One year old!

And while I am away, Anton has turned one...as his mom says, now he has toddler attitude! (I am shifting to USA thoughts...5 more days.)

A beach day...with rain...

When I go to the beach, I usually head for the very southern tip of Sanur. My bike makes the trek easy and fun. Along the road, I see many things like this:

Here is one of the hotels at which Joe now plays. It is pretty fancy.

The Fairmont has sweet beach furniture, too!

 There are vendors at the beach every day. Fried stuff, of course!






On Sundays, many locals come to the beach and there are toys to rent for the little kids.

This guy was my dog for the day. He watched the action from in front of my beach chair. When he was tired, he slept under my chair. He took a couple breaks to rifle through some offerings for snacks.

 This wonderful Dad spent almost an hour making motorboat sounds as he zoomed his child around and around...it was fun to see and hear!

These sculptures stand side by side at Sweet Magnolia.

As the rain began today (It is the beginning of the rainy season.), I moved into the little warung to have hot ginger tea. The beach cleared and all ran for cover. 

 

Three lovely young ladies rented a floaty thing. I have yet to see a Balinese female in a swim suit.

And then these guys got one and appeared to he having a terrific time!

There were a few of these little boats on the water today. Outrigger sailboat?

The sails are so individual...love the plaid one!

On my bike ride home after the rain, I saw these 'ladies' decorated with flowers along the side of the road.

Missing family...

I have one more week here and am missing family. I Skype with Mandy, Gwen, and Guthrie once a week. The last time we did, Gus was across the room. He crawled quickly to the computer and wanted me to pick him up! I wanted to! I think we were both sad that I could not. Gwen explained to me that he did not understand that I was not really in their house and it made him cry...

At the end of my trip, I always feel like I want to be home, but I don't want to leave! I love my family and cannot wait to hug everyone!

Smells & Sounds

Today I realized that I have not written about smells here. It is 8pm now and this is the time to smell everybody burning trash (I am in touristville Sanur, but my neighbor over the wall is something of an intown farm/orchard). The trees...just out of reach...have the biggest mangos I have ever seen! Must be a very precious piece of property. The trash burns everywhere, along the side of the city streets, in fields, and beside houses and warungs.

During the day, when I open my doors upstairs, I am hit with the Frangipani fragrance. It is lovely. I am the first to swim each day, so I clear the leaves and flowers out of the lap pool. If I find a pretty blossom, I swim along holding it in my mouth, and the smell is intoxicating!

And there are so many wonderful sounds! As I have mentioned, the cocks begin before 5am. Then many birds in the canopy (my second floor is in the canopy) begin their songs. There is one that I am imagining to be a mocking bird. Sounds like the one in Catching Fire! I love the bird music.

On the road, it is all little friendly horns! Not angry horns, just 'I am here', 'don't come out until I pass'. 'go ahead', or 'what are your plans'! They must get new horns frequently.

Bali 2011

As I cycle around town, I realize that I am passing many wonderful things that I had photographed in the past. If you do not want to miss some really neat stuff, look up my Blog from 2011. I put a lot more time into that one!

http://judybali2011.blogspot.com/?m=0

I think the extra background will show you more of this fascinating place.

Sanur: About town

After placing offerings on the temple above her, this woman did the same at the base of it. Offerings usually include a little tray of things, some kind of drink, and oil. All of this accompanied by graceful gestures and sprinklings of special water.





Here is my haul from the morning market. I paid 45,000 Rp ($3.70) for all this wonderful fruit! It should cover my breakfasts and snacks for a few days.

Got a kick out of this jacket that Dewa wore today. It is not a North Face!




Here is a little guy dancing around in his doorway:

 This man is one of many recyclers. Soon his cycle will be filled with plastic bottles, thousands of which are trashed every day here in Bali.

 Little laundries are everywhere and your clothing is washed  by the pound or the piece. (Or by the big teddy on this rack!)



All along the streets, when I look up above the commerce, I see these remnants of the Balinese past and future. They are very beautiful.

A typical day

I really have no idea how many powerful and relaxing massages Desak has given me. Sometimes full body, most times just neck, back, and shoulders. Her hands are so strong and wise. Here are the Talia ladies: Iluh (ee-loo), Desak, and Wayan. I cycle here, not every morning, but most of them, before I go to the beach!
Iluh apologized today pointing to their new sign...increased prices! I told her that I didn't care. How could I? One US dollar = 12,500 Rp today. There are folks who complain!

Then on to the beach where I spent a few hours and had lunch. The beach chair is free if you buy something! I had Gado Gado (peanut sauce!).

Here they are again tonight. My camera made the blue dots...huh!

No music for me tonight...just drifted around Sanur and chatted with shop owners. As time passes, my days get slower and slower (pelan, pelan). I am adjusting to Bali time. After a little blogging, I will fall asleep watching the bats in the tree canopy, wondering what I will do if one flies in my open doors!

Foot Reflexology

I had another one hour reflexology massage this evening. Oh, Nurul is good! She found and made me very aware of my sensitive places....I will try to do this a couple more times at least. 

Sanur: I agree with this Balinese opinion.

On a travel site today, I read this evaluation of Sanur (where I stay in Bali) written by a Balinese. I love Sanur...it is as real as any place totally dependent on tourism can be...real people, real Indonesian food, and just a cultural feel not available elsewhere. I make friends easily and we call out to each other when I ride by on my bike. Fewer heavy drinkers, too...another reason it is more civilized than the big tourist centers!

"SANUR, BALI: HOW TO SPEND ONLY 50,000 RUPIAHS FOR ONE GLORIOUS DAY IN REAL BALI

Forget Kuta and Ubud. Forget the glam in dowtown Seminyak. Go to Sanur instead. As a Balinese, I truly feel Sanur is underrated. Too quiet, some of my ‘Down Under’ friends told me.

Sanur is, to me, what is was left of the real Bali and even those bits of Bali are fading rapidly in exchange for luxurious villas and shops. So with my kindred spirit friend, I try to spend a glorious day, cheaply.

An hour after lazy lay on the white sand, we decided to walk along the pavement. The pavement (10 kilometers aligning the beach) is the best thing ever happened to Sanur in the last ten years. It covers the long beach, facilitating bikers and joggers alike. Apart from the screaming naked kids running rampantly, it was a nice walk.

The kind of tourists in Sanur tend to come as individuals. Tanning lady with paperback book, a jogging bare-chested guy in Oakley glasses, family of four dining in one of the beach front café. No loud Taiwanese groups or recent increased visit of Russian bunch yelling nyet in sight. Those who are looking for solitude or those who are a regular visitor of Bali, I suppose.

Fresh mind, healthy lungs and satisfied belly. A fine day indeed."

Saturday

I was at the morning market early today for papaya and pineapple. These two Balinese are making the small offerings that many give to the gods at temple three times a day. There are supposed to be certain flower colors, but I do not know what else!

Amalia and I shopped in Denpasar today, looking for a few special things for Christmas gifts. These carts are very common. Mixing drinks?!


Yum...a fruit stand...

 Please understand that these pics are taken at speed, from the back of a motorbike, one hand on the camera and one holding my helmet on.


This is Amalia in front of some pretty amazing carved doors!

Amalia and I had lunch (Gado Gado) before we headed home. My shopping is done!

 All roads, tiny and highway, are traveled by carts, bicycles, motorbikes, and cars.
There is no speed limit and you drive on whichever side gets you where you want to go. Thrilling.

Many intersections, large and very small, have statuary...very fancy, some of it.

 One of endless roadside temples.

Tonight...

Had a full evening after beaching it today. The swimming is really tough on my nails. Went for a mani and a pedi tonight and THREE HOURS LATER I was on my way to the night market. Bought some tofu ready to eat. Then I was seduced into a cheese and banana crepe. SO good.

This is the crepe maker!






I took these pics on my walk home. I love the trash baskets. In design they are very like the Shaker cheese baskets from 18th century America, but not as strong or as precisely made. So, as you can see, the offerings go into the trash, after being distributed along the street!

My neighbors

You have seen the pool out my front door. Out the back is a neighbor with farm animals (the morning cocks) and fruit trees. These are very nice big mangos...wrapped to keep unbruised, I guess.








Tonight these guys were out my back window. I know that there is cock fighting here...they are careful that this is all we travelers get to see of it.

Around town

Polisi...I have not been invited aboard the cruiser (yet).

Chess on the beach...big chess

The hide and seek Buddhas are still here!

I found a salad for lunch today! It was great! Almost asked for another one!