Denpasar is a municipality and a hive of activity.
I personally don’t like the place because of the traffic and the pollution but I don’t really know the place.
Wanting some input for an article today I rode around to see what was going on. I never know what I’ll see and often as I am putting my camera away I spot something that’s a perfect shot. Anyway here’s a selection of the things I saw today.
Riding along one street I screeched to a stop after seeing some hot looking chicks at the side of the road. Their owner told me they were 5,000rp a pop.
A few minutes later while zigzaging through busy streets I came to a row of ladies selling offerings. Wayan was busy making and selling ‘canang’ for 5,000rp and another kind of offering for 3,500rp. Most Balinese do not have the time to make all the offerings that are necessary each day and there is a cottage industry around the island for people making them.
Down the street I saw a banner that made me laugh. I know Indonesians like chicken but I didn’t know Kentucky was in Bali.
My last sanp before riding home was of this roving candy floss (cotton candy) vendor.
Riding back to Kuta via Kerobokan I followed a Balinese family on their way to a ceremony. With one hand I reached into my backpack, opened the camera case and fired off a shot. Only the kid noticed.
A quick workout at the gym got the blood pumping and I took a stroll down to Kuta Beach to check on Palu and the crew who make surf boards and are renting them under the counter (shhhhh). They had finished for the day but there were a ton of domestic tourists from Java checking out the skantily clad westerners on the beach. I had my camera out and got attacked by a school group from Surabaya Java. Everyone had to have their photo take with me. Their female teacher said “I want my photo with you too, are you with your wife?” I said ‘no’ and she said “Are you married, do you live here?” These people don’t waste time and I told her I’d been in Bali a week ( don’t want people calling me up wanting to visit every 5 minutes).
The school group is staying in Denpasar, probably in one of those large hotels with the canteen style restaurant that can seat about 200. They are hitting the main sights while here and have 4 days. I know the beach vendors hate them because they have no money and one vendor asked me to move along as the photo session grew. I like that, a Kuta vendor asking me to give her room!
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When you say offering, is that for the temples? If you’ve mentioned this in the past, just point me to the link.
I liked this article. You were *on the lookout* and found some interesting people, took shots and experienced the culture. By the way, your understanding of the area and its inhabitants is soooo open, accepting without intrusion into your own personal life.
Nick, I loved the chicks!!!
I wonder what they look like fully grown!!!?
Excellent snap’s & reading value!!!
Mary,
Yes the offerings are for Temple ceremonies & the ritual offerings placed daily for the gods.
As Nick says many people do not have time to make these, so they do buy them… Out in the villages ‘canang” are cheaper as most village people have more time to make them, in Kuta, Seminyak & tourist areas people are busier & so they buy their offerings & pay alot more…
Denpasar is Bali capitol city and its only municipality.
A lot of stuff gets manufactured and sold there and if you are looking for almost anything a local will tell you, ‘go to Denpasar’.
I took the Bypass road from Seminyak down to Kuta and carried on to Sanur, swingling NW to Denpasar. I didn’t really know what I was looking for but sometimes jumping on thr bike and exploring is the best way to go.
As you take the road from Sanur there are many small lanes that are parallel and I checked some out. These are crossed by smaller streets and its village Bali on once again with people hanging out, fixing bikes, serving food. Wanting a drink and spoting this cart I pulled over and ordered a jus manga dan papaya. The lady told me she was from Java and had lived in Bali for ’sebelas tahun’ …11 years. She tossed the mango and pappaya into her blender and after a couple of minutes poured my drink. The cost ‘tiga ribu’ …3,000rp.
Cruising through Denpasar on this overcast day I stopped at a Bakso place for a quick snack. Bakso is a soup with chicken balls. The quality varies greatly. This bakso was quite watery with big balls. I didn’t care for it much but ate it anyway. I hate to think exactly what those balls are made of. My dish cost 3,000rp.
The overcast conditions didn’t dampen the traffic which was roaring. Everyone and their brother was out and just before I hit the main road back to Kuta I stopped in at a shopping center to see what the locals were up to.
Looking around it reminded me of when I was a kid in some ways. In thr US everything is bright and shiny, large and corporatey. I’m from Britain and its wasn’t that way years ago, things just didn’t have that shiny edge to them. Same thing here. I saw kids enjoying there sugary drinks, mums shopping and people having a good time enjoying what was on offer.
Next to the supermarket area was an amusement arcade, complete with carousel, bumper cars and video games.
The food court was interesting too. Obviously this is an American type idea, but one that has been adapted to local tastes. Whereas in Oregon where I moved from you might have a pizza place, a Chinese place, an Italian place and a hotdog place, over here they have a gado gado, bakso, nasi goreng. Of course the donut shop and crepe place are always popular and if you really want your dog you can have it.
The rain held off until the final 25 minutes of my trip when I took the road to Kerobokan and hit Global Xtreme. When I arrived the rain was lashing which fortunately didn’t affect me too much as I packed my rain gear.
Down here in Kuta its 11pm and people are getting warmed up for Saturday night. I’m not drinking today after meeting up with Mick and Ebong yesterday at Gado Gado. Arak Madu’s take it out of me and I guess I’m not that used to hard drinks. Anyway I am looking forward to maybe watching England beat the French tommorrow, we’ll see.
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Don’t think the Colonel will be amused with the Surabaya boys!.
Love the hot chicks.