Screw Snorkeling, Go Biking Instead!

I woke up still not feeling well.  My stomach was aching, and there was no way I was going to risk having an accident during the snorkeling trip.  It was a decision I didn't want to make, and in fact I was very, very disappointed, but I had to say no to snorkeling and good-bye to the opportunity to visit Menjangan Island.  Why force it?  I told myself I will have to come back to Pemuteran in the near future.  It still sucked though to be so close to something and not get there.

Pak Taruna was very kind and understanding.  He suggested that I have toast and eggs for breakfast and that I spend the day taking it easy.  He also let us know that he rents out bikes for free for all guests if we were interested in riding out to some of the temples in the area.  That definitely piqued our interest.  

Toast & eggs

Fried rice topped with an egg

The most popular breakfast item in Bali: banana pancakes - we had to try it!

Fresh fruit

Love, love, love Taruna's tea sets -- super cute!

Cute elephant tea kettle!

Daily breakfast is included, and Taruna's breakfast menu is quite impressive.  They offer both Western and Balinese cuisine.  When we travel, we usually go with the country's specialties, but every now and then we miss home and go with the Western selection, of which Taruna does a good job.  

Before going biking, we decided to walk off our breakfast by going back to the beach we were at yesterday.  It was nice and sunny out.  

The road in front of our hotel -- in fact, the only road in Pemuteran

Another path to the beach, the one without the creepy cemetery

Getting closer to the beach!

My adorable sisters

Me enjoying the cool waters

My mom is so cute

There were only a few people at the beach.  We spent a couple hours walking the beach and picking up rocks and seashells of all shapes, colors, and sizes.  Then we returned to the hotel for some bike action where we rode up a long street till we reached a Balinese temple. 

 

 

 

 

We did not enter the temple as we were not appropriately dressed, and apparently there is another temple up in the hills that locals say is a great spot to watch the sunset.  Because we didn't want to leave our bikes behind, we didn't attempt to find it.  We simply enjoyed riding up and down the long street, watching kids on scooters play nearby, and taking photos of black pigs that scampered from one neighbor's yard to the next.