United Nations

When the rain finally stopped I woke Phyl and we dressed.


G- Let's get to the Lotus Cafe before it starts to rain again. It's 3:00 pm and Michael told us they have wireless internet between 3pm – 6pm.



Lotus Temple

 P- I don't understand what happens to the internet the rest of the time.

G- Beats the hell out of me but it's driving me crazy not being able to get on line since we've been here. I have completely given up on that damn computer they have in the breakfast area. It's slower than dial up.

P- I'm hungry too and I don't want to eat that damn bread again. If they're gonna make break with some nasty crème shit in it, shouldn't they put it by pastries and not with the other bread?

G- Well, I assume that one of the words on the wrapper says it's got nasty crème in it, but since we can't read it, we'll just have to scrape if off as best we can and eat the rest. Grab your headlamp because I'm sure we'll return after dark and that path along the stream has only a few lights for the whole way.

P- I'm sure it's gonna be dark as pitch and I don't want to end up in the stream.

When we reached the Lotus Cafe, we took stock of the fact that it, like all places in Bali, was completely open and did not look at all cool. Across the street, however, was a Starbucks with a fan and wireless internet.

G- I know we said we would not hang out in Fourbucks, but I could use a mocha frappuccino and the internet is probably reliable.

P- Fine with me. The Lotus Cafe looks pricey.

G- And, at least Fourbucks sits in front of a temple and lotus pond, so we can view something beautiful while we sit here.

We sat in Fourbucks (The prices are the same everywhere!!) and savored our frappuccino while we checked emails, uploaded posts to the blog, and searched for accommodations on Lombok. We were at a fairly large table in front of the fan when a nicely dressed group of Indian ladies walked in.

G- How can they look so nice and fresh in this heat?

P- I don't know. We smell like goats and look like hell and they look like they just walked out of a/c in freshly laundered clothes.

G- I use to look neat, pressed, and clean. In my prior life.

P-You still look cute, Agnes.

G- Thanks, but don't be silly.

We made eye contact and smiled at the pretty lady headed in our direction and she asked if they could join us at the table so that they could also be in the fan's path. We welcomed them and moved over. Shortly, a gentleman joined them. I often feel like a bit of a cretan when comparing myself to Indian ladies. They always seem so well dressed, poised, and refined. Words I would not use to describe myself. These particular ladies smelled very good too. I was jealous!!

After a time we began talking to Tarini and Gomzee. We exchanged names, information about our homes, and our reasons for visiting Ubud. They were from Mumbai (formerly Bombay) on a holiday after traveling to New Zealand and Asia on business. The other ladies went off shopping and we sat and talked with Tarini & Gomzee for about 1.5 hours. We talked about our adventure, their business giving motivational seminars, American politics, Indian politics, India's relationship with Pakistan, America, & China, America's relationship with other countries & Hurricane Katrina. It was a fascinating discussion and one we enjoyed tremendously. Of course, Phyllis had Gomzee cracking up at some of the off the wall things she'd say. I had the spark of an idea. Before departing, we exchanged information and they invited us to Mumbai.



Gomzee & Tarini

 P- Tarini told me that she is shy and has never asked someone to join them at their table. She believes that maybe we met for a reason.

G- Well, we did discuss that we were very open to the new ideas and opportunities this adventure would afford us. Talking to them has given me some new ideas about a possible career path. Maybe our meeting was not coincidental. Maybe meeting them today will be the spark that takes our life in a whole new direction.

P- I liked them a lot. How can we know what will be the thing to change our life? But I do feel like we met them for a reason.



Dutch couple

 We walked down the main street, past the large market place and up a narrow side street to a restaurant that Michael had recommended. It was very crowded and we were lucky to get a seat. Not long after ordering the dish he recommended, Ginger Cashew Chicken, Michael arrived with a group of his friends. The restaurant was small with only a few long tables. We sat across from a very interesting Dutch couple who gave us recommendations for a hotel in Lovina. They had traveled all around the world and he had biked from the Pyrenees back to Holland; basically his own Tour de France. To our right was a young couple from the Basque Region of Spain. We were absolutely in love with this international environment and the discussions about the world that it afforded.

We Love a Rainy Day. You Crazy!



Phyl & Michael

 G- (groan) What time is it?


P- 6:15am

G- WHAH!!!!! I need to sleep! I'm not sleeping well at night because I'm sticky and hot. In the morning, when it's finally a little cooler, the damn roosters start and the sun is beating through the windows. Whah!!!!

P- No whining, Agnes! I feel your pain. Let's close the curtains on all the windows and take off the mosquito net and see if we can fall back asleep.

G- Whah! Ok.

We did manage to fall back asleep for a little while, but by 8:00 am it was warming up and the wasps, which we only see in the mornings, had started flying around the room. We got up as a gecko ran across the floor and back into the bathroom where it's wet and cool.

P- It's freakin wild kingdom in here!

G- I am very proud of the way your handling the bug and gecko situation.

P- I am doing well. At home I would have freaked out and we wouldn't have gone
to sleep until you had captured the gecko and gotten it out of the house.

G- And now you watch them run along the floor and walls without batting an eye. It's not as though you have any choice, but you've come a long way in a few short days. Desentization is an amazing thing!

P- I'm dealing with them, but one of the bastards had better not run on me or I'm gonna freak out.

G- Did you hear the frogs and crickets and cicadas last night? It is amazing! I had no idea that frogs could make so much noise.

P- You think it's all frogs?

G- Not sure, but I think it's mostly frogs. And maybe some critters we've never heard of or seen before.

We joined Michael, Laurie & Bo at the breakfast table. Mary soon arrived and we began a discussion about Ubud, travel, our jobs (or prior ones), and any other topic that crossed our minds. Michael gave suggestions of places to eat dinner, and we enjoyed a very slow moving morning. After everyone had gone off for the day, Phyl & I took cool showers, wrapped in our sarongs, and sat on the porch to read.

G- Ooooooh!! Thunder! Look how dark the sky is over there.

P- Good! I hope it rains for a while and we can cool off a little.

Ayu watched the clouds and frowned. She had just put the laundry all around the courtyard (on laundry racks, on the cement, hanging from the tree) to dry.

G- Looks like it's gonna rain.

Ayu – I don't like rain.

P- We love it. Especially the rainstorm we had the first night we arrived.



Wayan

 Ayu- Why the Americans love the rain? Michael say he loves rain too.

G- Maybe it's because we grew up with fantastic thunder storms in New Orleans and then we moved to California where they get little rain showers, and we really miss good storms.

Ayu – It crazy.

While it poured we sat and talked with Ayu. She explained, in her really good, but limited, English about the 4 names of the upper caste in Bali: the first child is named Wayan, second is Made (sounds like Ma day), third is Nyoman, fourth is Ketut. Then it starts over with Wayan again, preceeded by a word that means something like 'the second one'. So, Maday her husband has one older brother. She said that she is from the poor caste, so she did not get a name like that. It seems most people have one of these 4 names, but we've also met some people named Gusti, which we think is from a different caste level. It's all very confusing and trying to translate this in discussion was impossible. Also, the caste system is not rigid in Bali, so there is marriage among the castes.

view from our window

Ayu told us that Maday's parents do not like her, but we never could understand why. Maybe they think he married down? Not sure. Also, Maday (I'm spelling it like this for ease of pronouncing it) & Ayu have a 14 year old son named, Alit. We asked why he was not called Wayan because he is the first born, but we never got an answer we could understand. Lost in translation.

Ayu and I spoke about raising only sons. She lamented the fact that although he had once worshipped her, he was now moving away from her and more to his friends. I told her that was normal and he'd come back one day. She seemed genuinely happy to know this. We talked about how she and Maday had married 15 years ago, purchased this land and gradually built the 6 rooms they rent to tourists. Only days before had they hired someone to help, a guy named Wayan, but previously she had done everything herself. It seemed they had really done well for themselves, especially by Balinese standards. She asked questions about living and working in America and we learned about their life in Ubud.



sunset from our window

 G- Now that was fantastic! That's exactly one of the things I wanted from this adventure; to connect with and learn about the lives of real people in the countries we visit.

P- I wish we could've understood why Maday's parents don't talk to her, because I've seen his mother walk through here to see Maday, but she never talks to Ayu.

G- It was funny when she passed at exactly the time Ayu was talking about her. I made a face at Ayu but she said it didn't matter because the mom couldn't understand a word of English. We could talk as loud as we wanted.

P- She does have a lot to do around here, but I think she thinks it's worse than it is. How many women do we know in America who work, take care of kids, take care of the house and there is so much more to be done.

G- It does seem like a simpler existance here, cook the breakfast, laundry, clean the rooms, but the pace is much slower. And by Balinese standards, they are making a fair chunk of change on a daily basis. She said the place is usually booked. Michael lives here full time and has for the last year.

P- It doesn't seem too terrible, but she's stuck here running it everyday.

G- True. People are all the same, aren't they?

P- Yes. They are.

G- I'm sure we're going to find that everywhere we go.



Ayu & Maday

 After our chat with Ayu we ran from the breakfast area to our bungalow. The rain was still coming down and it was actually breezy and cool. Thank all the Hindu Gods for a small break in the oppresive heat!!! Phyl took a nap and I read.

Photos of Ubud




Nirwa Homestay breakfast area with our bungalow in the background. (photo courtesy of Bo Maslak)

 


Ubud rice fields (photo courtesy of Bo Maslak)

 


The Ubud rice fields (photo courtesy of Bo Maslak)



Snakes, Spiders & Lizards, Oh My

The next morning the neighbors' roosters' crowing hit a crescendo around 6:00 am. That, coupled with the light streaming into the large window at the foot of our bed, conspired to rouse us earlier than civilized people should be awakened. After lying in bed for an hour and listening to the morning sounds, we closed the curtains, so that we could dress, and went to the breakfast table.


At breakfast we met fellow travelers: Bo & Laurie (from Calgary), Michael (originally from Nola, graduated from EJ then moved to Cali, now living in Ubud for the past year), Mary (college art teacher in Boston) & a couple from France who we could not talk to due to language barriers. Ayu, Maday's wife, is known for her green, banana pancakes. The green color comes from a plant pulled from her garden. It was fun to talk to everyone and get suggestions on places to visit & eat and things to do.

Michael was especially helpful with some tips on things to say, in Balinese, to hawkers.

After sitting and talking for hours, we headed off on a hike through the rice fields. Along the way we came upon an artist, Wayan, who paints in a “structure” on the side of the path, and sells to passersby and to a gallery in the city. He explained his technique and schooling (4 years at art school).

G- Water, water everywhere, but no pool, river, or lake to jump into.

P- I guess we could get into the rice field, but then we'd also be covered in mud and I don't think the farmers would appreciate us swimming in their rice. The ducks seem to be enjoying it, but I don't want to have to eat bugs and the rice gradeaux.

G- But you could easily shit in the fields. Actually, I think it's cool the way they use NATURE instead of pesticides and other poisons. The ducks eat the left over seeds and other unused rice parts. They also eat mosquito larvae, and other pests that would eat the rice, and their droppings fertilize the soil in which the rice grows. A perfect ecosystem, just like God designed.

P- I think I'll leave the bug eating and field shitting up to the ducks. Let's go find some shade to sit in.

A little further we sat in the shade, with our feet dangling in the river runoff, and drank some water.

G- Holy crap! Look at the size of that spider!!

P- Why did you have to show me that?! I don't want to see that. You know I hate bugs.

G- But look at how cool it is. Freakin huge!!!

P- Yes, they could make a movie..........The Spider That Ate Bali........and if it moves, I'll run over your ass to get away from it.

G- Chill. It's not going to suddenly jump off it's web to attack you.

Gusti – Hello! Where you from?

P- America.

Gusti- You like Bali?

G- Yes, very much.

Gusti – You want coconut? I get for you.

P- What do you mean? From where?

Gusti – There. In tree. I climb and get.

G- You'll climb that tree and get one of those coconuts way up there?

Gusti- Yes. Juice good for you in heat.

G- How much?

Gusti- 20,000 rupiah.

G- I don't think I have 20,000. (pulling money from pocket) I only have 6,000. Phyl, you got any money?

P- No. You have it all. Will you do it for 6,000?

Gusti – (reluctantly) Ok. I do for 6,000.

We watched in awe as Gusti, barefooted, with a machete stuck in the back waistband of his pants, scaled a 40' tall coconut tree.

G- I want to try to do that.

P- I bet with some practice you could do that, my little spider monkey.

G- If I had started when I was young................... no doubt I could.

Gusti descended, cracked open our coconut and we drank the clear, citrus tasting juice. Then he cut the meat out of the husk and we put it into a bag. Feeling hydrated and a little less sweaty, we continued down the path. We crossed the river on a little man made bamboo bridge, and followed the river back toward Ubud. The rainforest was denser in this area and therefore it was a little cooler, but we encountered many more critters along this path.

G- Ahhhhh!!!! Holy shit! (I jumped back and Phyl collided into me)

P- What? What are you doing?

G- Did you see that big, freakin snake that just crossed right in front of me?

P- No, thank Gawd.

G- It was about 4' long and grey. Are grey snakes poisonous?

P- I don't know. The ditty I know says something about, “if red touches black, get back jack, if red touches yellow, he's an ok fellow” or something like that.

G- We need the Balinese version of that ditty.

Along that section of path we encountered at least 5 more snakes, but thankfully, they were always running from us. We also saw many very large lizards and spiders. When we came upon a area where we could easily access the stream, we stopped and rested and wet our feet and heads.

G- I don't think I've been this hot in my whole life.

P- This heat & oppressive humidity could never be explained, even to New Orleanians. I feel like I'm sitting in a pizza oven.

G- An oven would be dry. This is like being in a sauna 24/7. My clothes are stuck to me. And have you noticed that we have not had to use the bathroom all day? I think my bladder is shriveled up.

We passed men and women working in the rice fields. Everyone smiled and said hello, even if that was the only English word they knew. One man walked behind an ox like animal pulling a trow (or some similar farm implement) in knee deep water and mud. We passed a family of chickens and watched as the rooster and hen moved from spot to spot scratching up the dirt while about 8 chicks followed dining on whatever bugs were churned up. We were a little nervous to pass them, but they paid us no mind.

Back at the bungalow we stripped and got under a cold shower, then put on our sarongs and sat, panting, on the porch, praying for a breeze or afternoon rain shower to cool things off. The shower finally came and provided a short respite, while we read and talked to the other guests as they returned from their outings.

Breeze or Malaria?

Our driver, Mede, phoned Maday, the owner of Nirwa Homestay in Ubud, for directions and Maday met us at the main road. Maday (accent on the last syllable) was on his moped and took our backpacks and road ahead to his home. We followed......................... up the hill for approximately 30-40 yards, then along a drainage ditch for about 2 blocks. I struggle for the right words because it isn't really a ditch but more of a runoff or artery coming from the river, so it's fresh water, but it's only about 3' wide.

The path that runs along the ditch is anywhere from 2-4 feet wide, depending upon the location, and flanked by a wall on the other side. Of course, the pavement/pavers/dirt is uneven, so you must pay close attention to your footing or you might fall into the ditch.

P- How did he pass down this little path on a moped?

G- I don't know. Once he rounded that curve I couldn't see him. And I haven't seen our packs in the water, so I guess he managed with those on his bike too.

P- It's unbelievable!

G- Look up ahead, someone is standing in the ditch washing their clothes.

P- I guess that's a designated clothes washing spot because it's the only place with a concrete slab about waist high.

G- Shit, it's hot. When you phoned didn't Maday say it was cooler in Ubud?

P- Yes, he did.

G- Well he lied.

When we reached the home, the path lead up at a steep angle to the front gate. We then climbed a flight of steps, in varying heights, with one being particularly high. Maday lead us through an inner courtyard full of tropical plants to our bungalow #3. There was a nice porch with 2 chairs and a table and our own laundry drying rack. The bungalow was a large room with a queen size bed, desk, big wooden chair, separate single mattress on the floor and attached bathroom. The bathroom was spacious and the shower was big and modern with just a half wall separating it from the toilet area. The sink, on the wall opposite the shower head, was a stone vessel on a counter top. Overall we were very happy with the accommodations.

We chatted with Maday, closed the door and windows to keep out the mosquitoes because it was dusk, and set off to get a bite to eat.

G- Phyl, be careful on this sidewalk. Your little foot could easily slip into the grate on the drains.

P- Thanks. I've been watching that. Damn, this is a workout just walking on the sidewalk. Why does the damn thing go up and down like this? The streets flat.

G- I have no idea but it is quite the workout.

P – I just keep telling myself... “Asian diet, Asian diet....”

As we walked down the sidewalk, we passed shop after shop and at each shop encountered a shopkeeper who asked us if we wanted to come in or buy whatever they were selling. We smiled and said 'no thank you', but it was quite the mental workout to watch your footing and decline the offers of each and every shopkeeper.

G- I'm sweating.

P- Me too and I'm not all that hungry because our lunch was so big.

G- I'm not that hungry either, but we need a little something. I don't want rice. What can we get?

P- There's a store, let's go see what we can buy.

After perusing the store, we settled on peanut butter, bread, & yogurt. We needed something different and that's all we could turn into some kind of a meal. We returned to our bungalow, via the winding footpath, and were thankful it was not yet dark.

G- Dear Gawd!!! It is stifling in here. Open all of the windows and leave the door open for a while.

P- Oh yeah, because that's gonna let the cool breeze in?

G- At least it'll let some of the hot air out. What made us think it would be cooler here?

P- We're idiots!!! It's hotter here than along the coast.

G- “Too cool for air con”, my ass!!!

P- I'm going to stand under a cold shower. I can't eat when I'm this hot.

After a cool shower our body temps were low enough to sit on the bed, under the fan, and eat our dinner without sweating. Barely. It had been a long day and by 9:00 pm, we were ready to go to sleep.

P- Do you think we can sleep without the mosquito net? I haven't seen any mosquitoes since we returned. (The words had barely escaped her lips when a mosquito landed on her nose.)

G- (smacking her in the nose) Um, I think not. What better place than surrounded by rice fields to get malaria.

P- Damn! If we close the mosquito net around us, it'll block the breeze from the fan.

G- Decisions, decisions................. breeze & malaria or protection & heat ............I think I choose protection. I'm a safety girl.

P- Sweet Jesus! I might prefer to take my chances.

G- I'm leaving the windows open and there are no screens. I think it's the right choice. What sense does it make to lock the door when there is an open window right next to it.

P- None, but I think we're pretty safe at the end of this path, up the steps and at the back of the courtyard.

We pulled the mosquito net around the bed and tucked it under the mattress. Within a few minutes, we fell into a warm, sticky coma.

The Road to Kintamani

G- What time is it? It smells like it's around 6:30 am.


P- Yep. It's 6:40 am. You ready to get up?

G- Well, we're leaving for Ubud at 9:30 am and we've gotta eat breakfast, make sure all toilet business is taken care of, pay for the last few nights & finish packing. I'm gonna get up now.

Even though it seemed like our belongings had multiplied & spread around the room, everything fit, quite easily, back into our packs. We all loaded into the van for Mede to take us up to Kintamani and then drop Phyl & me off in Ubud.

As we we reached the southern most parts of Ubud, we encountered the best Batik artists in Ubud. Each area of Ubud is known for a certain craft: wood carving, silver working, stone carving, weaving, Batik, etc. We stopped at a silver jewelry maker's shop and were given a demonstration and explanation.

G- Look at the wood carved doors! They are incredible!

P- (to Cec, Janine & Shirley) Gina loves doors. Everywhere we go she takes pictures of doors.

G- Wow! The intricacy of the carving is incredible! (moving into the silver workshop) The lighting in here sucks. I don't know how they see anything.

P- The girl (that was making the silver) looks very young.

G- She'd have to be young. By the time she hits 40 her career will be over because her eyes will go to shit and she won't be able to see such tiny little details.

P- That's true.

After walking through the showroom but not buying anything, much to the chagrin of the shopkeepers, we proceeded to a wood carving shop.

P- Look at the tools they are using........... they are so primitive. It's kind've like the Flintstone's tools.

G- Their skill is phenomenal. I wonder how young they are when they begin learning this art. All of the pieces these guys are working on (there were about 4 men working) are at the more intricate carving level. I'm sure their tools are larger at the initial stages. Most of these tools look like something a dentist would use.

P- And the larger ones are being tapped by just a wooden mallet.

G- Look at the way they hold the pieces with their feet as they work on them.

P- Maybe you could get a job here using those tree sloth toes to hold the pieces for them while they carve.

G- Maybe so. You know that I've always wanted to learn wood carving or mosaic making..........something I could do with my hands. But I'm not very creative.

P- I'm sure that there is a class you could take.

G- It would be too brief to really teach anything.

P- Look at the different woods...........I hadn't realized that the wood of the eucalyptus tree was green. This carving of Buddha on a lotus leaf is really beautiful.

G- I do like it a lot! And it is so light. Look at the mahogany carvings. What's that wood?

P- The woman says it's alligator tree. The bark does look like alligator skin.

G- Hell, my legs look like alligator skin. I need some lotion.

We were told that the life size carvings take a man a year to complete. The showroom contained many beautiful pieces and we would love to have purchased something but we cannot carry around souvenirs. Of course there were carved penises of all sizes............

G- Oh my gawd! Phyllis! Look at this! It's a damn coat rack with penis pegs.

P- Freaking hysterical!

G- We need to bring back a box of these and sell them in the Castro!

P- The boys would love it, but my new career is not going to be a penis salesperson!

G- Of course, this particular one could only hold light jackets; the penises are too short. For a winter coat, you'd need a more substantial penis.

P- Whatever. The only good thing about that rack is that once you hang your coat on it, you no longer have to see the penis.

Shirley & Janine walked up and we cracked up a little more as they added a few comments.

G- Look at this one. It looks like the Balinese version of American Gothic, from the chest up.

P- Yes, that's what it reminds me of too.

Back in the van we headed to a coffee bean growing area overlooking a large, lush gorge. We walked through the plantings of coffee beans, vanilla beans, cocoa beans, pineapples, snake skin fruits, and bananas. This area contained the cages of the Luwak producing monkeys. We saw how the coffee beans were counted, by hand, roasted over an open fire, then ground in a large container that looks just like a small mortar & pestle. At a table overlooking the gorge, we sampled Female Balinese coffee, ginseng coffee, cocoa, ginger tea, and lemon grass tea. We had the option, for a small fee, to taste Luwak coffee.

G- Holy crap! This female Balinese coffee is so strong it's growing hair on my chest. I can't imagine what the male version would do.

P- I'd better not even taste it because I don't have any room in my bra for hair. And what about some milk? I don't even drink black Community.

G- I think the Ginseng is my favorite. The lemon grass tea is good too.

P- Yes, me too. I expected the cocoa to be sweet, but it's not.

G- So, do you want to taste the Luwak coffee?

P- Hell no! I'm not drinking anything that has come out of a monkey's ass.

G- It's probably fresh. When we passed the cages, all of the monkeys were asleep. They must have been busy this morning “brewing” coffee bean scat. Hell, I think we've all tasted enough strong coffee and unusual teas considering we've got to get back into a van and continue our trek up the mountain. Our systems are all teetering on the edge as it is.

P- Damn! I didn't think of that.

We made a brief stop at a shopping area...........Janine was on a mission to find a butterfly windsock..........where we bought sarongs so that we could cover our legs to enter the temples.
Our next stop was Kintamani which afforded breathtaking views of Danau Batur (Lake Batur) and Batur Volcano which last erupted in 1963. We ate lunch on a porch and watched the fog roll in and out, at times completely obscuring the volcano. We felt like we were in San Francisco! Just after our lunch I noticed that a group of Asians (I think Chinese) were attempting to slyly take my photo. Finally one of the young guys simply asked if he could take a photo with me.



G- Sure, why not? (He sat next to me and I smiled)

P- What was that about?

G- I haven't a clue. Apparently I'm fascinating. Maybe it's the blonde hair or light eyes or the very short spiky hair?

P- I hate to burst your bubble but your hair is not blonde since your haircut.

G- Kiss my ass! Blondish. Maybe I'm just a circus freak?

P – Maybe so, but cute nonetheless. If I had an organ to grind, you could dance around and maybe people would throw us some rupiahs.

G- You're hysterical, Gladys!



After lunch we drove to Ubud and were dropped off at the Nirwa Homestay.

Please Cover the Ass Crack

Just exiting our room on our way to breakfast at 8:00 am.......


G- What the hell is that woman wearing? It looks like something you would wear at night... hmmmm....it is what she was wearing last night.

P- What's going on? She looks like a hooker in that get up.

G- I believe that she is a hooker. The guy from the front desk is walking her out. She came from that guido looking Aussie's room. (We later found out he was a guido looking American.)

P- She's somewhat attractive, but she should loose that leopard print, hoochie momma dress and she wouldn't look so much like a hooker.

G- On that note, let's have breakfast.

It's hard to believe, but we were still wiped out from traveling, lack of sleep, and the Balinese heat, so we spent the day by the pool. Immediately after breakfast we donned our suits and took up residency on the 2 lawn chairs nearest our room. We visited with our hotel neighbors as they came and went, swam, read and wrote blogs. After lunch JoAnn came around asking if we wanted massages. As luck would have it, Phyl had been saying for days that she needed a massage. We negotiated a price of 70,000 rupiah each (about $7.00) and JoAnn commenced massaging Phyllis right on her lawn chair. Flipping onto her back and removing her bathing suit, down to her waist, was the tricky part, but fortunately there was no one at the restaurant to enjoy a bird's eye view. After Phyl's 1 hour massage it was my turn. “Hey, JoAnn, I appreciate that you want to get my lower back, but could you at least leave enough of my bathing suit to cover my ass crack? I'm sure my hotel neighbors do not want to see my ass crack!” After our massages we lounged in a state of euphoria, our muscles feeling better than they had in weeks.

G- You ready to take a walk and sit on the beach for a while? I want to get in the Indian Ocean today.

P- Yes. Let's apply more lotion. I know JoAnn rubbed all of mine off.

After walking to the beach ..............

P- I've got to get in the water. I'm about to die from heat exhaustion.

G- Ah! This is what beach water is supposed to feel like! It's warm like the Gulf of Mexico.

P- The water is prettier today than it was the other day.

G- It's less cloudy. The water is so clear that it seems to have no color. But look at it where the waves break, it looks light green.

P- It's fabulous!!! But don't go out too far. I don't want that wave to get you.

G- Check out those 2 girls in the head scarves and bikinis. WTF?!?

P- Are they Muslims?

G- That appears to be the case. I have read that some young, progressive Muslim girls choose to wear the headscarf as a sign of respect to their religion, because it's important to have the head covered, but that seems kind've crazy!

P- Yes it does! Why cover your head and leave your tits and ass hanging out? That scarf has 20 times more fabric than that skimpy little bathing suit.

G- People do all kinds of crazy things as a supposed nod to their religions. How many Catholics do we know who haven't been to church in 20 years but don't eat meat on Friday's in Lent? I don't really see a difference. I don't imagine it would be well received if I went over and asked them about it. I'm very curious.

P- Um, No! I think you'd better stay here.

Back at the hotel we arranged for transportation to Ubud.

Temple Tanan HOT!

Tanan Lot Temple

No longer needing an alarm, I was awakened by the rumble of the wheels, on the path and the odor of incense. Looking over at Phyl from my single bed, I could see she was partially awake.


G- Why are we up by 6:30 am every morning? Aren't we on vacation?

P- There are too many new sounds and smells, in Bali, that wake us up. Besides, our bodies are still on Nola time. I hate that you're way over there and we can't snuggle in the mornings.

G- I know. It reminds me of the convent where we stayed in Venice. At least in Bali we don't have large pictures of The Blessed Mother above our beds. I guess we might as well get up and go have breakfast. Mede (the hotel driver) said we'd leave for Tanan Lot Temple (Temple on the rock) around 10:00 am and I want to eat and complete all necessary bathroom activities before we get into a van for the hour drive.

P- I hear ya! So far I'm not having any bathroom activity, but I'm a little worried about where I might be when that does happen.

G- Yep. Me too.

At breakfast we met new arrivals Cecil (Cec), Janine (his wife) and Shirley (Janine's former sister-in-law). Cec & Janine are from Perth, Australia and Shirley is from London. They were quite amusing and we hit it off quickly. In Europe it was always assumed that we were Americans, but in Bali it is assumed that we are Australians. I asked why the dramatic difference in our accents didn't give it away and was told that because English is a 2nd language, it is difficult to discern the difference. After thinking about it for a while, it seemed obvious. When traveling in Europe we sometimes have difficulty discerning Italian from Spanish; it would be impossible to discern accent differences between a northern Italian dialect and a southern Italian dialect.

The ride to Tanan Lot took us north along the west coast of Bali and gave us our first views of the countryside as we had been in the city since our arrival. Many stone carvers' shops and their creations lined the road as well as wooden furniture & doors. We drove through rice fields and were introduced to the insane way the Balinese drive.

P- Are you going to get car sick? Did you take something this morning?

G- I didn't take anything because I want to conserve my motion sickness pills and patches and because I didn't think the ride would be very bad. We're not going into the mountains, but I did bring one of the barf bags I pilfered from the plane, just in case.

P- This driving is insane! It's a wonder people aren't killed. Constant passing and jockeying to get ahead. I feel like I'm in a horse race but all the horses share one lane.

G- I know, and it scares the hell out of me the way they play chicken on these 2 lane roads. Mede wants to pass the truck in front, he honks, goes around, and thinks nothing of the fact that another van is coming head on to hit us. He just gets over at the last minute. The guy driving the other van seems to think nothing of it either. I guess if Mede couldn't get back over in time the oncoming driver would slow down.

P- I guess so. This just seems to be the way they drive.

After an hour we paid the 25,000 rph to enter the temple parking lot and Mede advised he would wait with the van. We walked through the market which is attached to every tourist attraction. You want to buy a sarong, wood carving, little piece of crap, sandals, or cold drink? We continued to smile and say no thank you.

“Maybe on way back?”

“Maybe.”

G- Gawd! Look at that HUGE snake!!!!!

P- Wow! I'm ok with snakes, but I wouldn't go near that one!

G- Thank Gawd it's mostly in that giant cloth sack. What is it?

P- It looks like a boa constrictor, but I'm not sure. It's as big around as my thigh!

G- You want me to take a picture of you with it? His sign says you can take a picture for a fee.

P- No way! That thing gets me in a grip and I'm dead!

We walked through the gates to the temple grounds and followed the tourists to a promontory of rocks where the Indian Ocean crashed ashore. Tanan Lot Temple could be seen but could not be reached as the water covered the rocks forming the pathway. We watched the ocean rise and fall at the base of the Temple's island and strained to see the actual temple which was obstructed by trees and plants. We watched the throngs of tourists walk as far to the edge of the promontory as they dared to take their photos.

P- Listen! The guys are whistling and waving for people to come back off those rocks and that chick is still walking out there.

G- Her husband, boyfriend, or whatever is positioning her for a perfect shot.

P- Well she'd better watch out because she looks like she's gonna fall and those waves are strong....................... bwah, hahahahahahahahahah....................that wave just took her out! That was priceless! I guess she'll move back to the shoreline now, won't she. Dumb ass! These guys are out here to protect stupid people from themselves, but I guess they can't make them heed the warnings.

G- Hysterical! I'm glad she didn't fall, but now she's the only participant in the wet, white sundress contest. Hahahahahah

P- People crack me up!! Dear God, it's hot! This water does feel good on my feet, but it's too crowded here and I'm afraid I'm going to slip. Let's walk around for a better view of the Temple.

We walked around the corner and up a path that climbed to restaurants (Warungs) where tourists could sit and watch the sunset over the Temple.

G- Um, do you see the carved wooden penises?

Balinese lady – You want to buy?

P- No, thank you. I have no use for those things.

G- They do crack me up! I wonder whose idea it was to carve them in all sizes. I wonder what it says about the person who buys one of these and further, what it says about them based on the size they purchase. Interesting. Look at this one with a monkey climbing up the side. Hahahahahah

P- That gives a whole new meaning to “spank your monkey”. Hahahahah

Balinese lady- You buy? I make good price.

G- No, definitely not. Thank you.

We walked along the ocean to the various temples, or offering spots.

P- This whole temple area is very confusing. What is actually the temple?

G- I don't get it either. We need to Google it because I find it very confusing too. These little walled areas all along the path, are they little temples unto themselves or are they just places to make offerings?  I saw that our hotel has a little walled area like this in the back left corner of the courtyard. The woman who places the offerings starts there and blesses them, or whatever she's doing, before she sets them around the hotel.

P- Is that where she lights the incense?

G- I think so. She has all the little flat baskets containing the flowers and things inside of a larger flat basket which she takes to the walled “temple” or alter area before she carries them around and deposits them on the steps and wherever else she puts them.

P- It's interesting. We have to learn more about it.

At one “alter” on a point reaching into the sea, hundreds of little offering baskets were flung on the rocks below.

P- I guess the Gods have blown the old ones to the sea in preparation for the new ones.

G- Wow! Look at this beautiful cove and that arch in the rock out there. The beach is black!!

P- I guess this is what the black beach in Hawaii looks like.

G- They're both formed by volcanoes, so that would make sense. Look at the beautiful colors of the water. What an incredible shade of green!

P- Let's sit here in the shade for a while. I'm about to pass out, it's so damn hot.

G- My whole body is covered in sweat! I'm so wet it looks like I just got out of a pool. Damn! I forgot to put my A&D Ointment on this morning.

P- Me too! That was pretty stupid of us.

G- Well, I'm just not use to sweating like this. The last time I remember sweating this profusely is when we moved our furniture into that truck when we left for California. Blech! And we swore then that we'd never go back to Nola in the summer because we couldn't stand the heat and the sweating. Now we've spent 4 days traveling to Bali so we could sweat to death. Are we nuts?

P- Something about being in Bali makes it not so bad.

G- I agree to a point, but I'm pretty miserable.

P- Just keep thinking............Asian diet, Asian diet................. You heard of Sweatin to the Oldies”? Well Richard Simmons has nothing on Bali! I'm losing weight “Sweatin with the Balinese”!!!

G- I need an ice cold beer. Let's buy a cold water from this lady.

After a while we returned to Mede, the van, and the a/c.

Mede – You enjoyed? Very hot.

G- Yes, Mede. It was very beautiful, but I think we're about to die. Let's get that a/c crankin.

P- (saying to Gina) Turn that bitch up to Hi and point the vents at me!

We returned to the hotel and jumped immediately into the pool. After a time we split a lunch of pasta & prawns with an avocado sauce. It was delicious and very light for a pasta. We spent the rest of the day around the pool talking to Pita, Garth & Pam, and Janine & Shirley. Still exhausted.... we had forgotten how much the heat wears you out being in Cali for 2 years.........we elected to eat dinner at the hotel restaurant. We each ordered a traditional Indonesian dish and they were very good. Being the party animals that we are, we were sleeping by 9:30 pm.