Club Med Bali (Part 1 - Welcome to Club Med)

Travelling is my life.  I like to see something new, try new cuisines and explore new places.  When I visiting new country, hotel is just a place to sleep for me, I would spend most of my time going out to the town.  So my first thought is Club Med wouldn't be my choice at all.  By the way, anyone who still have no idea what Club Med is.  It is actually a resort with all inclusive.  All inclusive here means once you pay for the accommodation fee, that's all include meals 3 times a day, snacking, non alcoholic and alcoholic drinks all day long, activities inside the resort and shows that run every night and after party til midnight.  Basically, if you want to maximise what you had paid, then you kinda need to stay whole day inside the resort, right!!

Therefore, Club Med is a Big NO NO for me.  As I prefer to stay in a cheaper hotel while I can enjoy the country's culture and food out there.  However, my husband works in the Club Med reservation office and everyday he tries to brain storming me with the idea of holiday in Club Med.  He guarantee that I will change my mind about Club Med and love it instead and will keep going back again and again.  

I was weak and finally follow him!!  But Hey!!  Why not!!  I just take it as a new experience.  And I said to myself  "it's once in a life time experience though, at least I can explain to people what Club Med is''.  Our first Club Med is in Bali, great choice as I have been to this island numerous time, so I wouldn't mind to just stay in the resort for whole time.  Plus I will bring my little one who just turned 6 months old.  It won't be so convenient to bring him around the city.

Garuda Airline

Flying with Garuda Airline from Sydney to Bali takes us roughly about 5 hours and 30 minutes.  Not so long flight with a nice food as well.  And flying with baby, of course we got the privilege sitting at the front row and baby cot too.

Club Med Representative

Once we arrived at the Ngurah Rai International Airport and done with our custom and pick up our luggage, the guy from Club Med was waiting for us in front of the gate with holding the Club Med sign.  So very easy to find them.

After checking our name in his guest list, he lead to the Club Med's van that will take us to the resort.  Only about 30-40 minutes from Airport to the resort, as Bali got the new highway bridge that shortened the way from airport to Nusa Dua where Club Med is.

Club Med van

Lounge area

We greeted with a very friendly GO that has been assigned to help us around.  They normally choose the one who speak your language.  Unlike in any other resort or hotel I had been, in Club Med you only need to sit and relax with sipping fresh welcome drink on your hand in the lounge area and they will do all the check in process.

GO is one of their unique character for Club Med, they are very energetic, friendly, and talented.  Not only be as a resort staff who more than happy to help you with anything, but all the activities and shows inside Club Med are run by them as well.

Welcome drink

As a Club Med guest we need to wear this ribbon most of the times especially when meals time.  It will differ us from the people who just visit Club Med for half or full day but not sleep in.

Baby's ribbon

Here are the photos for superior and deluxe rooms.

Superior Balcony

Superior room

Deluxe room with baby's cot

Sofa bed in deluxe room

Deluxe room terrace

Stay tuned for the next blog still In Club Med Bali:
Club Med Bali (Part 2 - Snacking at Batur restaurant)

Day 19: Tsukiji Fish Market, Tokyo

Previously:
Day 18: Toraji BBQ Restaurant 

Tsukiji Fish Market is known as one of the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world, which handling more than 2,000 tons marine products each day.  And this place is increasingly famous for tourist to visit as well.  Because of their huge outer market that selling food products and flowers.  They also open the tuna auction early in the morning for visitors, however they only limit up to 120 people per day.  As I remember it starts as early as 5:20 in the morning and is first come first serve basis and some people would queue just before 5 am in the busy day.

"A few more general rules for visiting Tsukiji Market

Since Tsukiji Market is a site where serious business is conducted, it is important for visitors not to interfere with the action by adhering to the following additional rules:

	Do not enter areas restricted to authorized personnel!
	Do not obstruct traffic!
	Do not bring large bags or suitcases into the market!
	Do not enter the market in high heeled shoes or sandals!
	Do not bring small children or pets!
	Do not smoke in the market!
	Do not touch anything!"

I actually would love to visit that tuna auction but in this cold weather morning, it was just nice cozying under the warm blanket.  However, on that day we still need to wake up early to queue one of the famous restaurant in Tsukiji Fish Market, called Sushi Dai.  According to so many reviews, people are lining up since 4am and keen to wait about 2 hours plus.  Hmmmm... So tell me how good would it be??

We woke up just about the clock's needle nearly struck 5am.  We were speed dressing up then catch train to Tsukiji station.  Arrive in front of restaurant around 5:30am and OMG the queue was this long already (as photo below).  Not as long as you thought, is it?? The people at the front of the photo below that's about half of the queue, you need to turn to the right then you can see another long queue in front of the restaurant.

            

We are getting close to entering this shop

Before we got in to the shop a nice lady came out and explained a few different omikase menu.  After this long wait, we definitely need to maximise tasting those sushi.  So we went for 11 courses set menu plus one of your choice.  It costs 3,800yen per person.

Once we got inside, we seated along the bar.  The place was pretty tiny and quite squeezy too.  There are 3 sushi chefs lining up behind the sushi bar, with a nice smile they greet us and trying to make a conversation with customers while his hand are keep working on those sushi.  What a lovely gesture from them.

Before we start with our first course, the chef mentioned that we better taste the fish without dipping it in the soy sauce as they did put dash of salt in there already.  So we can actually enjoy the freshness and genuine taste from the fish itself.  However, he still serve soy sauce on the side of our table just in case.

Another charming thing from this shop is that their sushi is served right on top of the sushi bar in front of individual customer.  No plate or sushi dish like in any other shop.  But it clean though as they always wipe it after a few sushi are served.

Ootoro sushi

Japanese Omelette

Red Snapper

Sea Urchin

Mackerel Horse

Salmon Roe

Baby Shirmp

Tuna Roll

Spanish Mackerel

Sea Eel

Choice of yours - I picked Ootoro

Look at those marvellous marbled fatty fish

And for the last course, we can choose any one sushi from the menu.  Of course I would go for the Melt-in-the-mouth Ootoro sushi.  It was like de javu from the first dish that they served.  Still soft and taste great, 

Queue from next door sushi shop - Daiwa Sushi

10 am and the queue are getting longer for Sushi Dai restaurant

Was it worthed for that long wait?  I would say yes, because they serve an fresh daily caught fish, premium quality product.  It does make different taste in your palette, with a great flavour combination as well and the surplus was friendly staffs indeed.  You will not find a fancy type of sushi in this restaurant, just traditional menu.  They use high standard quality seafood, fresh from the sea and want it to shine, therefore most of them are served as raw.  Will I come back?  Ehmmm... Probably not.  I definitely want to have this kind of sushi again and again but 2 or 3 hours gone for queueing is no no...

Tsukiji Market can easily be reached with five minutes walk from Tsukiji Station on Hibiya line or alternatively, you can get of at Shimbashi station on the JR like then walk about 15 minutes to the market

Opening hours:
Outer market is varies by shop, but generally 5am to 2pm
Wholesale area open for visitors after 9am
Tuna auction open for visitors from 5:25am to 6:15am (restricted to 120 visitors/day)

Closed: Sunday, national holidays and some wednesday.

Thank you to follow my Japan blog series.  It finally has come to the end.  Hope you guys enjoy it and hope to see all again in my next destination.  Octie Appetie...

Oopss... I had one more blog about Japan that I just posted.  It's all about some random stuffs in Japan that catched my eyes.  If you guys interested just click on the link below:
Interesting things in Japan

Day 18: Toraji BBQ Restaurant

Previously:
Day 18: Ginza, Tokyo

After we found out that the Yakitori shop on Yurakucho Alley is closed for renovation, we pretty much feel disappointed.  Especially today was our last night in Japan and we couldn't try their famous icons.  Somehow that night, we still in the mood of something barbecue.  We stroll along those so many tiny alleys in Yurakucho and saw this Korean style BBQ.  It looks good so we decided to have our dinner here.

The meat comes with slightly seasoned and for the pork neck it was marinated in sweet like BBQ sauce.  I love my beef medium rare.  Once we pick it up from the griller while it was charred yet red in the middle and voila..  the meat was tender, juicy and flavoursome.  We really enjoy the meal that we had tonight.

Complimentary ice sticks

Toraji BBQ 
Assortment of premium meat (3 types) 3800yen
Diamond cut 1,500yen
Pork Neck 980yen


Stay tuned for the next blog still in Japan:
Day 19: Tsukiji Fish Market, Tokyo