As usual, we are up early. Although we did sleep pretty well – even on this hard Bali bed (but not as hard as a Thai bed!).  After our coffee, we wander out in search of the beach promenade – the paved walk that runs the length of Sanur beach – I think about 5 km long.  Accessing the walk takes about 15 minutes from villa, once there, we strike out north, heading toward the new Icon Bali mall – just as a landmark.  It was crazy busy out there!  Maybe because it was a Sunday? Or maybe because it is like this every day?  Guess we’ll find out if we walk it again in the morning, but for now, the walk is teeming with people walking, running, riding bikes.  The walk weaves between beach side resorts, little warungs, water sports booths, shops, cafes.  It makes your head spin!  After about a mile or so of meandering down the promenade, we stop at Luhtu’s, a beachside café with coffee and breakfast.  Two large flat whites, a chocolate ball (oh, decadent) and a banana muffin later, we are happy breakfasted little people!

Reversing course, we wander through the Icon Bali mall – which isn’t open just quite yet – and filled with every single high dollar brand in the universe.  Probably not somewhere we’d come to shop – although there is a great grocery store on the basement level – but it could be somewhere to walk when it rains (which, since it is the rainy season, will probably be every day). 

Instead of walking back on the promenade, we return on the street side, exploring the different restaurants and bars we have read about in various blogs and articles.  Then a quick stop at the Arta Sedana grocery store – looking at batik shirts (pricey!) and picking up a couple of cup noodles for rainy days. 

Lunch today is at Warung Mega on the bypass – an adorable little warung, but the bypass is a nightmare to walk!  It is worse than any Chiang Mai street ever!  Tons of traffic, disappearing sidewalks, huge holes.  Yikes!  Very glad we are here during the middle of the day and not for dinner.  But the Warung is worth it, the atmosphere and décor is great, the owners wonderful and the food excellent.  I have the Iga Babi Goreng Kecap – a pork dish that I didn’t realize was a rib, but beyond my mistake, the taste is wonderful.  Ed has the Soup Ikan – a very good fish based broth soup with tons of vegetables and chunks of fish – and the Cumi Asam Manis, which is calamari served in a sweet and sour sauce.    Fabulous – and definitely filling. We will not be needing anything huge for dinner – that is for sure.

Back home after a couple of convenience store stops for paper towels (great marketing on the wrapper! How many calories you can save by blotting food with the towels!) we hit the pool to cool down.  Then crawl into the Balinese bed to hang out and read while it starts to rain.  And rain. And rain.  In torrents.  Good thing we had a heavy lunch!  We’ll be staying in tonight with the torrential downpours.  Dinner is chicken pastrami and chicken bologna sandwiches – perfect!  Then onto an evening of 6 Feet Under – great find!  Keeps us occupied and entertained all evening through the rain.