Four Seasons Bali at Sayan

Had the opportunity to stay at the other property in Bali, and wow, that's another beautiful property. Built in a valley, with 5 temples around it, and 2 rivers running though the resort. The architecture is amazing, on entry from the porte corche, you are greeted by a rooftop lily pond, and going down is the lobby and the retsurants ares. Even the rooms are built with the same concept, you enter by the rooftop into your villa. The rooms have a modern touch and the best part of course is the personal plunge pool which I always like to skinny dip. :P

Nyoman Cafe

Well, this place may not ring a bell to anybody, but to the Balinese, on the 1st October 2005, Nyoman Cafe was a target of a terrorist bomb blast. We have our Accounts outing at this cafe to show the support to the local community. Nyoman Cafe is a beach front dining with views of Jimbaran Bay and the distant Batukau mountains. On a clear day, the mountains are clearly visible and can be a spectacular view for the diners. It's a pity that this nice dining place was a target of the terrorist attacks and business for the restaurant owners had taken a big dip... We showed our support by patronage and also in a way telling people that it is safe to visit Bali..

Uma Ubud

While still in Bali, visited a friend who is the GM of the Uma Ubud resort. Stayed there over the weekend and it was quite a pleasant stay. The room is designed by a Japanese interior designer and had clean lines and minimal furnishings. Uma Ubud is managed by the Como group, the same that also manages Cocoa Island in the Maldives. Same concept, small boutique hotel with a homely feel.

Kecak & Fire Dance

Kecak is the most unique Balinese dance which is not accompanied by any orchestra but by a choir of seventy men. It has its origin in an old ritual dance - 'Sanghyang'.

The story is about a King who lost his wife due to some trickery by a demon king, and later managed to rescue her with the assitance of an army of monkeys under the command of a monkey king (machiam Su Mo Kong). This dance was showcased on top of the temple of Uluwatu (which is on a steep cliff with a macnificent sunset view) at the southern tip of Bali.

It's December!!

Almost one year now, since that eventful day on the 26th of Dec 2005. That event has changed the life of many, and at the same time given opportunities to many. For me, it was an opportunity, I got to visit other sister properties and see how they function. It has opened up a whole world of opportunities for me and looking back, althought the event has cause a great catastrophe in the lives of the Maldivians, it has also brought them together and they have become a stonger community.

The resort is still frantically at the various stages of it's renovation and rebuilding programme, but we're all looking forward to the opening in the middle of 2006.