Saraswati day in Bali

We are Sunday here, Ceremony day!
Here it is the day after Saraswati day. Called Banyupinanuh day. Saraswati day is always celebrated on the very last day of the Balinese Pawukon calendar, being the last Saturday of its last week of the month. Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge and wife of Brahma. The following dau is just as important, as they go to the sping water bath, for purification and to do more offering. For the students, it is the only saturday they don't have to go to school.Each Balinese house, as some kind of temple, each temple as a secret book, pass from generation to generation, and often guarded by the medicine manMen and women wear traditional clothing that is so beautiful. Men and women wear the Kamben, similar to a sarong but different. The Kamben is a beautiful piece of textile, with rich and colorful patterns. The men tie the Kamben in the center while the ladies tight it on the left-hand side. The women also wear the traditional lacy blouse called Kebaya. The blouse are hand-made in Bali and so beautiful. The men wear a headdress called an Udeng. The Udeng imparts something majestic, very stylish. The Udeng as a front wing-like vertical appendage called jambul, which symbolizes Siwa. The part wrapped around the head is like a half-moon or sun, the symbol of Brahma. Brahma is the creator of life in Hindu believes. Bali is the only province in all Indonesia that is Hindu, the rest are usually all Muslim states. Strangely, it makes the man more masculine when they wear the Kamben and the Udeng, and truly makes them more handsome. This is where the maxim “ a picture is worth a thousand words” would apply! I had the intention to work all day at my computer, but when Mustika ( a young men with a very strong feminine personality and so innocent ) brought my breakfast to my Zen cottage, he did not seem to agree that I should work today. After much consideration, he is right, this is the perfect occasion for me to venture out of my compound! We Westerners, to often forget to live our lives! So, I decided to go to the market and purchase a beautiful offering basket, why not, I myself have a few things I am grateful for and there’s a few things I wouldn’t mind asking Brahma! Once I got to the market, I was soaked, water dripping down my body, my clothes were also wet. I normally don’t sweat like this, unless I am in a sauna. I guess I was right, when I said to my daughter that I felt like I was in a sauna all day long! And that was not moving, just sitting at my table, writing. Now walking, is more in comparison with a steam room! Once, I bought my little offering basket, which I purchase solely on my instinct, because I could not get out of anyone, why the different basket and which one I should purchase. The amount of work and intention that goes into these little offerings are really touching. Their intent is sincere and full of attentions and details to the crafting of each one of them. And they make them by the hundreds. I choose the one with flowers and a cashew on top. I figured, the one with the tiny little fish would not smell good at the door of my cottage! Also, there seem different kind, the ones you leave at the temple and ones that you leave in front of your house. Some, put one basket, some piled them high! The temple in town was full of women giving their offering baskets. It was a nice scene, that I captured on film, after asking, permission. Also, it seems to be, the responsibility of the women, to make the baskets and to offer them. There’s no sight of any men at the temple. As I was walking back, people would salute and smile at me, they seemed really impress, I had bought an offering basket or it simply made them happy, that I honored their culture. I showered and changed again, it is not even 9 am! Then I decided to walk to famous road of Bali, Monkey Forest Road. I never made it to where the monkeys are, but I went into a lot of shops, this is a shopping paradise. Very good quality , unique and not expensive. I wanted to buy something very light, I need it clothes that were very thin on your body and that breath. One of my dear customer, had just returned from Bali before I left, and warned be; Pack light. I thought she meant, don’t put too much in your suitcase, now, I know was she meant! Terry cloth and cotton t-shirt are still too hot, forget about weary anything that is synthetic. I quickly realize, I did not want to try on anything, I was so wet already! I had a more important mission. Since, I got here, my vision is blurry, first, I had blamed the long oversea journey, but It’s been a week now and my vision should of recovered already. I guess, I am where must people my ages, have already been! Come to think of it, I should buy another basket! Talking about those baskets again, the entire time you are walking the sidewalks you have to be careful not to step on one of those baskets, placed in front of their business. A couple of time, I mistakenly did step over one or two, I felt Iike, I’d committed a sin, and apologized each time! Back to my mission, because it feels like a mission now, since no shop have those reading glasses, worst, they don’t seem to know what I am talking about! I found a hair salon. The inside was not very inspiring, so I asked if she could wash my hair and make me French braids. She didn’t look like she knew how, so she showed me, on the other girl’s hair, and she didn’t really know how. She told me about another place, that I would off never found, because here, every ally is a street, full of small businesses and grubby looking accommodation. Once I found the place, and entered, I knew I was entering the right place. Surprisingly very nice. With, state of the art chairs at each sink. Sink that were not deep, your neck didn’t hurt because the sink was supporting the weight of your head. I asked a young Balinese with a beautiful hair cut, if she had it done here, she pointed to the girl that cut her hair. I told her I was very tempted to cut my hair, she said, why not, go for it! Than, all the foreigners in the place, turned around and gave me the frantic look “ are you crazy”, so I had second thought, but I am still here for awhile and I might just do that! This turned out to be quite an experience. I don’t think anyone has never washed my hair this, good. Those who know me, know that I have lots of hair, very thick and long. The head wash felt so good, than she massaged my head with a rich avocado conditioner. Once on my chair and my hair comb, I have a lady sitting at the bottom of my feet, giving the most amazing foot massage, and definitely containing some reflexology elements. Than, she gives me another head massage that extends to the shoulder. They have iron hands, I am not sure where they get their strength or techniques, but it is fabulous. Then, she let someone else take over for the braids. She did a great job and I feel like a million box! Total of my bill, $10! Please, Brahma, I don’t ever want to leave this island!
I feel so good, I decided to take a rest at a really nice lounge, looking at the street, sitting in a really nice contemporary sofa. I chose a really nice light drink, with lychees. When the waiter arrived with my Martini glass, I though to myself, oh! No, I don’t want to be drunk, I have to walk a long way back. After all, the drink was gentle, a perfect pick me upper! It was nice and cold, and here, you never have to worry about the ice of the water you drink. You can brush your teeth even in a restaurant and you won’t get ill! It seems like a very innocent thing to do, but in 2010, there is, very few places in the world, especially in poor countries and hot weather places, where water is safe to drink. India, was probably the worst, in 7 stars hotel, you had to make sure you showered with your mouth closed, and something you didn’t think about that, because the room was so luxurious. Sipping my Martini, entertaining myself watching people walk by. I knew we were very few Canadians at the airport and we are still probably the ones here too! It is mostly Australians, a few Dutch and Germans and lots of Japanese and Taiwanese! Apparently, the Asians just fly over for the week end for shopping and going for spa treatment! I must say, I don’t find the Australian friendly at all. It kind of surprises me, I always heard from people coming from Australia, that people there were very nice. Maybe they are nice to you because you are a tourist, where here, they are the one playing tourist, they are not overly friendly. The very few that will engage a conversation with you, will not pursue their conversation, once they realized you don’t speak the same English! Maybe they think they are too superior, who knows! And I watch them, among themselves, and they never say hi to each other. On the side walk, they take all the space and never notice that they are not alone of the narrow side walk, you always have to say excuse me, to keep going. Here you never get a nod from foreigners, and when you smile at them, they think you are an alien! But, you do from the Balinese people and with an honest smile. Often, you see them in restaurant, sitting alone, next to another table, where someone is alone, and they don’t try to engage a conversation. At least here, eating alone is not embarrassing, as there is just as much women than men eating alone. Back home, you always feel like you have some kind of plague when you eat alone in a restaurant! I always envy my girlfriend Jocelyn, who can walk anywhere alone, and not be intimidated by anything, she always finds someone to talk to, and never feels uncomfortable to be alone! Nevertheless, it was entertaining watching and very educating. I even saw a hard core Harley Davison guy, with a really nice Harley, probably the only one in the island, with his full Harley gear on, the leather gloves and all! I bet he has to cut the gloves off every time, it is so hot! On my way back I met a really nice Balinese taxi driver with a good English. He will take me tomorrow to a few places I had to be and one of them is to find reading glasses. He explain to me, that he understood what I was looking for, but here in Bali, I might not find that, as people don’t usually need them! As I sat for diner, which by the way, was beyond fabulous, I have to go back just to take a picture of my Tuna steak. It was delicious, vibrant, beautiful and so tasty! I was also served a tiny piece of bread and butter, the bread almost looked like a lady finger, but it was bread. The first time ever I see bread here. Balinese people, don’t eat bread. I don’t really miss it, except at breakfast with my hard boiled eggs, which I eat with my Ryvita Pumpkin seeds & Oat crispbread, not quite the same the same as toast! As I was eating my diner, I watch some more, this time, the street is full of Balinese people, not just tourist, and none of them are wearing eye glass! It must be the food and the sun! On my way back, I found another book store, hoping again, to find someone that would tell me where I could find such rare item. Again, she nod to me, nowhere will I find that! Went to be with the thunder, but a nice thunder, not the one that makes you want to crawl under your bed!