The Joys and Chellenges of Stepping out in Bali

Aesthetically and spiritually I am totally in tune with everything I saw in Ubud and everywhere else I went to in Bali. The Buddhas and Ganesha images…the temples, colors, ponds and rice paddies…everything really. The kind people, the funny people, the endearing people of this part of the world pull at my heart strings at every step. But there you have it…it’s the steps, the unevenness of the sidewalks that get me and provide that uncertainty that make me so aware of every inch I travel. The potholes, ditches, water puddles, the motorcycles and cars passing inches away from my body, the dogs and even chicken are a constant challenge and reminder to watch my step! Is it my age or do these people really have a problem here?

It didn’t really matter which shoes I wore. Whether it was flip flops, sneakers or walking shoes the terrain is really not walker friendly. Can’t imagine anyone in their right mind wearing high heels to walk in the streets of Bali! I felt like my ankles were going to explode with every step and sitting down for a second provided my tired and abused feet with enough rest to restore energy and determination to walk another few blocks. I am amazed that I didn’t sprain something. The hospitals have to be full of people who have torn some part of their limbs and must be full of tourists complaining of aches and pains in their feet, ankles or legs. Must check that out.

What I saw and experienced in spite of the treacherous walks made it all worth it. Walking into tiny alleys and finding my own little piece of paradise waiting to be discovered. A beautiful image, an offering or two, a rice paddy at the end of the road…even a monkey watching me watch it. These little incursions into the essence of Bali are mesmerizing and awe inspiring. A dog following me with his eyes, a cat sleeping in the shade, a woman looking at me with kind eyes and wanting to know my story. Communication is very physical here. In fact everything is very physical and intimate. There is no flinching away from a hand on your shoulder to show friendship, not that one would want to flinch at all! One woman compares her arm to my daughter’s and tells her “you are Balinese…same color!” she exclaims delighted to find a foreigner with darker skin than what she’s used to seeing. Another one tells me what she’s putting into her offering today. There’s some coffee, sugar, a cigarette, a little rice and a fruit in a tiny hand-made basket. Sometimes a flower or two. Preparing and laying out these “offerings” seem to be a full time occupation. They are prepared fresh twice a day. They are in storefronts, temples, restaurants, hotels or simply on the sidewalk and adding to the challenge of walking and not stepping on incense. And the incense! You know how much I love it…it’s everywhere and it smells glorious.

The women work hard. The men seem to be, in their majority, in the transportation of tourists business. “Taxi Madam?” they ask as you walk by while the women carry big loads on their heads and walk with determination to the next stop in their day. I even saw women construction workers carrying bamboo and enormous pipes to and from the construction sites hardhats and all. They ride their motorcycles with kids onboard and even bamboo trays of food. Families of four ride these bikes all over town competing for space with cars, trucks, dogs and as I said, the occasional proverbial chicken crossing the road.

The color of the temples and offerings are so pleasing and soul soothing that one must keep an eye on them at short intervals in order to keep calm. Of course one can also walk into any spa, and there are at least two in every block, and get a glorious massage. There’s plenty of quiet and sweet smelling space. I totally slept through a facial! Woke up looking great though!

We walked into an inn, which has a beautiful spa next to an eternity pool, which looks like it ends in a rice paddy. One can get away from the madness of the streets whenever that mood strikes. The turmoil is gone. There is no noise, no distractions other than the sound of water and the feeling of warm oil poured over aching muscles. Must say that a rooster made his presence known nearby and peppered the meditation part of a yoga class. David Sedaris says that he asks people wherever he visits in the world what noise their roosters make. We say “cock-a-doodle-do” but there’s lots of other versions of the noises that are attributed to these little cocky creatures around the world. I’m going to miss them.

And I’m going to miss the little kids trying on Goosie’s and David’s flipflops, and sitting infront of the beauty of a simple green rice paddy and watching David’s long frame guiding me through an alley or watching Goose’s long beautiful legs and those gorgeous skirts she wears walking infront of me showing me this or that. I’m going to miss playing Canasta and being beaten by my own daughter in a game I taught her! I’m going to miss all the delicious meals made even better by being shared with these two totally delicious people.

When they come to visit me in Miami, Coco, Boo and Puma will replace the animals and the crazy birds that fly by will have to replace the roosters and chicken…not ready to adopt any just yet. They’ll see my little cottage full of memories of Asia and of course smell the incense in my patio. Maybe it will remind them of home. I do guarantee better walking surfaces…even in the parks where I walk Coco. I’ll definitely arrange for a massage or two. I'll even cook some of the food we learned how to make in our cooking class. Thanks for all the new memories, for your sweetness, for your love.