So I was just have my morning walk at Bukit Campuhan, Ubud Center. It was beautiful as usual, but too much sunshine as we got there pretty late (7:45 am) --> should be there no later than 7 am..

After dropped my friend back to his resort he stay, I stopped by at a gasoline station at Jalan Andong in my way back to the place I live. There was a line of motorcycles in front of me. I was waiting behind these 3 mopeds and all of sudden there was a white honda jazz cut my line.

I don't like being cut when I am in queue. The driver who cut my line is a woman. She drives with, I assumed, her early elementary school age son. Her son was leaned out the window, torso up outside the left-up side window of the car. He practically stared at me and gave me a foolish smile while looking at my plate. Her mom probably told him something about cutting the line.

Having my head boiled, I grabbed my loyal N97mini smart phone and took a snap of that car. The kid glanced at me for a split second and turned his body (head) toward his mom. I could tell that he blatantly snitched about I took the picture to his mom.

She turned and glared at me.
I smiled.
She became gawky.
I kept smiling.

*****

I don't care who she is nor I want to deal with this kind of people in the future.

Lesson learned: I need to get the hell out of Indonesia asap.

Here is the picture I took...

oh yeah, they knew I took their pic.

I met this humongous snail las year, on Nov 28, 2011, after my lunch. Yes, it's the beginning of the rainy season. When I heading back to my office, I spotted this huge snail wandering around at the pathway. Actually there was 2 big snails, but this one is bigger. See the comparison of my fist and the snail. I know my hand is quite petite, but this snail is definitely not small.

One (or two) is fine, but I'll freaked out if I surrounded by this giant snails.

As I am going back to hometown today, I went to Ubud market last Sunday to buy something for my sisters, a close neighbor and my granny some gifts. It was raining hard that day, actually it was raining from the day before. So, before I went to Ubud center, i decided to visit Delta Dewata at Jalan Andong and hoping the rain will stop. It does stop for a nick of time and started to rain again and didn't stop until the very next day. Good thing that when I was strolling, it was only drizzling.

I am happy as I was walking in the rain. Walk around the little town with my silver umbrella and stopping by at every little store that caught my sight. That was my imagination. Thanks to the shop attendants who ruined the supposed-to-be-my-happy-moment.

People in Ubud, well, in Bali, usually wrongly guessme as an East Asian tourist... either from Japan, Korea, China, Singapore or Malaysia. So they usually speak to me in English. That day was the same. So when I entered the store, they always welcome me warmly in English..with a very warm gesture, mimic and tone. But, suddenly after I asked or spoke to them in Indonesian, they always change their attitude. In bad way.

They was treated me friendly as they think I am a foreigner, but then they warm attitude changed coldly... easily... like you were just flipping your hand. I don't feel respected at all, like I was not even welcomed at the shop, which not even theirs.I can read from their face that they just wanted me to leave the stores rightaway. I felt they yelled "Go away and never come back!" When I asked things, they will reply reluctantly, in a very bad manner. It was actually pissed me off, but I keep calm all the time and carry on... (and in my heart I said, let me write this on my blog later)

It was actually my second experience to be treated not as a valued customer in Ubud Center. I heard from the others that it also happened to them. Even worst, one of my guest once complained that when she was in one of the cafe in Ubud Center, the waiter/waitresses didn't served her like her expectation. She described it just like what I experienced and she felt offended.

My point is, come on, you are selling your stuffs... But, with your crappy attitude? I am working in tourism industry, in one of the 5-star resorts in Ubud. Why would you treat your customer differently just because they have different skin, language, race? Just because I am an Indonesian you think that I cannot buy/afford your product? Just because I am an Indonesian I am no good to use your goods? Not suitable for your things? Or maybe you are not allowed me to use it as you think foreigner are better than locals? Money is money. You still eat from my money if I buy from your store anyway. Oh, Puh-lease!

Here a little piece of writing, hope you, the business owners in Ubud Center, read it....


Dear business owners,
Please take care and operate your business seriously. I hate when I got different treatment (in a bad way) just because I am Indonesian. If you still loves money, you have to teach your staffs so they did not treat your (potential) customers badly. Treating a customer in a bad manner and make them uncomfortable is a big no-no. So please keep this in mind or you will loose some market share.
Thanks for reading and hope you/your customer service management could be improved.
Best Regards,
chisa


*****

PS. The only shop attendant who treated me like a valued customer was the shop attendant at Periplus at Monkey Forest Street. I stopped by for quite sometimes, when I asked about a book that out of my reach, he was willing to help me. I ended up bought three books. Definitely will come back to satisfy my thirst on books. :)

Who says live in Ubud cost a lot?
Yes it will cost you a lot if you spend it downtown in the expensive cafes. Aside from those places, you could still eat cheap and experience the local culture. Blend with the local!

Not far from the center Ubud, if you head North from Jalan Andong (heading to Kintamani), you could find a crowd of local gather around in the local market. Food stalls/hawkers are there... from Nasi/Mie Goreng (Fried Rice/Noodles), Chicken Satay, Sate Kambing (lamb skewers), Gulai Kambing (Mutton Curry), Sate Ikan (Fish Satay), Lawar, Rawon, Martabak Manis, Martabak, Roti Bakar (Toasted bread with stuffing), Drinks Stall (mineral water, sodas, juices, instant powdered drinks, etc) and some other stalls I haven't explored.

These pictures below are taken on May 25, 2011 around 6:40pm.

Chicken Satay
Lontong for Rp 1.000,- each and satay for Rp 500,-/stick.
This one below is Rp 5.000,- portion which consist of 1 pcs of lontong and 8 sticks of chicken satay. The stall is located in the middle. My friends said this is the best chicken satay in Pasar Tegallalang/that area.


Fish Satay
Rp 500,- per skewer.
Don't mind the satay on the top which looks small... Ebi already bit it.


Jus Sirsak (Soursop Juice) - Rp 3.000,-
and the other juices also cost the same (probably except for the durian one which I think would cost a bit more). This juice is quite thick and taste good!

view from the top...


In the end I spent Rp 8.000,- only (chicken satay and soursop juce). Fish satay's are Ebi's. I stole 3-4 sticks (can't recall) from him (he ordered 2x).. I just need to try it anyway.. But it does taste great. The fish tasted fresh even it's in Ubud, not somewhere around the beach (even better than the one I ate at Jimbaran last Sat).

P.S. Recommended if you want to experience the real local - non-touristy - culture.

P.P.S. If you a girl like me (looks different from the locals) you might want to go there with your guy friends.. That time, even I went with 3 guys, some local guys just couldn't stop staring at me (good thing: they didn't drool) which is really really annoying.
FYI I didn't wear my short short or any of my mini dresses that day. I wore knee-length batik loose short and a tee + a jacket...

Morning walk on June 7, 2011..
Pictures taken around 7:30 in the morning.

pictures are darker than the actual views..
and it's kinda cloudy that day..




love the last pic.. but still, the real view is waaay better...


That morning, I met Abel, the golden retriever, with its owner. Abel was running around, playing frisbee. Also met a local who sat down, enjoying being amidst the emerald green hills of Ubud before headed back to a village located in the end of the dirt pathway. When I headed back, I met a guy (he's jogging), 2 women, both holding a camera, and another 2 women in the end of the walk. In total, I met only 7 ppl and a dog. At first, before meeting them, it just felt like I own the hills..

It's recommended to go in the morning. I heard it's not too enjoyable to walk in the afternoon because many people are there, enjoying the sunset... Some even blocking the pathway. Some others are seeking for romance (yeap, the lovebirds).. Never try to go there in the afternoon tho.. I definitely have to try the afternoon walk experience, no matter how crowded it is...