Santa's Galore

While in Bali recently we really didn't get to do much shopping. We choose to relax and spend time at the pool rather than go on tours and sightseeing. However, on the third day we thought that we should see a little more of Bali and not just be confined to the hotel and its surroundings.


So after an early breakfast at the hotel we went for a tour to Kintamani and a few other areas. Our first stop was to Tanjong Benoa. Over here the famed attractions are watersports and other sea activities. With two kids in two we were a little reluctant to try anything. The one thing I wanted to do was go for a submarine ride which I had read about. Alas, the guide said that the operation had gone "bangkrut" or belly up. Doh!!!


We did take a look at some great loking hotels in anticipation of our next visit. On this side of the island it's a little less hectic than Kuta and can be more relaxing but less fun. All depends what you're looking for I guess.


We headed up to the volcano next and the journey was long and the kids were of course not amused. Not wantign to eat when we ahd a food stop and wantign to eat as soon as we started our journey LOL Well we survived. We saw loads and load of shops selling all kinds of handcrafted goods. From shrines, to animals, to people to anything you could imagine.


As we headed up to the mountain the road was lined with shops selling more and more of the same handcrafted goods. We didn't stop as I was overwhelmed. Besides I was looking for more Santa's to add to my collection Ho Ho Ho


I did see a few places but the driver said we could go there ont he way down from Kintamani. So I ahd to patiently wait. Argh...Truth be told when we reached the point to view the volcano we were a little disappointed with the view...okay so it was a real volcano but I did really prefer the Grand Canyon because we were quite a distance away. Doh!


On the way down we saw the rice paddie filed on the mountain slope of Tengglung which are in pictured in my previous post (along with most of my pictures of Bali). The view there was excellent but the natives were trying very hard to push their wares. I would have mined but they were kinda desparate and I know I should ahve bought sommething because it was really very cheap but I would have no real use for it apart from gathering dust besides I already have a vacuum for that LOL

After that we stopped at some of the shops selling Christmas stuff. Unfortunately they didn't have many Santa's and the one thing else that I wanted was in short supply. Doh!! Anyway, we evenually stopped at a Christmas shop and I had a field day. Wifey was in the car with the resting kids and I was on my own in a shop full of Sant's holding millions of rupiah LOL I practically grabbed everything I could. I left behind those that were of lower quality or too big to handle.

I managed to fill up a box full and serriously had I know I was underweight instead of thinking I had exceed my baggage allowance I'd have got even more DOH!!! Anyway, there is always a next time LOL SO you can see my booty at teh bottom of the post. Some old looking some new looking but all Santa's. Even have duplicates which I had wanted to give to my brother and sister....alas they have not made it there yet muahahahah

To give perspective...the small round Santa in the middle is about 3 inches high

In the end, we finally caved in to the kids and let them have adip int he pool as soon as we got to the hotel. ALl their tiredness and complaining disappeared. We stayed in the pool until dark and it was excellent as the pool area was quiet as it was less crowded. There was an office function held on the pool beach and parts of it were cordoned off...but it was okay as we didn't need that much space anyway. We actually went around the whole pool in stalth mode...believe me it took a long time to get around the immense pool.

I love Bali!!!!