Well Hello Bali

The Retreat -- Hotel Sofitl Nusa Dua

Occasionally things work out.  I had to give a presentation on a late Friday morning in Bali and that, of course, meant I couldn’t get back to Singapore for Friday afternoon.  Sooooo I decided to spend the weekend in Bali.

I had been to Bali once before for one of Julie’s milestone birthdays.  We had stayed in Nusa Dua at The Laguna and it was quite nice, but the thing is Nusa Dua is a modern resort area, much like Cancun.  It is removed from the “real” Bali.  We said when we came back we wouldn’t stay in Nusa Dua.

Beach at Nusa Dua

My presentation was at The Sofitel in, of course, Nusa Dua.  It is a lovely property and their meeting center, known as The Retreat, is gorgeous.  But as soon as I was done I got a car and driver and headed up to Ubud, about 90 minutes away.

Traffic in central Ubud

Ubud is up the mountains surrounded by rice paddies.  It is known for spas, arts, and traditional dancing.  Julie reserved me a room at the     Ubud Village Hotel, a good value at less than $100 USD all in per night.  It was a great location in the middle of town, had two swimming pools and a great restaurant.

I just wandered around Ubud, scouting the area for when Julie and Christopher are down here in Asia and we head to Bali for a long weekend.

Rooftop View-- The mist is mosquito fogging