Kuta and Kecak

I didn’t make a lot of plans for Bali, thinking I would just enjoy some beach time. But after seeing all the trash the first day I wasn’t about to swim; I did take a nice, long walk once the long, torrential morning rains ended (don’t feel too sorry for me – it was nice on the lanai, and rain or no, I was in Bali). This time I went north, walking to Legian, a tonier beach. Actually, the beach was the same, but I walked back along the shopping streets, and the shops and restaurants were tonier. Sarongs for everyone! And earrings for me. My "find" was ikat - a method of weaving that involves double-dyeing of the thread - and then I came home and found ikat at Talbot's and at my sister's! I didn't have to go to the other side of the world after all. I stopped at one of the Lonely Planet’s lunch recommendations, the vegetarian Aroma’s Cafe – on the whole, Bali had the best food of the trip. And all of the restaurants were open-air (though covered), with greenery and fountains. They know what they’re doing on Bali. A little more beach, a swim in the pool, and then reading by poolside. I had taken all of my New Yorkers before I left Morocco (they do accumulate…) and torn out the articles of most interest. I was just about out of reading material, but when I booked the Bali exploration outing I spied a paperback version of one of my fluff mysteries, not yet out in paperback in the U.S., and snapped it up.


I did have a rare (for me, traveling alone) nighttime outing – in part to see the sunset (I had been too early the first day and too late the second day – this day I was on time but it was cloudy) but more for a cultural performance. Uluwatu temple, the setting, is built on a cliff and is home to some aggressive monkeys – at the entrance, I was given a sash to wear around my waist, and my driver told me to put my glasses away. I didn’t understand how going without glasses fit into the traditional garb, and belatedly realized that it was because otherwise the monkeys would grab them!


The performance was of kecak – a made-up tradition, but now a tradition, a dance performance of the 50 shirtless, checkered-skirt-wearing, chanting men. Quite entertaining! About halfway through the performance it started to pour! It put out the fire but the show kept going on. Most of the audience made a run for it, but I decided that if the performers were staying, so would I. The driver came out of the parking lot with an umbrella, but I was completely soaked, so why bother. Up until then I had been able to avoid the pouring rain – but this just added to the experience. After the show ended, many of the people who did stay had their pictures taken with some of the shirtless men – I wasn’t going to but then I thought why not!





I had planned to eat at a seaside restaurant near the temple, but was so wet that I had the driver take me back. I changed clothes and headed for another Kuta Lonely Planet recommendation, the Kopi Pot. I got soaked on the way to dinner too! Oh well – it was still delicious.