Villa Santai, Bali (part 2)

http://www.villasantai-bali.com/

Ketut drove from the guesthouse through a portion of the capital Denpasar. The traffic was wall-to-wall, unlike anything seen in the States. I couldn’t wait to get out of it. Then we finally made the ascent to Ubud. Normally this is about a 45-minute trip. This time it took well over an hour.

Kevin McPherrin was waiting at his villa and what a villa it was! The staff, adorned in their matching brown batik uniforms, was all there to greet me as well, offering a cool pineapple drink upon arrival.
It was great to see Kevin again and we had a talk about our days together at Cornell. We were best buddies from ‘66-‘69.

The estate is palatial. One enters the villa through a stone entry way flanked by dense vegetation and a pond on either side (complete with frogs) of the walkway that leads to the main pavilion which doubles as a living and dining area. There are no walls but the roof is Indonesian thatch.

The centerpiece of the villa is the pool, which overlooks a river valley far below. The house radiates subtle elegance and sits on a promontory with no modern civilization in sight...just jungle. The four bedrooms are really master suits and located on the lower level. Even the tiled bathrooms are elegant and open to the breathtaking views.

As a side note, when I was walking into my bedroom I spotted a huge black scorpion…a minimum of 6 inches long. I teased him with a stick but he was in no mood for playing. He tried to pinch the stick and shot his venomous tail at it as well. We soon collected him and the staff disposed of him properly. They said they had never seen such a huge scorpion on the property before.

There are 11 staff to attend to one’s every need. Kev even assigned me my own driver as, during the day, he is busy either in Ubud or Denpasar with his fine art business. We are the only two residents.

I’ve been to Ubud town several times this visit and have located a few items I’d like for my business but the thought of lugging them around S.E. Asia for the next month puts me off buying anything. Shipping the goods home is an option but a very costly one.

My first night here we attended a party with a live band. Of course I had to sit in and do a few rockabilly numbers which the crowd loved. Of course, I enjoyed chatting up the lovely ladies in attendance of which there were several.

The next day my driver took me to Penelokan (meaning beautiful view) and Batur in the Bangli district, one of the higher places on the island. For those who complain bout the heat (like me), this place is a welcome relief.
Above the villages, the volcano Genung Batur juts high above everything. It last erupted in 1963 and, viewed from the town, the lava field is quite extensive. Just below sits Lake Batur, one of the largest volcanic lakes in the world and is actually a water-filled caldera. It is 54 sq miles and up to 330 ft. deep. Nearby are some popular hot springs.

The next day we went to Pura Tanah Lot which is a Hindu temple built in the 16th century. It is a temple built on an island and at low tide one can walk out to it. It’s beautiful to behold but far too many tourists for my liking.

I had only planned to stay a few days at the villa but Kev insisted I stay longer, so a quick trip to Garuda Airlines in Denpasar gives me an extra week in this paradise.

He didn’t have to twist my arm…