Thursday was Melasti, the cleansing ceremony for the temples around Bali and I enjoyed attending the ceremony at Batubelig beach in Seminyak.
Down in Kuta there was an even bigger ceremony and riding home around 8pm I saw the most wonderful sight. Turning the corner of Jl. Pantai Kuta crowds of Balinese families were walking in the road in the opposite direction to the cars all in traditional costume. The traffic moved along at a crawl and the sidewalks I passed had literally thousands of people in ceremonial attire. I thought of what it must of been like 40 years ago before the tourist boom.
I got a call from my friend Ebong inviting me to a ‘6th anniversary party’ for A Bar on Jl. Dhyana Pura. Since I live down Gang Bima I have a 2 minute walk to Dhyana Pura. I also got a call from a Balinese guy named Ketut who I met in Negara months ago. He was up here with one of his friends and wanted to meet up. I’ve never realized before but A Bar is named after the vodka ‘Absolut’ and specialize in vodka drinks. As I sat down the waiter asked me what I wanted, ‘what drinks do recommend’ I said. “Vodka” he grinned. ‘Is this kid trying to piss me off?’ I thought. It later dawned on me when I saw all the Absolut bottle sticking out of the wall.
A Bar is a lounge type bar and is relaxing, pretty empty when I arrived at 10pm. When Ebong and everyone else showed up I was introduced to Tim the editor of Magic Wave magazine. He’s a Californian who moved out here a few years ago and has no plans to move back.
This turned out to be a surfer get together as Jasmine, Sam and Ferry from Bali Learn To Surf also showed up.
These guys were really good helping us to get the hang of standing up and handling our boards and are back teaching after a short spell in private enterprise.
Standing outside A Bar chatting to Sam and Ferry it was cool getting their view points on things. Naturally guys start talking about girls and they asked me if I was married etc. I said no but maybe someday. I asked them where the best looking women in Indonesia are from and Ferry said the Dayaks from Kalimantan are beautiful because of their white skin. Sam said the people from Bandung west Java because the rainy weather means their skin is also pale. Interesting that the ‘white factor’ plays so much in their minds. I asked them what kind of women they like themselves and they both said Europeans. “Aren’t Europeans kind of big to you guys?” I asked. “No I like a woman who is as tall as you (5′ 10″) said Sam (5′6″). It takes all kinds and beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder.
Almost forgot to mention I had a great conversation in Internet Outpost with Tony, the former career Navy man. He’s a smart guy and had a fairly high rank. I hammered him with questions and we got talking about how the enlisted men view the war in Iraq and the leadership. Tony is very much against the war and told me the average Navy guy goes along with whatever the top brass tell them. Here at Baliblog nobody has to go along with what I tell them. If I’m wrong about something let me know.
Tony gets the $10 MAC (Military Airlift Command ) flights when he wants them and told me he should make better use of them. The problem is getting stuck somewhere while high priority personnel are dealt with. For $10 a flight I wouldn’t mind camping out in my sleeping bag for a couple of nights.
Tommorrow I am heading to Padangbai early in the morning and then on to Lombok. Hope to get some good photos for all you home based travelers.
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Right back at ya Barrie! The reason we Aussie folk return time and time again is because the Indonesians are so beautiful and it’s not just their appearance! In regard to the “political stuff” (way against my better judgement) we are hearing all this garb about how we are the next target from that Bashir dude with the beard… never was good with names, however, my husband works in the intelligence area and despite the fact that most of us here probably don’t agree with the US and their opinions we have all been associated……………
Hi Di,
Politics is the one area I veer away from in Indonesia!. Studied enough Indo Politics at college!. Anyway, those with the flowing beards and cascading robes have somewhat bent their views and beliefs into a direction of asinine politics. Perhaps if they had read Leary’s ‘The Politics of Ecstacy’ then their world would be bent in a different shape (or their brains!).
Politics is best left for the politicians, cronies and the ilk whose main purpose in life is to benefit from the misfortunes of others.
Travel, love life, and be happy with the ones you are with - that’s living!.
Yes, Amerikkka is truly evil for daring to depose a brutal dictator who spent 12 years ignoring the international community and the UN.
G’Day Michael,
EVERYBODY has an agenda in that country whether it be for profit or on compassionate grounds.
Aah politics - Yuk!
I’m one those guys that still believe in politics. Politics matter. Especially in a country like mine. We have thousans of Islands and hundreds of tribes, ethinicities, dialects, etc. For too many years, the people in Indonesia, including myself, have left the political process in the hands of a few morons in Jakarta. All we get in return are more corruptions in our governments, more trash on our streets, and more of these so called “religous leaders” saying that they represent every moslems in the country, they’re nothing but ignorant fanatics. So guys if you know any Indonesians, tell them to vote on the coming PEMILU. I know the election system is not perfect and there arent enough candidates with good plans and clean records, but they are much better than before and they COULD get a lot worse than the present.
BOB YOU ARE RIGHT WE ALWAYS NEED SOME SORT OF GOVERNING BODY AND THEIR POLITICAL SCRIBE. OK BARRIE, MICHEAL I AGREE SOME COUNTRIES, SORRY MOST COUNTRIES AND THEIR POLITICAL AGENDAS IS ARE FRAUGHT AND CORRUPT AND THE PEOLPLE AT THE TOP EG GEORGE (WHERE IS LONDON) BUSH FROM GODD AL TEXAS (WHO GOT DADDYS JOB) YOU COULD WRITE THERE QUALIFICATIONS DOWN ON THE BACK OF A STAMP. BUT YES I AGREE THERE ARE SOME COUNTRIES WHO HAVE GOT BETTER POLITICAL AGENDAS THAN OTHERS AND SOME PUPPETS WHO LIKE TO THINK THEY ARE STILL IN THE DAYS OF COWBOYS AND INDIANS. YES I AM TALKING ABOUT YOU GEORGIE BUSH A MAN WHO ONLY KNOWS WHERE AMERICA IS AND COULD NOT POINT OUT HALF THE COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD APART FROM THE ONE HE IS GOING TO CARPET BOMB TO TRY AND GAIN A FEW VOTES. YES POLITICS BOYS THERES A LOT TO BE SAID AND ALSO NORT SAID - I AGREE
I simply don’t care for it…
Nick, glad to hear all is going well & you are having fun…
G’Day Nick,
I think ALL Indonesian are beautiful in their own way irregardless of which island they originate.
Have a safe trip to Lombok mate. While you’re there, head out to Mt Rinjani. Spectacular!.