Bye Bye Holiday

Tweet I spent a lot of time here -- the hotel swimming pool in Legian -- like in Dili, it's the rainy season in Bali, but I loved the overcast skies -- a break from the sun.

When not shopping, rafting or visiting bird and reptile parks, I was reading Christos Tsiolkas' book The Slap -- pool side - surrounded by friendly Australians. The book offers a glimpse into life in Melbourne in the double-aughts. It focuses on an incident at a party -- a slap -- and how it affects/changes the lives of the various characters. It's written by a Greek-Aussie. At times, I almost need a translation -- particularly when characters refer to "bogans" -- something along the lines of a redneck -- and when the writer uses the word "arvo" which is short for afternoon.

I highly recommend this book.

The poolside photo show Krishna riding behind Arjuna on his chariot -- the pool attendant is giving the horses a good cleaning.

Birds and Reptiles

Tweet The Bali Bird Park is truly impressive. The brochure says 250 species of birds. Here are a few of them, along with a photo or two from the Reptile Park located just next door.

Bali - Around Legian

Tweet Armed with my camera, I go for strolls daily around the neighborhood of my hotel -- along the beach, the narrow streets, the shopping districts. There's always gamelan music nearby -- it is subtle and kind of drifts through the air like the wonderful incenses that are burning at the tiny temples -- seemingly 50 feet apart -- tended by girls and women -- who also make fruit offerings to the Gods -- oranges, mangoes, apples and -- even the occasional cigarette.
One of my favorite supermarkets in Seminyak. It's called Bintang (as in the Indonesian beer).
Drumming on the beach at night in Legian.
The resting Buddha at the hotel restaurant.
Coke is everywhere -- even right outside the temple gate.
Buy a trinket and get a massage -- all in one -- on the beach in Legian.
Surf's up!