Bali Hai

Coming into Bali was like a giant party on the water.  Boats, boats and more boats, There were tourist boats, pleasure boats, fishing boats, para-sail boats, ships, tugs and a giant Chinese LNG transfer and storage ship. Coast guard and pilots. Many boats were there to meet our cruise ship coming in, advertising their services and wares. It was like a scene out of South Pacific.

Once on shore I can tell you this: there were more small motorbikes and scooters than anything else on the road. All roads, intersections, parking lots, vacant lots and driveways were totally full with them.  When it started raining, they just put on cheap plastic ponchos and continued on.

Politics, politics.

My excursion included a stop to see silver artesians working. (Read shop at a silver store) I did end up buying my sister a Christmas present I know she will like. I wasn't inspired by the alert guard dog out front but, I wasn't planning on stealing anything.

Guard Dog

One of many artists (or indentured servants) working on silver products.  Our guide said most of this work, for which Bali is widely known, is done at home by individual women.

Next we went to a bird aviary, which I will put in a seperate post later. We had a typical Indonesian meal which very good but, I guide told us they leave out the hot spices from the tourists because they wouldn't be able to eat it.  On the bus one lady asked how soon did they introduce their kids to the very spicey food.  He said one year. She sounded a little disapproving of his answer and he said, "It's just food. They cry then they eat it."  Dinner came with a beer and a show.  The show were singers and a play about the monkey king and star-crossed lovers and a evil step-mother  They also did a fire dance and fire-walk.