Bali ~ Friends, Margarito v Cotto fight, UC Silver, and Bali Zoo

In early December I ran out to Bali again.  My friend was in town from the US, and there was another group of friends from Singapore that were out celebrating another friend's birthday.  What better place to celebrate your birthday, than Bali. 

I'm generally a good planner, but I didn't book accommodations early for this trip.  I ended up choosing a 1 bedroom villa at Danoya, because it had its own private pool and was two levels (i.e. had stairs).  I have always liked stairs.  Further, even though the property didn't have a restaurant on-site, the villa had a kitchen and it was nice to have a couple of people come over and make breakfast.  I enjoyed the mee goreng (i.e. noodles) one morning and the nasi goreng (i.e. rice) another morning.

****  My friends stayed at Villa Massilia and it appeared that the party of about 20 people had the complex to themself. 

On Friday night, I went out to Ku De Ta for drinks and a quick bite.  There I met Sanaz and her husband.  We share mutual friends and they had been traveling throughout SE Asia, so it was a treat to meet and chat.  Another thing that was cute was that Sanaz and I carried the same Chanel handbag!

Saturday, was spent lounging by the pool and with friends. 

Sunday, before running around and showing my friend, Taiwanna, the sites I had to watch the Margarito v Cotto boxing match.  As the fight was starting, there was a knock on the door and the hotel staff asked us if we needed help with our luggage.  OK, most people may consider this rude ~ but I knew I was already overstaying my welcome and there was a driver waiting for us so we could see the sites.

After checking out, I asked the driver to please take us to a bar so we could watch the fight.  Within 10 minutes we were at a bar and taking in all the action from the ring!  Talk about a good driver, and lucky man since he was able to watch the fight as well.  Miguel Cotto won the fight, and Margarito lost AGAIN.  Honestly though...  What's it going to take for Antonio Margarito to stop risking his vision?!!?

Anyway, another great trip with some sports (i.e. even if it was only on TV)... 

After the fight we went to UC Silver (i.e. took a tour and stopped in the shop). I was determined to check out the store since I'd seen so many ads.  Admittedly, I'm not a silver person, but I was taken in by the design and the dragonfly. 

We were greeted by a gentleman who gave us a tour.  It was a public holiday so there weren't many people working. 

After our tour we went to the store and I discovered that they also sell gold.  However, the name of the company IS UC Siler (i.e. and not UC Gold) so I decided to stay true to the name.

Afterwards we visited the Bali Zoo to ride the elephants.  Yes, I've done it before...  BUT you can never ride too many elephants...  Ha!!!

THE WIRK

My first trip to a fish spa in Singapore

Ever been to a fish spa?  Do you know what a fish spa is?  When my friend, Taiwanna, was visiting in Singapore we visited Kenko to see what all the fuss was about.  I can't really remember but I think we spent 30 minutes with the fish. I can't recall what we paid, but it wasn't anything relative to the experience. 

At the start, the employee washes your feet and you're given slippers to wear.  Since we paid a little extra for a shoulder and neck massage, we had that service while we started with the smaller fish.  Approximately half way into our service, we were asked if we wanted to transfer to a different tank with larger fish. 

Personally, I think the smaller fish were ticklish.  The larger fish definitely have a stronger "bite", but there's no pain.  Think pins and needles after your arm goes numb, but much much less severe.  I could handle it, but Taiwanna didn't like it and just kept me company while waiting. 

The fish are thorough and go after your cuticles as well.  If you're sharing a tank with someone who has feet that are worse than yours, take note that the fish may abandon you for more "food".

All in all, I'd do it again ~ but I haven't.


THE WIRK

The Datai ~ Luxury in Langkawi, Malaysia

I finally had the chance to see Malaysia, when I visited Langkawi and stayed at The Datai.  I'd been wanting to go on vacation and see Halong Bay in Vietnam, but the flight times weren't working with my schedule and the temperatures were cooler than I wanted.  When a trip to the Datai was suggested, I quickly "Googled" and there was no question that I wanted to go.

I'm a huge fan of the Datai and my experience in Langkawi.  I can't tell you a single thing about Langkawi.  I really can't tell you much about the property itself.  I can tell you that food, level of service, and time I had at the resort were top notch.

The property itself might be a little dated.  It has a more masculine feel with the heavy and darker woods, but it's very comfortable.  The deluxe room I had overlooked the pool.  The resort is located in the rainforest, so there is animal life in the treetops. 

If you're afraid of creatures, you need to know that they tell you to keep your balcony doors locked when you're not out there since there are "naughty monkey".  I didn't find the monkeys to be a problem at all.  In fact, i enjoyed the ones that came over towards the pool one early evening.

While enjoying the resort, I spent plenty of time sunning at the pool.  The water temperature for the pool was comfortable and refreshing since it was very warm while I was there.  Another plus, was that the staff kept refreshing our ice water.  The bar was conveniently located near the pool for when we needed food and drink.

Breakfast was good and there was a wide selection of items. 

I'd highly recommend The Datai to anyone.  From the moment we stepped into the Mercedes for the transfer, I knew we were welcome and in good hands.  Another fantastic benefit occurred when we learned that we would have a late check out of 7PM, without any additional payment.  ****  I'm so used to traveling and getting "offered" the opportunity to extend my stay for about half the nightly rate at other hotels and resorts that this was definitely noteworthy and very classy of them.

My trip to The Datai was definitely a peaceful, relaxing trip I'll never forget

THE WIRK

Siem Reap, Cambodia ~ Amazing temples, great food, and wonderful people

In early November, I went to Siem Reap.  For those of you that don't know, that's Cambodia.  Since I'd been working in Singapore, I had the chance to talk to my coworkers about the best places that they've visited and Cambodia always seemed to be at the top of their list.  In early November I went to see what all the hype was about.

Getting to Siem Reap was an adventure.  I'd been out a couple of nights before and hadn't taken the ID picture I needed for the visa on arrival.  Further, I was leaving for Kuala Lumpur via bus from Singapore since all the flights to Siem Reap were either really expensive or booked up since there was a public holiday the following week.  After taking my ID photos at a booth, I settled in for a few martinis, before scrambling home to pack and catch the bus.

The bus ride to KL was a piece of cake, since I slept most of the way.  After arriving in KL, we took a cab to the airport and with no time to spare boarded the plane to Siem Reap.  Ever seen the show "Amazing Race"?  Let's just say, my friend and I would've won had that been one of the challenges.

Once in Siem Reap, I was impressed to see a modern, beautiful airport.  It reminded me of Hawaii.  Acquiring a visa on arrival was easy and I was on my way to the hotel.  After a quick nap, I was ready to see what Angkor Wat and all the temples were all about.  Armed with my 3 day ticket (i.e. cost $40 USD), I had no idea how much fun and hard work (i.e. we did a lot of climbing, but you don't have to) seeing all the temples would be.

If you've never been to Siem Reap and you have the chance, you MUST see the temples.  The architecture is amazing and I'll argue with anyone that says that "they're all the same".  Each temple is unique and the craftsmanship is amazing.  Nature has affected some of the temples (i.e. think the temple from the "Tomb Raider" movie with Angelina Jolie) with tree root growth etc., but these monuments are still amazing.

I know the word "amazing", is over used - but they are AMAZING.

My tips for a trip to Siem Reap:

• Hire a tuk tuk driver - Some of the temples are spread out and depending on how many days you want to spend, the driver can recommend which temples to group together and routes to follow.  Further, the driver will know where you can eat lunch and scope out the best sunrise and sunset.
• Pace yourself - These temples weren't built in a day and there's no way you're going to see them all in one day.
• Wear comfortable and appropriate clothing - If you're going to go into a special area of Angkor Wat, you have to have sleeves on.  I'm not sure if you'll be able to get in with shorts or a shorter skirt on.  I wore long paints and a tank top.  I had a long sleeved sweater around my waist, just in case I needed it --- and I needed it for the special area of the temple.  If you're not dressed properly, they won't let you climb the stairs. 
• Wear underwear, especially if you're wearing a skirt and climbing - Trust me.  No one wants to see you.
• Wear a shirt - You're not in your house or in your backyard.  These are temples.
• Bring US dollars - If you don't have US dollars, you're only hurting yourself.  I couldn't tell you what the Cambodian currency is, because I never had a need to touch it.  Souvenirs and restaurants use the USD.
• Don't be shy to eat in Cambodia.  The food is great and since it caters to tourists (i.e. Pub Street) there are plenty of choices!

For a hotel, I stayed at the Empress Angkor Hotel.  I'd recommend it.  It's a great hotel.  Closer to the airport and a little further from the temple, but the amenities are nice and the people are friendly.  Come to think about it, just about everyone I encountered was very nice and welcoming.

Oh and if you need a tuk tuk driver, I can recommend mine to you: Thy Tuk Tuk.  His email is thytuktuk1981@gmail.com and his card is pictured here.


THE WIRK

Get your limited-edition, personalized Kareem Abdul-Jabbar bobblehead NOW

I was thinking about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar today.  ****  What?!?!  As if you weren't...  Seriously, though.  I was because I posted earlier about age restrictions for guys trying to enter the NBA.  If remember correctly, he's pro-age restriction and I'm against it.  Anyway, back to the message I'm trying to communicate...

I just caught up with my Twitter feed and I noticed that Kareem (i.e. @KAJ33 on Twitter) has been posting about personalizing messages and selling bobbleheads.  Well, needless to say, since I'm a huge fan I had to check it out.  I went to his website, http://www.kareemabduljabbar.com/ <-- ****  Who can't figure that out?

This is what I found:

Seeing as that I skipped a day of medical school to head to MC Sports and to have him sign a hat for me, I couldn't pass up the chance to have some stuff delivered to me.  The NBA's All-time Leading Scorer is one of the reasons I fell in the love with the Lakers and he should have this skyhook pose captured in a statue one day in LA.  However, until that day, this image will have to sit on my shelf (i.e. once UPS delivers the goods).

There are only 250 of these available.  At only $39.95 plus delivery etc, this is a steal for Kareem fans everywhere, so get yours now!!!  Here is the URL: http://store.kareemabduljabbar.com/skbo.html  ****  I already placed my order and received my confirmation, so I should be OK.

Woohoo!  Looks like Christmas came early this year!!!


THE WIRK

College football and basketball players shouldn't get a cut of TV revenue

I have the day off today, and it's raining, so I decided to check on my baby (i.e. this blog).  I'm not sure what happened yesterday, but my blog stats went through the roof!  Well, in an effort to not neglect you all and to stay focused on this endeavor, I took a quick look at ESPN.com and found a poll that struck a cord with me...  I figured I'd get your thoughts.

While I was surfing the net, I came across a Sports Nation poll asking whether college football and basketball players should receive a cut of their schools' TV revenue.  Below is a picture of the current results.

If you know me at all and/or have been following this blog, you know how much I appreciate money...  Initially when I read this questions, I jumped to YES for my answer.  I thought to myself, why shouldn't they get paid?  The athletes contribute to the program and as stars of the team they draw ratings...  However, I started to think the question through and realized that there are many other issues that need to be considered.

1.  Not all colleges/universities have the following (i.e. storied history) to attract viewers, ratings, and TV numbers.  Some school are simply too small and don't produce quality teams consistently enough to land the TV deals.  Growing up, I heard all the Notre Dame jokes about their teams playing in a "cereal bowl", but their fan base is loyal. 

2.  While an athlete might be incredibly talented, the focus of amateur athletics should be education.  If these individuals want to be paid as professionals then they need to take it up with the National Football Players Association (NFLPA) and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) regarding age restrictions etc.  ****  I'm not going to research the particularities in this matter, but I've argued with former players about this matter in the past, and I think age restrictions are lame.  Caveat emptor (i.e. let the buyer be ware).  If a team is willing to risk its money on a very young prospect, it should be its right.

3.  I don't want to hear about how the athletes need the money.  More or less everyone in college and even adulthood will argue that they "need the money".  That argument doesn't hold any water.

Out of curiosity, I specifically checked the stats for Ohio.  I'm from Ohio and Ohio generally makes the "final" decision when it comes to who becomes President and other decisions.  Further, it's the Midwest - middle America, and therefore more or less "average".  Needless to say, when I checked, Ohio was split 50-50...

Just some thoughts from a girl who's too lazy to head out in the rain...

THE WIRK

Phuket ~ Paper Lanterns and James Bond Island

Phuket is such an easy travel destination when you're in Singapore that my friends and I decided to go out there for a weekend in October.  Since I'd already been to Phuket and have also completed a post about it, I'll give you the highlights.

This time around, my friend and I released paper lanterns over the ocean.  If you haven't done this before it's very cool! 

In addition, we spent one day on a boat touring/traveling to other islands (i.e. Hong Island, Phang Nga Bay, etc.), taking a kayak ride, and visiting James Bond Island. 

If you're a James Bond fan you can recognize James Bond Island from a scene in the movie "The Man with the Golden Gun".

Enjoy the pictures.

THE WIRK

Amir Khan v Lamont Peterson ~ Capital Showdown Press Conference

For boxing fans out there in the DC area, I have some good news for you.  Yesterday's press conference between Amir Kahn (26-1) and Lamont Peterson (29-1-1) was a sight to see (i.e. standing room only for fans and late arrivers) in the DC area.  Representatives from Golden Boy, HBO Boxing, Events DC, and both players' camps spoke at the event. 

Especially since this was a local event for both of us, I should've expected to see ESPN's Dan Rafael, but was still surprised to see him again.  He and I had met and talked on the plane back from Dallas, after the Antonio Margarito v Manny Pacquiao fight.  He told me that I'd be hooked after the fight, and he was right!  Since Margarito v Pacquiao I've seen Sergio Martinez knock out Paul Williams, and Pacquiao defeat Shane Mosley.  But I digress...

Seeing as that Peterson is from DC, he definitely had hometown advantage...  Further, since the fight is being held in DC against Khan, who is currently the unified WBA Super and IBF Light Welterweight Champion, a joke was made that it was "gangster" of Khan to come to DC to fight Peterson in his own house.

It was a packed house at the W Hotel, as media and fans came out to watch the press conference. The Capital Showdown will occur at the DC Convention Center on December 10, 2011. It's the first time in 18 years that HBO has come to DC showcase boxing.

I will admit right now that I'll take Khan in this fight.  He's trained by Freddie Roach and Alex Ariza.  Both Freddie and Alex are in the Philippines (i.e. or on their way back from the Philippines), where they were training Manny Pacquiao, so they weren't in attendance for yesterday's event.

Fans of Khan and Peterson should follow them on Twitter since both more or less invited their fans to come on out and support them at the presser. 

Below are their Twitter details:

Khan: @amirkingkhan

Peterson: @kingpete26

Approximately 12,000 tickets will be sold for the Capital Showdown.  In consideration to the fans, it's expected that the the lowest price point is expected to be $25 for the event. 

For you heavyweight fans out there Seth Mitchell (23-0-1), from Maryland will also fight on the undercard.

People say that boxing is dead, but judging from the buzz around yesterday's events ~ boxing isn't dead in DC... 

THE WIRK

RFK Stadium is turning 50 ~ I Remember

Happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday, RFK Stadium...
Happy birthday to you!

I'm not originally from the DC/VA/MD area, but I've been in the area long enough to consider it "home".  Yesterday, I attended a press conference to kick off the RFK Stadium 50th Anniversary Celebration.  Some notables in attendance, were Vincent Gray (i.e. the Mayor of DC), Kevin Payne (i.e. President and CEO of DC United), Charles Mann (i.e. former Washington Redskin), Gregory McCarthy (i.e. Vice President of the Washington Nationals), and Norm Everson (i.e. former player for George Washington University).  If you're like me, you'd never heard of Norm either, but if you were at the event, I assure you that you'd never forget him. 

Greg O'Dell, President and CEO, of Events DC kicked of the event and various government and team officials spoke about their own RFK memories.  Everything from football games, to baseball coming back to DC, to boxing, to musical performances have taken place at a building that was described as having "soul".  The "I Remember" campaign is personal and definitely had people more than willing to recall their own experiences at the venue.  Norm's story was the last one and had people talking (i.e. if you want the details, "google" it)!

As someone who moved to the DC area in 2004, I was bummed to hear that I missed the Michael Jackson "Victory" tour and surprised to learn that boxing matches had taken place there.  I've only been to RFK a handful of times, and it was for the Washington Nationals, the Military Bowl, and a DC United Game... 

Well, RFK Stadium, I look forward to creating more memories with you.

Through the "I Remember" campaign, fans can vote for the RFK All-Stadium Team.  This "team" will be 50 of the greatest athletes and entertainers in stadium history.  Fans can also share pictures and memories with each other.  The URLs are: http://www.rfkstadium50.com/ or http://www.facebook.com/RFKStadium.

In addition to numerous events occurring at RFK the rest of the year, October 29 is RFK Stadium Appreciation Day.  Memorabilia will be on display at the DC Armory from 9AM-7PM.  The event will also feature family-friendly activities (i.e. player appearances and giveaways).  Further, tours of RFK Stadium will be given at 10AM, Noon, and 2PM.  These tours will give visitors a behind the scenes look at the locker rooms and the field.  The tours are free, but please register at the following link: http.://www.rfkstadium50.com/


THE WIRK

2011 Singapore Grand Prix - Recap of my first F1 race adventure

I'd to a NASCAR race before, but in September I went to my first Formula 1 (F1) race in Singapore.  The Singapore Grand Prix is unique because it's a night race, and basically an entire weekend of parties (i.e. concerts and racing events) and was a lot of fun.  I ended up purchasing Premier Walkabout tickets for all 3 days. 

These tickets were ideal for me, since I don't like having restrictions as to where I can go and I wanted to be able to travel from Zones 1-4 easily.  As an added bonus, these tickets also gave me the opportunity to ride the Singapore Flyer for free. 

How could I pass up the opportunity to see the track and the views of Singapore at night, when the trip was gratis?  I couldn't.

As for the highlights of the weekend here goes:

• Sebastian Vettel won the race.  For those of you that have no idea, here are some details about him:
• He's German
• Races for Red Bull Racing
• Current World Champion
• I saw Rick Astley perform in concert.  Here are my 3 cents on this experience.  ****  Why 3 cents, you ask?  Because I have more sense than the average person and I'm louder.
• If you are a man and you're not there with your significant other, you shouldn't be in a pavilion taking up space watching Rick Astley perform.  You need to listen outside the pavilion and give your "seat" to a female.  It's just the right thing to do.
• Rick talked to the crowd about the humidity in Singapore.   ****  Tell us something we don't know.  He performed all of his hits and a few covers and I must say, I enjoyed the performance.
• Yeah, yeah, yeah.  I like Rick Astley.

• When given the choice between watching Shakira or Boy George, I chose Boy George.  ****  In the interest of full disclosure, I'd already seen Shakira perform in 2010 at the NBA All-Star Game in Dallas.
• Boy George looked great!  He's on the heavier side these days, but he looks healthy.  His eye make-up looked fantastic and he sang all of his hits.  Not sure how many other opportunities I'd have going forward to see him perform so I'm happy I seized the moment.

• Shaggy in concert was cool.  A guy gave me his wristband so I went to the front of the stage.  I'm not a huge Shaggy fan, but he did his hits.  I was hoping I'd hear "Freaky Girl", but I didn't.  Either I missed it or he didn't perform the track.

• Linkin Park was the final show on Sunday night and the people were out in droves.  I'm not a huge Linkin Park fan, but I enjoyed their set.  I left it early (i.e. ironically, I think they were playing "Encore") to walk on the race track.

As for the races...

• I watched the F1 qualifying on Saturday night from Zone 1 near the pit.
• I watched the Porsche races from Zone 4 on Sunday.
• 
  
  I watched the final F1 race from Zone 4 as well. 
• Don't try to be a hero, bring and wear your earplugs!!!!  Thank goodness I had my iPhone earbuds on me or I would've had to buy earplugs.  Those F1 cars are loud!!!

Food:

• Go to the races hungry.  Since this is Singapore, plenty of good food is available and relatively inexpensive.  Even if you don't like racing, go there and eat!

THEWIRK

Iraq v Singapore ~ 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Qualifiers

Soccer, football, whatever you wish to call it was what I checked out last night.  In preparation for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil there are qualifying matches that need to be played.  Last night I took in Iraq v Singapore at Jalan Besar Stadium. 

I know very little about soccer to begin with.  After watching the most recent World Cup on TV, I can tell you which countries had the best looking men and go on and on about my appreciation of the soccer player body...  However, I'll spare you in this post.  Further, for the purpose of this post I'll do my best to speak "soccer/football" as properly as possible until I can't take it anymore...

I went to the match with Xander and Andreas.  I work with both of them and they're fun.  They both came prepared.  Andreas was dressed in red, and Xander sported a Singapore scarf.  I just wanted to get out of my work clothes and not melt to death in the humidity.  In the opening few minutes or so of the game, Xander asked us who we thought would win and for a prediction on the final score.  I predicted that Iraq would win 1-0. 

At that very moment, I also regretted not running across the street to put a bet on the game!  Oh well.  ****  Incidentally, I would've won.

After we filtered into the stadium and listened to the national anthems, we noticed that Tony Tan, the newly elected president of Singapore was taking the field, to greet the players.  That was cool.

In the first half, Iraq was more aggressive and had more offense.  Singapore's goalie was working hard. 

As the match progressed the guys were getting thirsty and with no alcohol being served in the stadium we headed to a food court for a drink. At the food court, as we indulged in a Tiger beer, Xander managed to break his chair!  Hilarious.  Thank goodness it wasn't me.

We returned to our seats after missing a portion of the 2nd half and sure enough Iraq scored again.  It was a weird goal...  Surreal how the ball bounced into the goal...

Singapore lost, but it was fun to do something sporty again.  Happy I got the invite!


THE WIRK

Bali ~ The W in Seminyak and Ubud (i.e. a temple, rice terraces, the monkey forest, and shopping)

I'm not really sure, "why", but I've always wanted to go to Bali.  So, this past weekend, that's just what I did.  Now I don't care if you think it's cheating or not, but I stayed at the W Retreat & Spa Bali - Seminyak (Seminyak, Indonesia).  Why?  Because I'm Starwood Platinum and I deserve to treat myself to a little bit of rest and relaxation once in a while.  Don't get me wrong, I like culture but there's only so much "culture" that I can absorb before I start to crave the beach and some pool time.

Prior to landing in Bali, I had arranged for the hotel to send me a driver.  Yes, that's how I roll.  As I checked out the fantastic room that the property had upgraded me to, I started to snap some pictures for this blog.  Enjoy. 

  

  

The hotel opened in March, but it was "officially" open in July.  It has good security (i.e. similary to other properties on the island there are guards at the vehicle entrance who sweep the vehicle).

As I fell asleep listening to the waves crash the beach and looking out at the Indian Ocean under the moon, I knew I'd made the right choice. 

All day Saturday I was at the pool. 

I ordered the nasi goreng for lunch and it was good.  It's basically fried rice with beef satay, a piece of fried chicken, and an egg on top. 

After the pool, I watched the sunset on the beach.  Just gorgeous.

In the evening I met my Brigitte (i.e. a friend of my friend, Pam) and we talked over drinks and food at Ku De Ta.  ****  Brigitte had been in Bali for some time as she was on a retreat to become a yoga instructor.  She and I became friends and hopefully we'll catch each other again in Dubai one day!  I really want to see Dubai...

Ku De Ta is a great spot on the beach to have drinks and eat, while you watch the waves.  Definitely check it out if you're in Seminyak.  If you plan on eating dinner, make a reservation.  Otherwise have a seat and just order off the "bar menu" and enjoy cocktails along the railing by the beach or upstairs.  I didn't check out the upstairs, outdoor bar.  However, I'd imagine that it's nice.

Sunday I eased into the day and hired the same driver that swooped me at the airport to drive me to Ubud for a 6-hour day trip.  I wanted to see a temple, the rice terraces, the monkey forest, and do some shopping before I flew back to Singapore.  ****  Hiring a driver is definitely the way to do it.  He waited while I enjoyed the different site and also served as a photographer when I needed someone to take my picture.  It's a great deal!

I only visited one temple, but I'm sure if/when, I go back I'll try to check out Uluwatu and Tanah Lot.

When I was younger I learned a song about planting rice.  The lyrics are:

Planting rice is never fun

Work all day, til the set of sun

Cannot stand and cannot sit

Cannot rest for a little bit.

My driver tried to explain to me the process of growing rice, but I still have so many questions... 

From what I hear, the older generation is the one that plants rice.  The younger generations have decided that they want an easier life and go into other fields. 

From what I saw, planting rice is hard work, but the terraces look gorgeous!

Ok, the Monkey Forest... 

Now this is interesting.  Loved watching the monkeys interact with each other and take care of their babies, but after a while it became a bit much.  There were too many tails and too many monkeys for my taste after a while so I left. 

I wasn't brave enough to try to feed a monkey and unlike some of the other people at the forest, I wasn't keen on touching one or having one touch me.  I'm more of an observer, I guess, so I did my best Jane Goodall and got out.

After seeing the sites, of course I did some shopping.  I picked up a couple of decorative items and a couple of rings.  Yes, I love rings.  My dad even laughed when he saw the picture and said, "More rings?!?".  Yes, always...  More rings! 

Bali is just beautiful!  So happy I went.

THE WIRK