Gym's at Jimbaran

The island of Bali is mostly shaped like a big fish but it has an odd-shaped fin that sticks out from its belly. The appendage is the Bukit Peninsula and that is where Mrs. Gym and I are currently stationed. We look north from our villa across Jimbaran Bay to the airport which is close enough to see but far enough away so that you can't hear it. Right below us there is a rocky shoreline that similarily fringes most of the Bukit Peninsula but we also enjoy a slice of the beach on the northeastern edge of the property. There are five or six tiers of villas that are lined up in rows parallel to the shoreline and from the shoreline each tier is 15 or 20 feet higher than the one before, so everyone can see the beautiful waterfront. Privacy is maintained by high walls around each villa and the generous placement of frangipani, palm and other trees throughout the property. The lobby, spa, communal pool and main restaurant complex is in the upper centre of the property.

welcome to Jimbaran Bay

view from the lobby, down to the pool

nice view of the bay

the rocky shoreline

the beach

view from the pool

If you do a little research on Frangipani, you learn a pretty funny thing, at least if you have my sense of humour. The blossoms of Frangipani plants have no nectar and yet they dupe sphinx moths with their intoxicating fragrances into pollinating the blossoms. The moths inadvertently pollinate in their fruitless search for nectar.... We have both pink and white frangipani in our villa yard.

The villas are spacious, especially when you count the outdoor living room, private sun-deck and plunge pool that are included inside the walls of the yard. We spend much of our time in the outdoors living room reading, blogging and eating the majority of our meals. Room service arrives on a specially built golf cart and this service is something that you have to take advantage of while you are here because they do such a great job of serving the meals this way. There are also two restaurants on the property that we have tried, one is a combination Indonesian/Italian restaurant at night and the other is a Thai restaurant. If you go down to the beach there is a private area fenced off for Four Season's guests and another pool with a restaurant and bar which are shared with the Four Seasons Private Residence properties. If you get too drunk or have had too much sun you can jump on one of the many shuttles that run back and forth between the beach and the lobby. You can even have the shuttle take you right to your villa. Considering all of the above, this is a wonderful place to hang out for a while and I know that I am captivated by my surroundings when I haven't touched the flatscreen television in our room in the three days since we arrived.

villa plunge pool

sun deck

enclosed bedroom and bath

tub

my favourite - the outdoor living room

escargotus giganticus (this is the biggest I have ever seen)

"grey-breasted javanese scribbler"

Mrs. Gym and I have discovered a new passion for Passionfruit. It has a skin like a lemon but the inside part looks nothing like a lemon, or any other fruit for that matter. My first impression was a sticky, slimy mass of large single-celled creatures living inside an lemon peel. But dare yourself to scoop it out with a spoon and taste it and you will never let the appearance bother you again. The taste of the slimy stuff surrounding the seeds is a citrusy flavour but its the seeds that really put this fruit over the top, they provide some a real crunch. The two textures of the seeds and the slimy membrane which surrounds the seeds, compliment each other perfectly. Take Mrs. Gym's and my advice and don't pass up the opportunity to try one the next time you get the chance.

The Passionfruit: