Bali ~ Friends, Margarito v Cotto fight, UC Silver, and Bali Zoo

In early December I ran out to Bali again.  My friend was in town from the US, and there was another group of friends from Singapore that were out celebrating another friend's birthday.  What better place to celebrate your birthday, than Bali. 

I'm generally a good planner, but I didn't book accommodations early for this trip.  I ended up choosing a 1 bedroom villa at Danoya, because it had its own private pool and was two levels (i.e. had stairs).  I have always liked stairs.  Further, even though the property didn't have a restaurant on-site, the villa had a kitchen and it was nice to have a couple of people come over and make breakfast.  I enjoyed the mee goreng (i.e. noodles) one morning and the nasi goreng (i.e. rice) another morning.

****  My friends stayed at Villa Massilia and it appeared that the party of about 20 people had the complex to themself. 

On Friday night, I went out to Ku De Ta for drinks and a quick bite.  There I met Sanaz and her husband.  We share mutual friends and they had been traveling throughout SE Asia, so it was a treat to meet and chat.  Another thing that was cute was that Sanaz and I carried the same Chanel handbag!

Saturday, was spent lounging by the pool and with friends. 

Sunday, before running around and showing my friend, Taiwanna, the sites I had to watch the Margarito v Cotto boxing match.  As the fight was starting, there was a knock on the door and the hotel staff asked us if we needed help with our luggage.  OK, most people may consider this rude ~ but I knew I was already overstaying my welcome and there was a driver waiting for us so we could see the sites.

After checking out, I asked the driver to please take us to a bar so we could watch the fight.  Within 10 minutes we were at a bar and taking in all the action from the ring!  Talk about a good driver, and lucky man since he was able to watch the fight as well.  Miguel Cotto won the fight, and Margarito lost AGAIN.  Honestly though...  What's it going to take for Antonio Margarito to stop risking his vision?!!?

Anyway, another great trip with some sports (i.e. even if it was only on TV)... 

After the fight we went to UC Silver (i.e. took a tour and stopped in the shop). I was determined to check out the store since I'd seen so many ads.  Admittedly, I'm not a silver person, but I was taken in by the design and the dragonfly. 

We were greeted by a gentleman who gave us a tour.  It was a public holiday so there weren't many people working. 

After our tour we went to the store and I discovered that they also sell gold.  However, the name of the company IS UC Siler (i.e. and not UC Gold) so I decided to stay true to the name.

Afterwards we visited the Bali Zoo to ride the elephants.  Yes, I've done it before...  BUT you can never ride too many elephants...  Ha!!!

THE WIRK

My first trip to a fish spa in Singapore

Ever been to a fish spa?  Do you know what a fish spa is?  When my friend, Taiwanna, was visiting in Singapore we visited Kenko to see what all the fuss was about.  I can't really remember but I think we spent 30 minutes with the fish. I can't recall what we paid, but it wasn't anything relative to the experience. 

At the start, the employee washes your feet and you're given slippers to wear.  Since we paid a little extra for a shoulder and neck massage, we had that service while we started with the smaller fish.  Approximately half way into our service, we were asked if we wanted to transfer to a different tank with larger fish. 

Personally, I think the smaller fish were ticklish.  The larger fish definitely have a stronger "bite", but there's no pain.  Think pins and needles after your arm goes numb, but much much less severe.  I could handle it, but Taiwanna didn't like it and just kept me company while waiting. 

The fish are thorough and go after your cuticles as well.  If you're sharing a tank with someone who has feet that are worse than yours, take note that the fish may abandon you for more "food".

All in all, I'd do it again ~ but I haven't.


THE WIRK

The Datai ~ Luxury in Langkawi, Malaysia

I finally had the chance to see Malaysia, when I visited Langkawi and stayed at The Datai.  I'd been wanting to go on vacation and see Halong Bay in Vietnam, but the flight times weren't working with my schedule and the temperatures were cooler than I wanted.  When a trip to the Datai was suggested, I quickly "Googled" and there was no question that I wanted to go.

I'm a huge fan of the Datai and my experience in Langkawi.  I can't tell you a single thing about Langkawi.  I really can't tell you much about the property itself.  I can tell you that food, level of service, and time I had at the resort were top notch.

The property itself might be a little dated.  It has a more masculine feel with the heavy and darker woods, but it's very comfortable.  The deluxe room I had overlooked the pool.  The resort is located in the rainforest, so there is animal life in the treetops. 

If you're afraid of creatures, you need to know that they tell you to keep your balcony doors locked when you're not out there since there are "naughty monkey".  I didn't find the monkeys to be a problem at all.  In fact, i enjoyed the ones that came over towards the pool one early evening.

While enjoying the resort, I spent plenty of time sunning at the pool.  The water temperature for the pool was comfortable and refreshing since it was very warm while I was there.  Another plus, was that the staff kept refreshing our ice water.  The bar was conveniently located near the pool for when we needed food and drink.

Breakfast was good and there was a wide selection of items. 

I'd highly recommend The Datai to anyone.  From the moment we stepped into the Mercedes for the transfer, I knew we were welcome and in good hands.  Another fantastic benefit occurred when we learned that we would have a late check out of 7PM, without any additional payment.  ****  I'm so used to traveling and getting "offered" the opportunity to extend my stay for about half the nightly rate at other hotels and resorts that this was definitely noteworthy and very classy of them.

My trip to The Datai was definitely a peaceful, relaxing trip I'll never forget

THE WIRK

Siem Reap, Cambodia ~ Amazing temples, great food, and wonderful people

In early November, I went to Siem Reap.  For those of you that don't know, that's Cambodia.  Since I'd been working in Singapore, I had the chance to talk to my coworkers about the best places that they've visited and Cambodia always seemed to be at the top of their list.  In early November I went to see what all the hype was about.

Getting to Siem Reap was an adventure.  I'd been out a couple of nights before and hadn't taken the ID picture I needed for the visa on arrival.  Further, I was leaving for Kuala Lumpur via bus from Singapore since all the flights to Siem Reap were either really expensive or booked up since there was a public holiday the following week.  After taking my ID photos at a booth, I settled in for a few martinis, before scrambling home to pack and catch the bus.

The bus ride to KL was a piece of cake, since I slept most of the way.  After arriving in KL, we took a cab to the airport and with no time to spare boarded the plane to Siem Reap.  Ever seen the show "Amazing Race"?  Let's just say, my friend and I would've won had that been one of the challenges.

Once in Siem Reap, I was impressed to see a modern, beautiful airport.  It reminded me of Hawaii.  Acquiring a visa on arrival was easy and I was on my way to the hotel.  After a quick nap, I was ready to see what Angkor Wat and all the temples were all about.  Armed with my 3 day ticket (i.e. cost $40 USD), I had no idea how much fun and hard work (i.e. we did a lot of climbing, but you don't have to) seeing all the temples would be.

If you've never been to Siem Reap and you have the chance, you MUST see the temples.  The architecture is amazing and I'll argue with anyone that says that "they're all the same".  Each temple is unique and the craftsmanship is amazing.  Nature has affected some of the temples (i.e. think the temple from the "Tomb Raider" movie with Angelina Jolie) with tree root growth etc., but these monuments are still amazing.

I know the word "amazing", is over used - but they are AMAZING.

My tips for a trip to Siem Reap:

• Hire a tuk tuk driver - Some of the temples are spread out and depending on how many days you want to spend, the driver can recommend which temples to group together and routes to follow.  Further, the driver will know where you can eat lunch and scope out the best sunrise and sunset.
• Pace yourself - These temples weren't built in a day and there's no way you're going to see them all in one day.
• Wear comfortable and appropriate clothing - If you're going to go into a special area of Angkor Wat, you have to have sleeves on.  I'm not sure if you'll be able to get in with shorts or a shorter skirt on.  I wore long paints and a tank top.  I had a long sleeved sweater around my waist, just in case I needed it --- and I needed it for the special area of the temple.  If you're not dressed properly, they won't let you climb the stairs. 
• Wear underwear, especially if you're wearing a skirt and climbing - Trust me.  No one wants to see you.
• Wear a shirt - You're not in your house or in your backyard.  These are temples.
• Bring US dollars - If you don't have US dollars, you're only hurting yourself.  I couldn't tell you what the Cambodian currency is, because I never had a need to touch it.  Souvenirs and restaurants use the USD.
• Don't be shy to eat in Cambodia.  The food is great and since it caters to tourists (i.e. Pub Street) there are plenty of choices!

For a hotel, I stayed at the Empress Angkor Hotel.  I'd recommend it.  It's a great hotel.  Closer to the airport and a little further from the temple, but the amenities are nice and the people are friendly.  Come to think about it, just about everyone I encountered was very nice and welcoming.

Oh and if you need a tuk tuk driver, I can recommend mine to you: Thy Tuk Tuk.  His email is thytuktuk1981@gmail.com and his card is pictured here.


THE WIRK

Get your limited-edition, personalized Kareem Abdul-Jabbar bobblehead NOW

I was thinking about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar today.  ****  What?!?!  As if you weren't...  Seriously, though.  I was because I posted earlier about age restrictions for guys trying to enter the NBA.  If remember correctly, he's pro-age restriction and I'm against it.  Anyway, back to the message I'm trying to communicate...

I just caught up with my Twitter feed and I noticed that Kareem (i.e. @KAJ33 on Twitter) has been posting about personalizing messages and selling bobbleheads.  Well, needless to say, since I'm a huge fan I had to check it out.  I went to his website, http://www.kareemabduljabbar.com/ <-- ****  Who can't figure that out?

This is what I found:

Seeing as that I skipped a day of medical school to head to MC Sports and to have him sign a hat for me, I couldn't pass up the chance to have some stuff delivered to me.  The NBA's All-time Leading Scorer is one of the reasons I fell in the love with the Lakers and he should have this skyhook pose captured in a statue one day in LA.  However, until that day, this image will have to sit on my shelf (i.e. once UPS delivers the goods).

There are only 250 of these available.  At only $39.95 plus delivery etc, this is a steal for Kareem fans everywhere, so get yours now!!!  Here is the URL: http://store.kareemabduljabbar.com/skbo.html  ****  I already placed my order and received my confirmation, so I should be OK.

Woohoo!  Looks like Christmas came early this year!!!


THE WIRK

College football and basketball players shouldn't get a cut of TV revenue

I have the day off today, and it's raining, so I decided to check on my baby (i.e. this blog).  I'm not sure what happened yesterday, but my blog stats went through the roof!  Well, in an effort to not neglect you all and to stay focused on this endeavor, I took a quick look at ESPN.com and found a poll that struck a cord with me...  I figured I'd get your thoughts.

While I was surfing the net, I came across a Sports Nation poll asking whether college football and basketball players should receive a cut of their schools' TV revenue.  Below is a picture of the current results.

If you know me at all and/or have been following this blog, you know how much I appreciate money...  Initially when I read this questions, I jumped to YES for my answer.  I thought to myself, why shouldn't they get paid?  The athletes contribute to the program and as stars of the team they draw ratings...  However, I started to think the question through and realized that there are many other issues that need to be considered.

1.  Not all colleges/universities have the following (i.e. storied history) to attract viewers, ratings, and TV numbers.  Some school are simply too small and don't produce quality teams consistently enough to land the TV deals.  Growing up, I heard all the Notre Dame jokes about their teams playing in a "cereal bowl", but their fan base is loyal. 

2.  While an athlete might be incredibly talented, the focus of amateur athletics should be education.  If these individuals want to be paid as professionals then they need to take it up with the National Football Players Association (NFLPA) and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) regarding age restrictions etc.  ****  I'm not going to research the particularities in this matter, but I've argued with former players about this matter in the past, and I think age restrictions are lame.  Caveat emptor (i.e. let the buyer be ware).  If a team is willing to risk its money on a very young prospect, it should be its right.

3.  I don't want to hear about how the athletes need the money.  More or less everyone in college and even adulthood will argue that they "need the money".  That argument doesn't hold any water.

Out of curiosity, I specifically checked the stats for Ohio.  I'm from Ohio and Ohio generally makes the "final" decision when it comes to who becomes President and other decisions.  Further, it's the Midwest - middle America, and therefore more or less "average".  Needless to say, when I checked, Ohio was split 50-50...

Just some thoughts from a girl who's too lazy to head out in the rain...

THE WIRK

Phuket ~ Paper Lanterns and James Bond Island

Phuket is such an easy travel destination when you're in Singapore that my friends and I decided to go out there for a weekend in October.  Since I'd already been to Phuket and have also completed a post about it, I'll give you the highlights.

This time around, my friend and I released paper lanterns over the ocean.  If you haven't done this before it's very cool! 

In addition, we spent one day on a boat touring/traveling to other islands (i.e. Hong Island, Phang Nga Bay, etc.), taking a kayak ride, and visiting James Bond Island. 

If you're a James Bond fan you can recognize James Bond Island from a scene in the movie "The Man with the Golden Gun".

Enjoy the pictures.

THE WIRK