Hello from a day in the future (Monday in Oakland, Tuesday here in Bali). The flights over here were fantastic and on some of the biggest planes Ive ever seen (I guess to fly across the entire Pacific, they have to make it worthwhile). We had a layover in Taiwan which Im dubbing "Hello Kitty Land" because although Hello Kitty was kind of big here in 10th grade and then peetered out, it is a total epidemic over there, or at least in the airport. We even saw Hello Kitty payphones and a Hello Kitty jet. Im not joking. Pictures will follow (once I figure out how to upload).
Sunny and hot here in Bali. Its a very spiritual place with ceremonial processions on the streets and prayer offerings everywhere (offerings consist of a small basket made of a bananna leaf, with small bits of food, flowers, incense, moss, etc inside). Even our cab driver from the airport had a prayer offering on his dashboard. Yesterday morning I went down to the beach at 5 in the morning for a walk and to see the sunrise. Up ahead I saw an Indonesian woman with long flowing black hair, a long red robe that was open and flowing in the ocean breeze and a white dress underneath. She was barefoot at the waters edge looking out to sea and she was holding a short pole pointed out to sea with something (a prayer offering?) on the end of it. She just stood there posed like she was doing sun salutations or something, and I thought, "wow, how beautiful, these Balinese people are so spiritual, getting up so early to do prayers at the waters edge!" I kept walking towards her to see what was at the end of the stick and she changed poses a few more times. As I got closer I realized she was just taking selfies (with a selfie stick)!!!! OMG
We're off to Ubud this afternoon where Penny and I hope to do lots of yoga. Hecka touristy here in the beach town of Kuta, although the food is great, people super nice and the ocean warm . . .
