Exotic Bali - Jatiluwih Rice Terrace and Babi Guling Lunch (Day 3, 28 Aug 2013)

After we visited Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, we quickly headed to view another spectacular rice field - Jatiluwih Rice Terrace. It has been appointed as one of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. It is also located 700 m high above the sea level with a cool temperature.

Our driver drove up to the mountain to let us see this site in just a short time (about 25 mins) with his good driving skills! By the time we reached there, there were a few tourist photographers taking photos of the breathtaking view of Jatiluwih Rice Terrace. Therefore, we couldn't really get a nice place to take pictures. So we only took some pictures from the car. Without spending much time, after we took a few photos, we decided to leave this place...

Jatiluwih Rice Terrace picture taken from the car

Nearer view of Jatiluwih Rice Terrace

By the time we were at Jatiluwih Rice Terrace, we still haven't eaten our lunch yet. Around 2:30 pm, we were hungry during that time and our driver recommended us a restaurant to have lunch where he always is there. The restaurant - Depot Betty 2 is famous for Babi Guling (Suckling Pig) and the price is relatively cheaper than the other restaurant in the Ubud area. This is the only meal where our driver ate together with us happily and we were also happily treated him as he provide good service for us during the trip :)

We ordered the Babi Guling special meal set, I like to eat the pork skin because it is really crispy and it tasted good too :) I'm glad that we tried this famous dish in Bali because it is a special dish only available in Bali. And only in Bali where pork is served almost in every restaurant, but in the other states in Indonesia, pork is hardly be found in the restaurants.

Depot Betty 2 restaurant which famous for Babi Guling

Depot Betty 2 restaurant - Babi Guling special meal set that we ordered. It contains pork meat, crispy pork skin, pork satay and some vegetables.

Depot Betty 2 restaurant - Babi Guling special meal set is served with a special type of rice which only can be found in Bali

Depot Betty 2 restaurant - Cashier counter of the restaurant

Depot Betty 2 restaurant - Suckling pig and the crispy pork skin

Exotic Bali - Pura Ulun Danu Bratan (Day 3, 28 Aug 2013)

Happy boxing day! The new year seems to be around the corner very soon, as many New Year songs can be seen on the TV now. I still cannot adapt to the changes of the mood from Xmas feel to CNY feel so fast! However, I'm glad that I finally found a new job which offers me to go to Europe for a business trip maybe for a couple of months soon after CNY! A new year with new wishes, I wish that I will have a fresh start and a fresh mind in the coming new year! In addition, I hope I can forget the unhappy things and remember the happy moments from the past soon ~

So let me update this Bali trip in order to keep up the progress (as I still have 2 more trips to be shared in this blog)! After having our delicious strawberry desserts at Strawberry Stop at Bedugul, we quickly headed to Pura Ulun Danu Bratan (floating temple) which is quite near Strawberry Stop. This place is also quite high above the sea level, I feel the weather there is very cooling and comfortable for taking a walk there!

When we were there, we were lucky that there was a prayer ceremony happening in the temple! And I was able to capture some photos of the prayers of the ceremony! According to our driver, there are many prayer ceremonies in Bali around the year!

Entrance ticket of Pura Ulun Danu Bratan. Our driver was trying to help us to purchase tickets for local (with cheaper price), but the ticket counter staff seemed quite strict, so we only can get the tickets for foreigners

Information board of Pura Ulun Danu Bratan

Passed by a Balinese restaurant

Pura Ulun Danu Bratan temple door

Temple guidelines for the visitors

Ancient statue in the temple

Lucky to see the Balinese prayer ceremony in the temple!

Close up view of the Balinese prayers ceremony

Thanks to the Malaysian couple who helped me take this photo! (Oh my chubby face, I'm fatter now by 2 kg!! :S The result of eating too many snacks :P)

Pura Ulun Danu Bratan - Ancient beautiful floating temple

Pura Ulun Danu Bratan - The prayers have to walk through the water in order to enter the temple

Beautiful temple with beautiful flowers! Some locals fishing here too!

The weather at the place is quite cooling!

Another part of the temple

There is a big garden in the temple! Many beautiful flowers can be seen!

Cute little boys in the playground

A special type of flower which I haven't seen before!

Exotic Bali - Tea time at Strawberry Stop (Day 3, 28 Aug 2013)

Merry Christmas and happy holiday!! I found some time to update this blog today :)

After we enjoyed the hot spring at Banjar, we moved on to the next destination to have our tea time - Strawberry Stop at Bedugul. Our driver nearly forgot to stop us at this destination, luckily when he drove by the place, he saw his relative's car who also stopped by there with another group of tourists. Then only he recalled that we also wanted to visit this place! After that, he made a turn back to let us visit this place!

Strawberry Stop has a few organic strawberry farms, flower plantations and also a rabbit farm! Bedugul area is suitable for plantations as this place is cold and high above the sea level. I enjoyed a lot of taking photos of the beautiful flowers. However, the strawberry farm is closed and visitors are not allowed to enter the farm. After we viewed the farm, we ordered some strawberry desserts for our tea time.

Before we left this place, my mum bought some fresh organic strawberries here! It is very cheap and sweet! We gave some strawberries to our driver too :)

Entrance to Strawberry Stop

Entrance to Strawberry Stop

Strawberry Stop flower plantation - Flower #1

Strawberry Stop flower plantation - Flower #2

Strawberry Stop flower plantation - Flower #3

Strawberry Stop flower plantation - Flower #4

Strawberry Stop fish pond

Strawberry Stop flower plantation - Flower #5

Strawberry Stop flower plantation - Flower #6

Strawberry Stop flower plantation - Flower #7

Strawberry Stop flower plantation - Flower #8

Strawberry Stop flower plantation - Flower #9

Strawberry Stop flower plantation - Flower #10

Strawberry Stop flower plantation - Flower #11

Strawberry Stop flower plantation - Flower #12

Strawberry Stop flower plantation - Flower #13

Strawberry Stop flower plantation - Flower #14

Strawberry Stop flower plantation - Flower #15

Strawberry Stop - strawberry farm

Strawberry Stop - strawberry farm

Strawberry Stop restaurant

Strawberry Stop restaurant menu (beverages)

Strawberry Stop restaurant menu (food and desserts)

Strawberry with honey

Strawberry pancake with ice cream

My delicious strawberry pancake with ice cream and strawberry milk shake

♫ Song of the day ♫ - (I love to hear Christmas songs because they are warm and joyful :) This video is taken at KLCC, I miss this place as I worked there before for 2 and a half years!)