with the boys

The last two weeks have been busy as usual. We've had church activities, a birthday party, a school field trip, play groups, and a school party on the calendar peppered in with our normal activities - walking back and forth to preschool, grocery shopping, a trip to the post office, the library, play dates.

A day with these two boys is always high energy. Pick a task on that list and it will be fun, let me tell you. Especially if it has anything to do with school. Noah LOVES school. Last week they had a glow-in-the-dark party and Noah was up, dressed, brushed, backpack packed, hours before it was time. "Come on, mom. Let's go!"

But this week we have a break in between terms. That means no school all week. So our calendar is a little more empty. Which is nice. But we still intend to

Play

Play

Play

Today was a trip to the Children's Gardens. We squeezed in the taxi with our favorite Dutch friends and had a wonderful morning.

More fun things are planned for the week. Mostly I plan on chasing these boys. And there will probably be some tickling. Aren't they handsome?

BALI: Our hotel

We stayed in Tanjung Benoa in a small bungalow.

The owner was a very nice old Dutch man with a great tan, no shirt made you in your beach gear feel right at home. Pet monkeys, talking birds, french talking neighbors, warm pool, skinny pancakes and eggs for breakfast. Don't forget to spray on bug juice before you go to bed and sorry about the broken Buddha head.

BALI: Turtle Island

Snorkeled on the way to turtle island. Colorful fish, glass bottom boat.

Turtle Island was a small turtle conservatory where they only kept 20% of the turtles they raise and send 80% back into their natural habitat. the boys loved feeding seaweed to the giant turtles. We walked around with a guide and learned about the turtles and each of the other animals they had there, but our warm and fuzzy feeling left when they started the cock fight for the Taiwanese toursits. Back to the boat!

BALI: Indonesian food and dancing

I'm not kidding. This is the view from our table. "Go out to eat," was one of the best pieces of advice we got for Bali. It was AMAZING. And not expensive.

Couldn't get enough: mee goreng, nasi goreng, chicken satay, gado gado, prawns, red snapper, white something something in banana leaf.

We even found some dutch Hageslag to bring to a deprived friend in Singapore. And when the boys would see the golden arches they'd yell, "Ah! McDonalds! We can't get away from it!"

Bumbu Bali - 21 courses of yummy. A couple bites of everything Indonesian. Noah loved the black rice pudding with coconut milk for dessert.

Jimbaran - freshest, tastiest seafood I've ever had. Gorgeous sunset. And Balinese dancing - They danced the Legong and Barong dances something fierce. Noah danced right under the stage, copying the dance moves - that's one I'll remember for a long time.

The Tree - the food was alright, but the entertainment was amazing! Noah and Gage took the stage for an adorable 3 songs each. 'You are my sunshine' 'Twinkle Twinkle' and 'ABCs' to bring tears to your eyes. We left the restaurant to an applause from the guests and kisses from the waitresses.

BALI: Beaches

We started with Kuta Beach:

Surfing lessons, surfing, crashing, body boarding, finding crabs, burying crabs, "no thank you!" to the vendors, lots and lots of vendors, bow and arrow set anyone? how about a sarong? swimming, jumping, snacking, digging.

Then we found Geger Beach. Nice and quiet. So good, we came back another day. Can you spot little Gage?

Seaweed harvesting at Geger Beach

Fill a jar with coral, dig a big hole, build sand mountains for smashing, paddle a kayak, bury your brother, spin a seacycle, sit under an umbrella.

BALI: Pura Tanah Lot

(photo at high tide taken from Tanah Lot's official website)

We went to visit this temple at low tide. At high tide you have to go by small boat. It was built by a priest in the 15th century as a holy place to worship the Balinese sea gods. One of seven sea temples around the coast of Bali, all within eyesight of each other. A pretty little chain.

Non-Balinese don't enter the temple, but you can have a look at the 'holy snake.' The people believed that the poisonous sea snakes that live in the rocks around the temple guard it from evil spirits. Or you can be blessed with 'tirtha' or holy water from the holy spring.

Noah and Gage ran around peering into the tide pools looking for crabs, jumping over the mossy rocks, or running away from the spray by the cliff.

Sunset was gorgeous as promised. And surprisingly peaceful with the crowd we shared it with - including one couple that wanted to take a picture with our family, and a few girls trying to take pictures of Noah before Mama Bear put a stop to that.

BALI: Ubud

One day we did a tour around Ubud, the central city.

Ubud Temple - we tied on a sarong and went inside. We saw gorgeous stone, intricate carving, offerings everywhere, learned more about Balinese religion and the purposes for their temples.

And don't be fooled by the miserable little boy you see in the family shot. When it was time to take a picture, Noah would concentrate very hard to pull the saddest face he could, and then laugh mischievously when the picture was snapped.

The boys LOVED playing with the gamelan instruments, or picking their favorite statue. When they got bored, out came the suckers so David and I could keep looking around.

Ubud Market - colorful fruit stalls, and way way too many souvenirs.

Ubud Art - so many shops and galleries full of so many beautiful things: paintings, carvings, pottery, glass, handicrafts.

Royal Palace - Used to be a palace for the King and his family. Until the Dutch came in and colonized the place. The king's descendants still live there, some rooms are rented out as a hotel, and nightly dance performances are held in the courtyard.

Rice Terraces - so green and gorgeous. Each small patch of rice on each step is irrigated by an elaborate systme of aqueducts and dams set up 2,000 years ago. My little camera really doesn't capture it - check out these. Let's sit down and stay awhile, says Dave. Want a Fanta?

P.S. This is Noah's smile after he posed with the miserable face.