warm greetings from the gangsa! i am delighted to present the latest edition of our online newsletter filled with all the news, happenings and special promotions from our small property in the priestly village of Sanur. with the busy summer season behind us we are now preparing to enter the last quarter of 2008 and are already thinking about christmas and new year celebrations. bali is always a hive of activity and the island is currently gearing up to host the "asian beach games". athletes from more than 45 countries are expected to descend upon our shores to compete in an exciting array of sporting events. apart from fulfilling daily work obligations, the gangsa dedicated team of have also been busy with social, environmental and cultural activities held in conjunction with our 3rd anniversary. it was our aim to bridge the gap between the hospitality industry and the local community so we chose initiatives such as cleaning up the neighbourhood, planting trees and donating blood to mark the occasion. please take a few moments of your time to read this online update about the gangsa and our endeavours to accommodate the needs of discerning travellers. kind regards, i wayan warta residence manager www.thegangsa.com

what's in this issue: spa indulgence: spa for children   •    beach facility relocation   •   simple rhapsody   •   island festivities and celebrations local flavours: nasi goreng   •    what's on Bali   •   staff profile   •   news from our family   •   guest testimonies

spa indulgence: nurturing rituals for children a replenishing spa treatment is no longer a pampering experience just for adults. realising that youngsters also deserve some quality time out, rebab spa at the gangsa has created a nurturing menu especially for children between 7 – 11 years old. there are three relaxing 90 minute options to choose from priced at just USD 45++ per child. each treatment starts with an aromatherapy foot bath and includes other delights such as a manicure/pedicure, back/shoulder massage, mini facial and hair braiding. This is a great opportunity to introduce children to the benefits of personal wellness.

beach facility relocation the gangsa takes great pleasure to announce that its beach facility will relocate to the bonsai café in sanur as of october 2008. this move from mertasari beach to the family orientated sindhu area is due to a noisy construction project that is disturbing the ambience. after careful consideration bonsai café was chosen as a suitable alternative where guests will be able to relax on private loungers, swim and soak up the sun. this well-known sanur café also offers an extensive menu of food and refreshments that can be billed and later settled at the gangsa. complimentary transportation to and from the beach facility is available upon request.

simple rhapsody package the gangsa has created a romantic package for couples who deserve to escape the pressures of the corporate world to unwind in style. simple rhapsody is an luxury package of personal indulgence that entitles guests to a two night stay in a one-bedroom pool villa complete with daily a la carte breakfast, return airport transfers, a reviving 15 minute head, shoulder or foot massage, chilled bottle of wine and soothing flower milk bath upon arrival. other benefits of this exclusive package include 24-hour butler service, complimentary non-alcoholic mini bar restocked on a daily basis, a jar of homemade cookies and wifi internet privileges. afternoon tea with traditional balinese treats is also served daily. recreation needs are addressed with unlimited access to our beach facility, complimentary transportation to sanur and a scheduled shuttle service to kuta. however, the highlight of the package is an inspiring two-hour spa treatment for a replenishing body, mind and spirit experience. while a private bbq dinner served under the stars will reignite the senses for an intimate evening ahead. once suitably refreshed and ready to face reality, guests will be treated to a token gift on departure. the simple rhapsody package is priced at just US$ 650++ per couple and is valid until 20th december 2008. an additional night is available at US$ 300++/villa/night and special benefits are not redeemable in cash. the above rate is subject to 11% government tax and 10% service charge.

island festivities and celebrations bali is a predominantly hindu island where age-old cultural traditions still play an important role in society. an evolving tourism industry has seen the balinese embrace travellers from all walks of life. warm hospitality extends to a sense of belonging and the memory lingers for a long time to come. this rare level of tolerance is truly unique and everyone is accepted regardless of race, colour or religious orientation. while the balinese have their special days for ceremonial rituals, the entire island remains respectful of all other beliefs. this is evident when followers of the muslim faith celebrate the break of the fasting month at idul fitri. similarly, christmas is also acknowledged in bali when christians rejoice the birth of jesus. life is far too short to condone other for their personal values. bali is a great example of celebrating cultural diversity and others around the world can perhaps learn from this outlook that endorses peace and prosperity.

local flavours: nasi goreng nasi goreng, also known as fried rice, is one of the most popular dishes that travellers identify with the Indonesian archipelago. a small portion for breakfast is a great way to start the day or alternatively it can be enjoyed for lunch and dinner served with a fried egg on top. simply delicious! ingredients: seasoning: garnish: 150 gr steamed rice 2 gr salt and pepper 5 gr fried shallots 40 gr chopped prawns or chicken 10 gr oyster sauce 10 gr prawn crackers 30 gr cabbage (shredded) 10 ml tomato ketchup 1 sprig lemon basil 20 gr carrot (julienne) 5 ml salty soy sauce 2 slc cucumber 5 gr celery 10 ml sweet soy sauce 1 slc tomato 2 pcs egg (one to fry sunny side up) 30 gr nasi goreng paste (*recipe below)       40 ml salad oil             10 gr butter             5 gr garlic (chopped)             nasi goreng paste:     200 gr red shallots 200 gr garlic 50 gr candlenut 200 gr red tomato 50 gr shrimp paste 500 gr red chilli 50 ml salad oil (abura) slice the shallots, tomato candlenut and garlic. seed the red chilli and cut roughly. crush the shrimp paste. then heat oil and add all ingredients (tomato last) and sauté until fragrant. put this mixture into a blender and process until fine, then sauté the paste in oil for about 10 minutes. once the paste is ready it can be used immediately or kept in the refrigerator for up to a week. method: heat oil and butter in a wok to fry 1 egg stir fry evenly, then add prawns or chicken, nasi goreng paste and continue to stir fry. add vegetables and rice, stir fry again for about 2 minutes. lower the flame and add all seasoning ingredients except the sweet soya sauce. continue to stir fry for several minutes. then add the sweet soy sauce and celery. arrange on a plate garnished with sliced cucumber, tomato and lemon basil. top with a fried egg and a sprinkle of fried shallots. place a few prawn crackers on the side serve with a small dish of pickled cucumber.

what's on bali? bali asian beach games 2008 the countdown is on to the bali asian beach games, which is going to bring hundreds of top athletes from 45 different nations to partake in this prestigious multi-sports beach event. hosted from 18th – 26th october 2008, the games will include a number of exciting competitive sports such as dragon boat racing, sailing, surfing, beach soccer, volley ball, wrestling and a triathlon event. the opening ceremony will take place at the garuda wisnu kecana monument, an iconic landmark located on the island southern peninsular. more that 1200 dancer have been busy practicing for this opening extravaganza that will showcase bali to the world. bali international marathon the bali international marathon is scheduled for 9th november 2008 and will take place in nusa dua. it has been organised in conjunction with the indonesia's ministry of youth and sports, ministry of culture and tourism, bali provincial government, bali tourism board, indonesian athletic association, KONI and Bali Sports Committee. the marathon is set to entice participants with several categories including a half marathon of just over 21 km as well as 10 km and 5 km divisions. the organising committee anticipates that the marathon will become an annual event. hopefully by 2009 the island of Bali will be ready to host a full 42 km marathon event and attract top athletes with a generous prize cachet. additionally, organisers have also applied for recognition with the Association of International Marathons (AIMS) with the view of becoming a distinguished annual marathon event on par with other international marathon events in the asia-pacific region.

staff profile: wira the ongoing success of the gangsa is largely due to the heartfelt efforts and loyalty of our service staff. in this edition we would like to take the opportunity to recognise the hard work of waiter, i made wira sujana. wira initially began his career with kayumanis group at the nusa dua property before transferring to the gangsa where he has been a valuable part of the team for over two years.prior to that, wira worked at the one of chain hotel in kuta but decided that kayumanis would provide him with ongoing training to develop his skills. always eager to learn, wira took it upon himself to improve his bar tending skills as well as turn his hand to the art of fruit carving. as a result the majority of cocktails served at the gangsa are his creations. wira is passionate about using local Balinese spirits and he can be relied upon to devise a special blend to suit any occasion.

news from our family > promotions congratulations to three of our daily workers who were recently made permanent staff members. i gede wahyudi wininbasara and putu andy siswamana are now officially part of the housekeeping team. in addition, ms. luh gede kesuma is now recognised as a permanent spa therapist at our rebab spa facility. > anniversary celebrations a number of staff activities were scheduled over the course of three months to coincide with the gangsa’s 3rd anniversary. this included an array of sporting, social, environmental and cultural events to give the anniversary a sense of purpose. a fun badminton competition was organised to determine an overall champion, while representatives from each department paid a visit to a local orphanage to donate a supply of daily necessities. other activities included a blood donation campaign, a general clean up in the surrounding neighbourhood and the planting of trees in the nearby mangrove forest. staff members were also involved in a gebogan competition, a traditional balinese offering made from fruit and flowers, to add a touch of local culture to the anniversary celebrations.

guest testimonies we regularly receive valuable feedback from our guests that is used to evaluate staff performance and the quality of personalized service that is offered at the gangsa. we’d like to share some of the most recent comments that have been made: “everyone has been very good, but particular butlers dika and ardi. we had a fantastic and relaxing holiday. the staff and services were excellent. our children loved their stay.” › the rogers family, stayed in villa jublag (28th june ~ 11th july 2008) “a wonderful honeymoon - thank you. also thanks for our driver service into kuta.” › mr. buyens & ms. witjes, stayed in villa kajar (2nd ~ 8th july 2008) “thank you for the birthday cake for my wife. it was so wonderful and we really appreciated the attention.” › mr. fabrizio avogadro & ms. sara guzzeloni from italy stayed in villa gender   (18th ~ 27th july 2008) “we were incredibly satisfied with the attentive service we received.” › mr. martin & ms. snewin, stayed in villa jublag (22nd ~ 26th july 2008) “rebab spa is excellent. the therapists are very kind and gentle. we loved the experience.” › ms. takaishi naoko & ms. takaishi tomoko from japan,   stayed in villa bebende (7th ~ 11th july 2008)

jalan tirta akasa no. 28, sanur 80227 bali, indonesia p. +62 361 270 260    f. +62 361 270 262    e. info@thegangsa.com www.thegangsa.com