Life is (mostly) good.

We had a wonderful time last night. We bought tickets to a gamelon/dance performance from a street vendor--he told us it was a special women-only performance and many of the dancers children as young as 8! It was in a different venue than the first one we went to with Joyce. Turns out it was at an actual palace! We walked around a gate and there was a long path through a huge lily pond, dramatically lit with torches and lots of statuary shooting out water into the pond. Ahead was a fairy like temple scene, lit up but also dark with shadows--in the classic Bali orange brick with gray carvings all around. The gamelons (which are themselves stunningly beautiful, all gold and red with carvings galore) were laid out in the courtyard. There was only one other person sitting in the small set of chairs for the audience. We sat down just as it started sprinkling. After a few minutes a fellow came out and said they were going to move the whole show into a covered pavillion next to the palace. We walked over and ended up with front row center seats in this rather small space. The gamelon set up on both sides, the dancers practically in our laps. I was a bit nervous about the close space. The last show had been so incredibly loud it hurt. I was the only one with earplugs, but it turned out that the women played softer somehow. I actually enjoyed the music, rather than endured it.
There were about 28 women in the orchestra, mostly older women. It was wonderful having such a bird's eye view of them playing. Very intimate.
The dancers were just great. Some of them seemed to be maybe 9 years old! But they were sophisticated dancers. We enjoyed every minute of the whole shebang, and it went on for almost two hours. Being front row center in such a tiny venue meant the dancers were CLOSE and that meant lots of eye contact. And they do all kinds of weird eye movements as part of the dance. It was a bit intense at times! India was next to me and was almost freaked out a few times. It was a real high point for all of us.
After the show we went across the street to a resturaunt we hadn't tried yet. Turned out to be fabulous gourmet food with an extensive menu. We had a wonderful dinner and walked home in the rain, happy as could be. Given that I had had a great massage in the afternoon, and had actually bought a beautiful shirt for myself (from a guy named Loopy!), it was my favorite day in Bai so far.
Today was the bird park..I posted a few photos. I took the girls so Krista could get some design work done. We had such a great time, despite the pouring rain when we got there. We got to see (along with many many wonders) fruit bats, or flying foxes as they're called, in a huge aviary. They were quite active, chowing down on fruit and flying about. They are really big! The kids had to drag me away from that one.
We also got to see a real live Komodo dragon lizard. We were admiring him when his Balinese keeper showed up and started telling us about him. I've always heard how these lizards are really nasty, and very dangerous (which they are). But the keeper jumped into the enclosure with him and walked right up and started stroking him. We were freaked! He told us he's been taking care of the fellow for 8 years. The lizards eyes closed as his head was stroked. The keeper thumped him like a drum and massaged him and finally dragged him by his tail--this is a creature about 8 feet long! He told us the lizard likes when he pulls loose skin off him and he pulled off a little flake and handed it to us! What a trip. An exotic souvenier for sure.
Krista's designing is going well. We are hoping to make cheap sarongs for the Oregon Country Fair (to sell after hours). And maybe some fine silk wall hangings to boot.
We are talking about the possibility of extending our stay in Bali an extra 5 days or so. To get some work done and some sightseeing. Seems like it took almost two weeks just to settle in. I hate to take time away from NZ though.
It's interesting to meet Americans who come to Bali for extended stays. One can live very cheaply in the most beautiful settings and engage the talents of some of the finest craftspeople in the world (who are very grateful to get the work!), in order to get clothes or jewelry made, etc. Go back home and sell the stuff...
There's more to write, but it's late and a long walk back...
hope you are all well back home,
love
rob