Exploring North Bali

Hard to believe this was only our third day in Bali. We’ve already seen quite a lot that has highlighted the diverse beauty and tradition of the island. In Lovina we stayed in rustic bamboo and thatch-roofed bungalow style cottages and could hear the lapping surf on the other side of the vine-covered privacy wall. They named this place Nirwana for good reason, if you overlook the lousy toilet/shower. After breakfast in the hotel’s spacious restaurant without walls, we strolled down to the shoreline. The relatively calm waters made it seem more like a lake than the ocean. We were the only tourists in sight, but we attracted a small coterie of vendors carrying their wares of textiles, jewelry, carved objects and such. They tried to engage us in friendly conversation to smooth the way for their sales. We cut short our stroll to escape their intrusion which disappointed them and us. Aron wanted to drive us west to a deserted beach pictured in the Lonely Planet guidebook. This quest took up most of the day and we never found this idyllic beach, but we did happen upon an elegant seaside hotel and restaurant, where we were the exclusive patrons. We enjoyed a leisurely lunch by the sea and wanted to play in the elegantly landscaped pool, which was allowed only for guests of the hotel. We drove on in search of a spa and hot springs mentioned in the travel book. We found it, the Mimpi Spa, and indulged our need for the restorative warm springs followed by a dip in the cooler pool water. We drove back to Lovina for a second night with no plan for what the next day held in store for us. [mysf]