I sit down for a well-deserved and needed breakfast out on the patio. Sanur has a white beach and lots of it. I am waiting for my coffee, and I go what is behind that post, so I move my head and see...well, it's the tallest mountain/volcano in Bali.
The water is shallow and there are all sorts of people, swimming, fishing, just sitting in the water and enjoying - and most interestingly, they are Balinese. Well mostly, Balinese with some Japanese thrown in for good measure.
The beach is covered with coral pieces. I had myself some sushi at Minami, which had a lot of good reviews and I'd never managed to make it over there when I was in Ubud - bonus!
After lunch, Oka picked me up and asked me what I wanted to do. We went through our options and agreed the orchid garden. Oka got me in and then left me with a guide - who was extremely interesting and made my visit.
He's at university for Botany, and he has a whole routine as we went through the garden. His English is perfect - he learned by listening to music. He took a lot of pictures of me and honestly knew how to use my camera better than I did.
Afterward, I wandered around the park on my own and then sat down in the cafe for a water. He came over and we had a long chat.
There was this gorgeous little girl in the cafe - I mentioned her, and he said she was part Indian and then he launched into this whole explanation about how the Balinese view beauty. He says they covet light skin and dimples. You can only be pretty if you have light skin and she didn't. She had a nice smile so he said she could be nice, but not pretty, and just because you have a nice smile, it doesn't mean you are nice, unless you have dimples.
It made me wonder how we have managed to convince the world light skin is best - it does explain the girl's fascination with my ultra-white skin during my manicure in Ubud last week...I find this whole concept sort of depressing.
After the orchid garden, we went to Jamberon Beach and then the airport. I am here very early, but I convinced Oka I could entertain myself at Starbucks and so far, I have.
I also reassured him AGAIN that there are lots worse places to be stuck an extra day then in Bali - besides, it's saved me a whole day burning up my plastic in Singapore - yeehaw!
read your last 2 entries backwards..a missed flight, quite an adventure..Oka turned out to be a gem...and the orchids and volcano..how could you miss that? We are back form the memorial for Charlie...think Enid is doing okay. Your father was a stud as a brother this week. love you.
ReplyDeleteWow..that's was some adventure...oh to have it all on film. You took it all with good grace and humor and Oka was a star. (Not a stud) yeehaw!
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