What a weekend!
Friday evening was not really special, I went to Seminyak to see the sunset and have dinner as I often do it after work, a nice and relaxing thing I really enjoy a couple of times per week.
Saturday morning I woke up a bit late, not really having any plans, I decided to go to Blue Lagoon and go on a boattrip for some snorkeling. The whether was just perfect and I was really positive when I left home. Well almost in Padang Bay and five policemen stopped me... Dam, not again! These guys was not really to talk with and I really feel they were more theifs than policemen! For "forgetting" my international driverslicence they wanted me to pay 500.000 (50 USD or 260 DKK). Normally this would cost like 50.000 so leaving there ending by paying 400.000 I was really pissed! For next time I will have 50.000 in a seperate pocket in my back and I will tell them that I am going to the airport soon so it is my last money or maybe tell them that I already have paied a fine the same day, since thay told me to say that if I got stopped again! I hate feeling cheated up on just because of my skin collor..
Having only a few money left I decided to go to the beach instead having some sun. The beach in Blue Lagoon is still beautifull, but I am totally scared about going into the water since my last experience there.
In the evening a guy named Rizkey picked me up ad took me out with his friends, really nice to be on the beach club and enjoying a few beers.
Sunday I did not have any plans either, I tried to figure if I should go and have surfing lessons or if I should go to my all time favourite city, Ubud. Lucky me I choose the last one due to too much sun on my legs the day before.
First I went to the beautiful Goa Gajah which is a temple area with an "Elephant cage", it does not look like an elephan but that's what they call it. A nice area with a small waterfall and wariuos kind of decorations. As always I hate being in tourist attractions, and once again I had to deal with anoying sellers and look at garbage everywhere. I really don't get why they don't care cleaning up anywhere, it seriously takes the top of the charm from many places here I think.
Next I planned to go to the Botanical garden. But on my way a huge group of people were having a party on the street in Ubud. Courious as I am I stopped and soon I discovered that I was I the middle of a royal funeral. I followed the crowed stunned by the beautiful decoration for the coffin. I think at least 40 men was to carry it and followed by a number of musicians and many other people throwing water on them as a ritual. It was funny to notice how a dummer dictated if they should go or stop :) Finally we reached the temple where even more people were wating to see the "show". I bought myself an overpriced saroong, even though a few other tourists did not wear it, I know it is very disrespectful to enter a temple without a saroong, so now I got one. A lot of offerings music and preparetions were going on. The lady was taken out of the coffin and put into another inside the back of a big bull. About an hour later a big fire was lit and everything burned, it went quite fast, and all the time people stayed happy and some people were even clapping their hands from time to time. I left the show after a couple of hours, I was told that they would continue to spread the ashes in a river nearby.
Instead I went to the Botanical Garden which I must say that the 50.000 box spent was really not worth it. No people were there, no flowers either, only a messed up green area and some plummy water. I saw a snake on the road, hmm and four kinds of flowers... Really disapointing! So after an hour I left to go find a fresh coconut in Ubud.
I parked the scooter and went walking. I did not go far before a small café attracted me having a big amount of coconuts decorating the enterance and a clean environment. I entered and it did not take long before I started talking with a couple of local guys. The first was the owner of the place named John, the other a German guy which has been living in Bali for 10 years. John Invited me to a small party at his English friend's house. Around ten people were there, all living in Bali, but all from various places of the world. It was friendly people all attracted by the Ubud spirit living a healthy life in one way or another, with healthy food, yoga and healing music. Really different from what I am use to, but in a positive way :)
After the party John and I went for some raw food dinner at his café and next we went to a museum nearby. It is the "Readers and Writers festival" in the beginning of October every year and this is celebrated by a big free party in the end. But after the big fire show and some music performances I headed back to Denpasar, it was already late and I had an hour on the scooter back home.
Tired and wet after some rain I were back home after an amazing day.
As always you guys are welcome to see pics on my blog jessiedarlings.tumblr.com
Jessie