Komang

This is our very good friend in Indonesia named Komang Wardiapa. If any of this blog’s readers are considering a trip to the beautiful island of Bali, you must allow Komang to show you around www.bali-go-round.com

In 2005 Lizzie and I got engaged in Ubud, Bali and Komang was our tour guide on that trip. We've been in touch ever since, I even tried to get him out to our wedding. But it was a natural that we’d get back in touch with him as we came back to the island with family in tow. His friendliness, outlook on the world, service to his community and his totally and utterly genuine nature made a huge impression upon us.

Before he dropped us off at the airport on last week's trip he took us to one of his local haunts for a delicious chicken lunch. True to Komang’s form, it seemed he deferentially gave us all the best pieces of the chicken as he ate ‘the butt and the claws.’ He did however pass the chicken’s little brain over to me, because he said I deserved it as the guest of honor. Can’t say I liked it but I ate it, both lobes!

Sundown Drinks

The evening ritual of drinks at sundown.  

Arachnophobia

I hate spiders, I haaaaate spiders. So you can imagine my dread upon seeing this creature chilling outside my bedroom window in Bali.

Gilbert

This little critter kept us company throughout our stay in Bali. Our villa was totally open to the nature around us so bugs, gecko's, bees, ants, birds and bats were free to come and go as they chose. This one stayed with us. The boys named him Gilbert.  

Pool Party

The pool was a definite centerpiece of our Bali experience. The Lombok Strait was right out the backsteps of our villa but was a bit too choppy for the boys. On a hot and humid day, you really can't beat a nice refreshing dip in the pool.










Ingrid our little waterbug cannot yet achieve unaided flotation in the water without dunking herself, but this little floatie suit was a big help. She bobs around like a cork, but still needs mama or dada's support to keep her 12 to 6. But I have to say the suit gives her the look of a little suicide bomber. And while we're joking about suicide bombers, I thought I'd include a couple relevant Family Guy clips....parental discretion mildly advised...

Duck Parade

We saw a funny sight on the ride in to our villa in Bali, Indonesia. A parade of hundreds of ducks waddling down the shoulder of the road, led by a duck shepherd.

Jack the Shutterbug

 
Jack proved himself to be quite the shutterbug while in Bali. He clicked a lot of shots on Uncle Bob's camera and I think he took several winners. You be the judge!
 
 
 

Scrabble with Owen

Owen is quite the wordsmith. making him the ultimate Scrabble competitor. More creative than his words is the definitions he has for them...

This is the Face of Wii Withdrawal

Bali Trip

We had a wonderful trip to Bali and Ingrid loved every second of her time with her cousins. There are lots of pictures and video to share so I'll be certain to post it in the next day or so.

Bali Bound

We're off to beautiful Bali, Indonesia to rendezvous with family over the next 5 days. I am so excited, we've rented a beachfront villa so I anticipate significant chill time. But Indonesia is not without peril. Earthquakes, volcanoes, typhoons, jihadi's, komodo dragons....if we're not back in 5 days, call the President. After all, he grew up there.

Barbershop

We brought Louis and Pat to the barbershop to get their ears lowered. Pat asked for a truly authentico experience and boy did we find one for him. No cushy barber chairs, hum of electric clippers or the scent of Barbisol in the air. No, this place was local with a capital L. Just a back alley shack with corrugated metal roofing and a couple of scissor wielding locals unaccustomed to cutting Louis' moptop style. But they turned out looking good and I think the barbers were quite proud of their finished work. Not too shabby for a $4 cut!

To get Louis into the chair Pat had to pay him $60 HKD, here he is counting his winnings. I've included a before and after shot.

Adult Swim

We managed to give the kids the slip and have a night out on the town, just Amy, Pat, Lizzie and I. Actually we left the kids with Naty our nanny, or 'Yaya' as Ingrid calls her. I don't have many pictures of it but we had a really nice time. We started off at a rooftop bar where we sipped our drinks among the surrounding skyscrapers and overlooked the bustling Central business dristrict. Then it was onward to a nice dinner at the Mandarin Oriental before pub crawling our way home. We had a blast. There was even a Melvis sighting, the impersonator who trolls around the nightlife areas and busts into songs by the The King.

Live Video

You'll notice more live video going into the blog these days thanks to my new FlipHD portable camera. I love it, thanks Mom!

Goodbye Cousins

Ingrid was so sad today to say goodbye to Jackson, Louis and Owen. We saw them off to the train that transported them to the airport, and Ingrid waved goodbye as it disappeared from site. When she got back up to the flat she checked through all the different rooms hoping perhaps that they would magically be there. She's had so much fun over the past week having all the boys around her and the kids were really great with her. And little does Ingrid know that she'll be meeting up with them in Bali in only 4 days!

Happy Valentines Day Grandmas!!

Cheung Chau

Yesterday Ingrid and I joined Amy, Pat and the boys for a day on Chueng Chau Island. A thirty minute ferry ride delivered us to the old fishing village and we passed the day hiking the island trails and dining alfresco along the harbour. Like many of the New Territory Islands it was very local and had a charm that is specific to the Hong Kong area. A highlite was seeing the fire beaters, broom-like devises used to swat out fires. Posts of these beaters were spaced out evenly along the hiking trails. Since the island has no official roads or vehicles, the average everday Cheung Chau-ite has to step up to their civic duty and be an amature firefighting when duty calls. The boys got into the spirit of things, pretending they were fighting a wild brushfire.