Packed Like Sardines on the Beach

July 9 

Hooray, Sydney-Sider Phil has joined us.   Phil is an infinite delight and has been to Bali several times and can suggest a few restaurants and shops for us.

My trusted traveling companions.  

A few cocktails and appetizers, watching the Ubud-ians pass by!  

Our driver has suggested that we hit the temple on the cliffs in the early afternoon before enjoying a sunset dinner on the beach (Uluwatu) The temple on the cliffs was lovely.  Beautiful views of the cliffs and the ocean.  The ocean is very blue but seems to be surrounded constantly by a haziness.  

Rusty and Yosiell enjoying the view in the temple on the cliffs.

Stairway to the temple...

Walking the grounds, sarongs are mandatory but each temple lends sarongs after paying the entrance fee.  

Beautiful view...

A cliff, with no railing...no safety mechanisms...and yet we didn't plummet to our deaths.  

Phil taking in the sights!

After, we went through a few beach towns clogged with surfers from around the globe to stop at a restaurant that was one of a string of beach front restaurants crowded together (Jimbaran)  The beach was very crowded with people trying to take in the sunset.  The sunset of course was lovely, everything you would expect in Bali.  The dinner was perhaps the freshest seafood any of us have had in a great while.  Excellent grilling.

Bali sunset...

Lots of tourists taking in the sunset.

Food is ordered fresh from the tank inside...the best calamari I've ever had.  

Frenemies to the end.  

Can you get any more Aussie than this?  

Sunset fast approaching. 

And the crowd gathers...

Unfortunately, it seems every place we end up is wrought with bus-loads of tourists.  I'm hoping we can stop driving several hours to places so crowded that the experience becomes a trial in patience.  Bali has a natural beauty we are missing when in the car and when driving through congested towns.  I’m sure more specific suggestions to our drivers will assist with this issue.