Legian

I love the quiet, early mornings here. I wash up and dry the previous night's glasses - Madae would do this but it's nice for her to have a clean kitchen to start breakfast in. I do this while the jug boils whick takes ages and then make a plunger coffee, find myself a spot to relax on and then start my penguins for the day and read a bit. The villa has an exchange library of about 50 books maybe? I found myself a Phillipa Gregory - historical novellist - The Lady of the Rivers. It's starting off with Joan of Arc, and somehow I don't think that's gonna end well for her - it never does - just like Mary, Queen of Scots.

Breakfast today was Madae’s delicious nasi goreng with little cubes of delicious chicken, green veg and shards of cabbage, all topped with a fried egg each. With a squirt of chilli sauce and kecap manis, wow, I could eat that for every breakfast for the next 10 years. Along with Asian noodle soup of course. We organised with Madae a car to go to Padang Padang, the Uluwatu monkey temple and a few other places tomorrow. And also a Balinese dinner-in feast on Sunday night that Madae will cook for us. So watch this space.

Steve had a hankering to go to Kuta Beach to at least say he had been there which was fine with us. On leaving our villa we saw that next door’s door was open so asked if we could take a look inside Oh. My. God!!!! The owners had done up the three room villa and it was like something out of a movie. It was insanely beautiful with caramel wooden furniture, new rattan wardrobes, a new kitchen, a lot of the doors sanded and whitewashed, crazy beautiful big rattan light fittings and cream and white bed linen. I said to the maid that Suoni needed to do the same thing. But that’s the thing, everything is the same price for a 2BR or 3BR place. I personally think if they are charging a good dollar that those owners who don’t give a fuck should charge accordingly. But I suspect it’s like a body corporate thing where they all have to agree. Also popped into another 3BR villa which was the same as Suoni still. And being here this afternoon (see photos) I am grateful 😊 (Hmm, Mick just made a very valid comment and ties in with the unusual smell in our room which BTW we have gotten used to. The rooves have been re-thatched which even here with the cheaper labour, or even if it’s from China, would cost a bomb.

So we piled into a Bluebird taxi to Kuta beach, winding though the narrow streets packed with traffic. Arrived at Kuta Beach and looked out at the big expanse of beach with the heavy surf and Kuta reef out to the south. Huge waves but the beautiful blue sky made the waves look less menacing but they were really big and breaking far out on the horizon. Naturally a few surf schools were running, the poor instructors swimming and paddling their arses off. Well, we stopped for a beer as you do!!! In front row seats watching and commenting on the waves, Jackie and I waving away the uninsistent Balinese ladies trying to sell us sarongs and trinkets. There were so many of these little bars along the promenade and the owners always politely asking us if we wanted a drink or a seat. They are such lovely, lovely, polite and respectful people. There must be horrible ones but I for one in my six times here have never come across one (Point: coming back to the villa Jackie and Steve’s turn to pay for the taxi, Jackie mistakenly gave him 500,000 for a 50,000 fare – 100,000 and 10,000 notes are the same colour so an easy mistake to make; He was horrified and yelled no, no, no it’s too much, wrong lady, wrong, give me a blue one!!!). Steve also wanted to see the Bali bombing memorial so we made our way there stopping for a very light lunch. Great pick again: little spring rolls, fresh spring rolls, prawns wrapped in vermicelli and heaven on earth, fiery pork. Everything was made fresh and absolutely delicious and the firey pork was insanely tasty. All washed down with a very refreshing Aperol spritz. Taxi back to the villa for an afternoon reading, swimming, drinking and relaxing by the pool.

The Balinese are very spiritual, being Hindus. Hindu shrines small and large are everywhere. Outside of every shop, business and home there is always a little offering, every day. The shrines are maintained and adorned with robes and flowers and incense and the ubiquitous umbrellas.

Dinner was back at the Greek restaurant. Too much food. Far too much food. Ugh.Read more