasure echoed along Prince Edward Road… and they weren’t emanating from one of the many nearby hourly hotels, but from the throat of a woman in ecstasy, enjoying the warm, velvety coconut custard with a quivering center and the delicate pastry which encased it.  In fact, three tarts later, and after a wander through the flower market (where I resisted the strong temptation to smuggle some of the most gorgeous exotic orchids into my suitcase), I returned to the bakery to buy a full box of these succulent tarts to bring home to my family, and succumbed to a fourth tart fresh from the oven.

You might be thinking, seriously?  You ate all that?  Yep.  And I’m not ashamed.  And, apparently I wasn’t finished yet, because a few doors down from The Supremecake stands UNCLE FONG, recently opened at this location.  Uncle Fong has been around for 40 years and is also famous for Uncle Fong egg tarts and Uncle Fong egg cake waffles (he is apparently known as the “Tart God”).   My tummy was brimming with egg tarts (which I’m convinced are the best) so I opted to try an egg cake waffle at Uncle Fong.  After all, the place was humming and people were queued up waiting for their egg waffle orders!  I hoped I might be able to find a teensy weensy space in my stomach.  Freshly made in a waffle maker, it was given to me in a paper-punched bag to release the steam. Hong Kong style egg waffles are thicker than a western waffle, yet quite fluffy, and the taste is similar to that of a waffle ice cream cone.  Indeed, I gobbled up the entire delicious creation!

Uncle Fong, 182 Prince Edward Road West, tel (852) 2309 2608 

 

This little piggy boarded the plane a short time later, filled to the gills with all those Hong Kong goodies, and definitely without an appetite for anything at all until the following day!

The Flower Market and Yuen Po Street Bird Garden is worth a visit too!

By the way, it is worth browsing both blocks of the flower market, then turn left at Yuen Po Street to enter the bird garden for a look (you can pick up some beautifully carved bird cages as well).  I love the flower market.  The flowers are exquisite, and there are some interesting shops selling beautiful pottery from Taiwan.  I used to drive out there often when I lived in Hong Kong and fill the trunk of my car with fragrant blooms to bring home and enjoy.

KERALA, INDIA - A FEAST FOR THE SENSES

Some friends and I recently visited Kerala, India... a state in south India.  I fell in love with the place!  Gorgeous hilly tea plantations, beautiful people, fascinating culture, delicious food, and adventure.  Kerala is located in southwest India on the Malabar coast of the Arabian Sea. Kerala is green and lush, a stark contrast to arid north India, and Keralans are proud to call it "God's Own Country."

There is a colorful history of foreign rule in Kerala.   When Vasco de Gama landed on shore more than 500 years ago, the region fell under Portuguese occupation, followed by Dutch rule then British rule (British East India Company).  I was surprised to discover so many Christian churches in Kerala.  There are quite a few Syrian Christian churches as well.  The churches are all brightly colored and unique in their design.  I love seeing Christianity and Hinduism side by side.

Kerala boasts India’s highest literacy rate.  Most children attend school (many attend Catholic schools) and we did not see beggars, which was a relief, especially after seeing so much poverty and begging in north India.  

 
Kerala is absolutely a feast for the senses:  The scent of spices...cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, the sight of gorgeous countryside and brilliant colors of dress, houses, churches, vehicles, and everything else, the taste of fresh spicy, curried food, the throbbing sound of drums and horns at a temple ceremony and blaring of horns from every car and truck on the road, the feel of an elephant’s tough leathery skin, or thick textured rubber fresh from a rubber tree hanging on a line to dry. 

I love India more each time I visit and feel so fortunate to live so close to that fascinating country.  There is much more to see and explore there!

DO:

Jungle Safari in Gavi – Travel by jeep early in the morning to a forest sanctuary in Thekkady.  Enjoy hiking, a boat ride in the lake and lunch.  We were staying in Kumily the night before and traveled from there.  We could hear and smell the elephants during our hike, but did not see any.  A really lovely, beautiful place to enjoy nature.

Ayurveda – The ancient tradition of Ayurvedic medicine originated in India thousands of years ago, and has a very strong presence in Kerala.  Treatments are offered at nice hotels, but for something more authentic (but less fancy) visit an ayurvedic hospital.  A one hour shirodhara treatment plus body massage on a gorgeous hand carved medicinal wood massage table will set you back 1500 INR (less than $35 USD).

Santhigiri Ayurveda Hospital – Santigiri Complex, Munnar Road, Kumily  http://www.santigiri.co.in

Cultural shows – You must see two cultural shows in Kerala:  Kathakali (Keralan theater) and Kalari (martial arts) both performed by males.  They are both performed every evening, back to back in neighboring buildings.  Ask your hotel for details.

Elephant Ride – Enjoy a ride on an elephant through the forest at Elephant Junction outside of Kumily.  http://www.elephantjunction.com/

EAT:  The good news is the food in Kerala is cleaner and safer than in north India, and you will not likely become sick.  Hooray!  Keralan food is the most delicious Indian food I’ve eaten… sooo delicious.  So go ahead and enjoy it all!  The flavors are so distinct and delicious in every dish, eating the local cuisine is a pleasure.

Kerala is known for being a mecca of spices, which is why it was such a popular port for spice traders as early as 3,000 years ago.  Pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace turmeric, and ginger flourish.  The region is also rich in coconuts, which is a signature in Keralan cuisine.  It is interesting to visit a spice plantation… someone will guide you around and show you all the interesting plants and how the spices grow, then there is usually a shop where you can purchase freshly dried spices to take home.

I became very fond of cardamom (slight understatement!).  There is a south Indian dessert called ‘payasam’ which is absolutely divine.  It is sort of like a warm rice pudding, but flavored with cardamom and contains vermicelli rather than rice.  I also love cardamom tea and I’ve been trying to duplicate it at home.  Here’s the recipe:

Cardamom Tea (serves 4)

2 dried cardamom pods

1 small piece ginger

2 black peppercorns

Gently pound all in mortar and pestle
Fill saucepan with 1 cup milk and 3 cups water.  Add spices.  Boil all for 2-3 minutes, remove from heat, then add 1-1/2 tsp tea powder (the Indians use regular black tea but I really like rooibos tea in mine) and let steep.  Sweeten with white sugar.  Add a little cream and enjoy the flavors of Kerala!

We found a group of women sorting cardamom in heart-shaped baskets before it is packed in burlap sacks for export.

SLEEP:

Spice Plantation – We stayed two nights at a cardamom plantation.  The food was delicious, the cabins clean and comfortable, and the grounds peaceful and beautiful.  George cherian is the owner and very knowledgeable about the area.

Cardamom Club – outside Kumily, Thekkadi

http://www.wildlifeperiyar.com

Kerala Backwaters – Sleep in an old converted rice barge and laze the day away as you cruise along the complex backwaters system, watching people go about their laundry, taking the “school boat” home from school, washing dishes in the water, etc.  We stayed on the boat only one night, which was not enough.  I recommend at least two nights.  The boats come with a chef.  Ours produced the most beautiful, tasty food.  My friend wanted fish for dinner so we cruised over to a small fish shop and she picked out her meal which was cooked to her specifications. 

http://www.lakeslagoons.com/

The "school boat" ferries children home from school in the backwaters.

Fishing the backwaters in a traditional coracle

Stay at a hill station – We enjoyed the town of Munnar, about four hours’ drive from Kochi.  The climate is cool, the town is lively and enjoyable to poke around in and the rolling tea plantations are gorgeous.  The women solely pick the tea.  

 
Women picking tea leaves all day in the sun
  Packing up tea leaves in bags at the end of a long day

SHOP:

The obvious take-homes are tea and spices.  I picked up a typical Keralan mortar and pestle, which is small and meant to pound spices rather than grind them.  In Kochi (formerly known as Cochin in colonial days) there are some lovely shops on Jew Town Road in the old Jewish quarter (antiques, linens, clothing, jewelry, and much more).  I found some delightful vintage terracotta figurines at Sipco Curio at 6/3207 Jew Town, Mattancherry. I'd never seen these anywhere before, and they are so charming, I couldn't resist packing a few to bring home!

http://www.sipcocurio.com

Tips:  Plan your visit to Kochi so you are there on a day other than Friday.  That was our only day in Kochi and we were so disappointed the Jewish synagogue was closed, as well as the Mattancherry Dutch Palace, two major historic sights in town.  The colonial part of town is very charming and I could have spent all day wandering around its interesting streets.  Skip the new part of town altogether, the old section is where there is charm and history.  There are some lovely colonial hotels in the area.

You can arrange a custom tour through a travel agent which includes a driver.   I only recommend companies who I feel plan excellent itinerary.  Since our company put us in Kochi on a day when some key sights are closed, they’re not receiving my endorsement!

Getting there:  Silk Air flies to Kochi direct from Singapore, or you can connect from the major cities in India.

Of Interest:

Think you're overwhelmed with laundry?  This is a dhoby (laundry) in Kochi.

Rubber (from local rubber trees) drying in the sun.  Rubber is a major export from Kerala.  Below, men pack it up for export.

I found the below guide book very informative and helpful: