The Dead Gecko

I might have killed it myself, though I surely didn't mean to.

Last night when I entered my room I left my flip flops directly in front of the door, where I removed them (outside) lined up next to each other, side by side. This morning when I went out, they were sort of thrown on my porch, one off to the side, and lying there face up was a little dead gecko.

I felt terrible. Could it be that I crushed the little fellow without realizing it when I stepped in front of my door and took off my flip flops? Or maybe he had crawled underneath one of them and a bird came and swooped down and threw the flip flop aside and killed the gecko and left him there. I don't know why he would have left him there, but I prefer that version to what I think really happened. I think I crushed him to death.

Either way, it is a bad omen. I think I need to do some sort of ritual to appease the spirits now.

And, maybe that is why my meniere's is acting up.

I woke up this morning and felt off. It seemed like I had had enough sleep but I couldn't get out of bed. I knew it was early and my attempt yesterday to take an early morning walk was not that satisfying (too much traffic on the roads) so I saw no reason to get up before 8 a.m., when they started serving breakfast. When I did get up I felt my balance was off and I immediately took a meclizine and got back in bed, waiting for it to take effect before the vertigo got so intense that I started vomiting.

When I finally felt stable, I went to breakfast.

I was not feeling very good.

First of all, I was very disappointed that the meniere's was back. I thought that since I started taking this new drug, betahistine, it would be okay. I also thought that after my multidimensional healing yesterday, any problems I had would be gone (I was hoping for a psychic surgery on my ear). I hated the thought of spending another three weeks here and two weeks in Thailand having to deal with dizzy spells and being zombied out on meclizine. And I was flashing forward to what my life would be like if I were not able to keep this dis-ease under control.

But beyond all of that, I just felt bad. Not only was my bad ear feeling full, ringing and doing all of the things it normally does, but my good ear, felt full and kind of hurt. When I was cleaning my ear, I found a lot of wax. I have been finding a lot lately, especially in the good ear. The past few days it was yellow, but today it was a dark reddish brown.

I thought if nothing else, I needed to see a doctor and get my ears cleaned.

As is normal, at breakfast a whole assortment of Balinese came up to greet me. First was Ketut. The young guy who originally showed me my room and gave me the deal and checked me in. He is very nice and usually works in the afternoon. He asked how I was feeling, and I told him honestly.

Then came Made, my "personal assistant". He has been suffering from a cold the past few days, so we exchanged information about our ailments. He got to see a doctor last night. He offered to take me to the Ubud clinic today after he finished cleaning rooms, around 11. I thanked him and said I would let him know (I was thinking of just going on my own, since he seems to be so busy).

And then the big boss, who I learned is also named Made (I will call him big Made) stopped by. He kind of reminds me of a walrus. He has a lot of teeth that stick out of his mouth, even when it is closed, has a big belly and is very brown, and he has a lot of whiskers sticking out from his chin. I imagine if you took a walrus and dressed him up in a sarong and put a scarf on his head, he'd look like big Made.

Anyway, big Made came by and asked what I was going to do today. I told him I was planning on going to Ubud Clinic. He asked what was wrong and I told him. He didn't seem to understand really. We chatted for a bit, he continually touched me on the shoulder as we spoke, as he has done in the past. Finally he left and went over to speak to other guests.

As I was finishing my breakfast, he came back and told me Toya Clinic was better than Ubud Clinic. I asked where it was and he said right down the road. He offered to take me there. I didn't think it would matter to little Made that I went with big Made. I got up and we walked out to the street. Big Made put his arm around my shoulder. I wasn't sure if he was just helping me (I was not walking very well) or if it was just one of those male bonding gestures. Either way, it was making it harder for me to walk on the narrow path to the street.

I hopped on his motorbike and off we went.

It was nice riding on a motorbike. The traffic didn't seem that bad and there was a nice breeze as we went along. I was thinking that if I got this ear thing under control, I would rent a motorbike since it seemed like THE way to get around.

The clinic was empty and the doctor was young and spoke fairly good English. He didn't know what meniere's was, but that was okay, because if the vestibular specialist in Buenos Aires didn't have a cure, neither would this guy. He examined my ears and said there was blockage, especially on the right and my ear canals were swollen. He flushed my right ear and gave me an antibiotic. He told me no swimming for a week.

Big Made returned me to the hotel. I asked him what I owed him, thinking that the transport must come with some strings (though I was really hoping he did it just out of the kindness of his heart). To my delight, he said, "no, nothing". Was I supposed to insist? Without giving me much time to think about it, he said, "How about you pay for 3 more nights?"

I was slightly shocked, but more amused. Here I had just returned from the doctor and was not at my best, but he wanted me to pay for three more nights (I am already paid up through tonight). It wasn't a problem. I made my way to the front desk, walking like I was walking on one of those sidewalks at the fun house that move from side to side and told the clerk I was going to pay for three more nights. I kept repeating that I was already paid for tonight though. I thought it was a bit strange that big Made didn't just let me pay tomorrow for three more nights. I am hoping the accounting will all work out, but I was not in a state to really be able to check receipts (or even remember where I put the last one I got), so if nothing else, I'll end up paying for an extra night down the road.

As I went back to my room I ran into Made, and got my key from him. He saw the bag from the clinic with my medication (it was a little brown shopping bag with rope strings, kind of like what you would get if you bought handmade soaps) and said, "you went already?"

I told him big Made offered to take me.

He said, I said I would take you, after breakfast. I tried reassuring him, it was okay, I said. But I could tell he was upset. Were his feelings hurt? Did he lose out on a tip? Somehow I had committed another cultural faux pas.

To be honest though I am not that concerned about it. If little Made and big Made want to compete over who takes me to the clinic and whether I am going to a cremation or a dance performance, that is really up to them. In this particular instance, I needed to see a doctor, and I would think they could put aside any personal benefit they might achieve by helping me to see one and think instead of my health. I think, or at least I hope, that is what I would do if I were in sandals.

Bali Belly

I think I have a case of Bali belly coming on. I don't need to explain, I guess everyone can guess what it involves. Maybe my healing session today will help. I have an appointment at noon for an esoteric healing. Here is what the brochure says (no corrections made)

Shamballa Multi Dimensional
Healing on Massage
(1 hour) Rp. 150.000

Our Esoteric Treatment Healing your body, mind and spirit.
The process of healing:
1. Beaming and Scanning
Beaming creates a unique healing proces by opening and treating the whole energy field at once. Beaming energy the whole aura field, opens the field and increas the amont of energy received by the person.
2. Intuitif massage with Balinese style helping from negatif energy bloked.
3. Transfer the energy of Shamballa and psychic surgery (if need it)
4. Closing.

I'm excited, especially at the prospect of psychic surgery. I remember seeing pictures of it from the Phillipines with healers taking their hands out of a patients body all covered in blood while there were no signs of any cuts on the patient's body (maybe it was all fake and what I will get today will be nothing like that, but still... the thought it exciting).

Last night after leaving Epi and the internet cafe, I walked down the road a bit to look for a restaurant I found recommended on some website (maybe trip advisor). I get these mysterious e-mails recommending things about Ubud. Somehow, people know I am here. It was in a village called Pengosekan, which is just past the internet cafe and the Dirty Duck Diner. I guess villages here are not that big. It seems that a 15 minute walk and I am out of Ubud into another village.

Anyway, I never found it, but on the way I passed two fairly new looking places that were very grand, open and airy. They both looked out onto a rice field which was brilliant green and made even brighter by the sun which was making its way down to the horizon. As I walked past, a guy standing outside in sarong and head scarf told me to join them for happy hour - 10% off drinks. I thanked him and went on, but when it was clear I was not going to find the place I was looking for, I walked back, starting to get hungry. This place, called, the Pond, looked really inviting.

I like that I can eat at any time here. It doesn't seem to matter. In Spain if I went into a restaurant at 5 p.m., they would tell me the kitchen was closed, or the restaurant might not even be open. Even though it seems some people (tourists) eat late, there seems to be a lot of flexibility among the Balinese regarding eating times.

I was given a royal welcome at the Pond. I chose a seat overlooking the rice field with a little shade. It was a beautiful view and the restaurant was fairly empty.

I asked the waiter for his recommendation from the Balinese dishes and he recommended Bebek Betutu - duck that is rubbed with spices and cooked slowly in a banana leaf. It came with a pyramid of rice that had vegetables chopped up in it, and a side of green beans mixed with herbs and spices. It was really yummy. I started eating with a fork and knife, but I wanted to get every bit, so eventually I went cannibal and started just gnawing at it while licking my fingers. No one seemed to mind.

It was such a beautiful and relaxing place and the service was so attentive, non-obtrusive, and friendly.

Then they came in.

I called them Thelma and Louise (in my mind). First Louise came and sat down. She was dressed appropriately, I thought. She had a stylish little straw hat, a pink blouse and I didn't notice what she was wearing down below, but judging from her upper body, I guess it was respectful and proper. She seemed very nice, low-key and fit in with the overall vibe of the place.

And then she was joined by Louise. When I first saw her I almost choked on a duck bone. She was an older woman, late 50's, wearing cut off shorts and a halter top. I thought outfits like that went out in the 80's. Not only was she dressed like the owner of a bordello, she didn't have the body to pull it off.

I don't get it. Women have so many more choices than men do when it comes to cool, comfortable clothing. She could have worn a nice, light, flowing skirt and a blouse without sleeves, but here she was, in this beautiful restaurant, with these gentle, very modest Balinese, dressed like she was going to an aging hookers convention! To top it off, she had a big head of curly blond hair with sunglasses perched on top of her head and of course, was smoking a cigarette and spoke loudly. The Balinese seemed unfazed by her, but I couldn't stop staring. I wondered if she was here because of Eat, Pray, Love and was searching for her own Felipe.

They were Australians. But it doesn't really matter, because I saw a gaggle of older French women dressed similarly earlier in the day. Their old skin hanging and sagging and way too much exposed. It was not a pretty sight and the make-up and hair-dos they had only accentuated their odd costumes.

I mean, I am not going native or anything, but I do try to dress respectfully while still being comfortable. I guess Louise thought she looked hot. She had obviously taken some time to get dressed because she was also wearing several gold necklaces and bracelets, had her nails done and was wearing make-up. She thought this was an appropriate outfit to wear to a nice restaurant. Maybe it's just me, but I was embarrassed for her.

After dinner I got my check and it was 104.759 rp. Seems like a lot. It is just over $10.00! There was a 5% service included but there was a line on the credit card slip for a tip. I was trying to calculate how much I should leave. I was going to leave 3,000 rupiah, which is what I had in my wallet as small bills, but when I saw that 5% was 4,535 rp., I decided to double that, and I left 5,000 rupiah. Later I realized it was 50 cents! So much for my big tip! I am having a hard time figuring out what is an appropriate amount here.

I rushed back to my hotel to pick up my ticket for the evening dance performance. On the way I passed a couple I met at lunch time. I was sitting in the Warung I have been going to for lunch and they walked up. Well, first the guy walked up. He asked me, "How is it?" and I told him, "delicious", very enthusiastically. He said to his companion (wife?) who was Chinese, "this guy says it's good and it looks like they have a nice nasi campur". So they came up onto the little platform that separates the warung from the street and sat down. I felt proud of myself for drawing in customers to this sweet little place.

So as I was walking home and spotted them in another restaurant, I asked them how lunch was. They said they really enjoyed it, and also enjoyed the massage (I had recommended that after lunch they get a massage at Nur Salon, which was right next to the warung). Turns out they are from Berkeley, but currently living in China! Small world.

I picked up my ticket and headed towards Ubud Palace to the Legong Performance. It was supposed to be not at Ubud Palace, where it normally is, but next to it. I arrived and there was some ceremony going on. A lot of men wearing white shirts and white sashes around their heads and fancy sarongs (all the same) and a buzz of them riding around on motorbikes. I thought maybe once this ceremony was over, the dance performance would begin, but just to be sure, I showed a guy my ticket and asked him if it was there. He directed me next door to Ubud Palace.

I went to Ubud Palace which was dark and nearly deserted. Clearly nothing was happening there. So I crossed the street to where people were selling tickets to the performance and asked where it was. I was told I had to walk 300 meters down the road and it was on the right.

I had no idea how far 300 meters was, so I walked.

I came across another temple with people entering. I stopped and asked, showing my ticket. I was told to go to Ubud Palace. No, I told them, not tonight, and showed them the map on the back and said "Number 2" since I couldn't read in the dark without my glasses. I can now see it is called Dalem Temple, but I referred to it as Number 2, since that is the number it had on the map.

They said, "oh, up the road, 200 meters on the right."

Okay, I was getting closer.

Again, I stopped at a temple where something was going on. "Dance performance?" they asked me. Yes, I said, and showed them my ticket. "Oh, Ubud Palace", they said. "No, not tonight" I said and showed them my map saying, "Number 2".

"Ah, that way, 100 meters on the right".

I was getting closer.

Next I asked a security guard outside a hotel. I showed him the map and said, "where is number 2?"

"That way", he said, pointing in the same direction - "1 kilometer" (!)

Ok, I don't know metric conversions, but I do know that 1 kilometer is more than 100 meters. There was no way the distance suddenly expanded on me. I kept walking and eventually saw red flashing lights signaling for people where to enter.

The temple seemed miles outside of Ubud, but actually it wasn't that far. I was drenched in sweat from all of the running back and forth and also a little stressed that I would arrive and have to sit in the back. I was trying to get there early to get a good seat in the front, since the Legong dance involves those little darts of the eyes back and forth and I wanted to be able to observe it up close.

I was able to get a seat in front left of center.

There was a fair-sized gamelan orchestra that came out first and played one number, then they were followed by different dancers, mostly women, dressed in brightly colored sarongs who did interesting things with their feet, fingers, hands, shoulders, heads and eyes. I wouldn't say it was beautiful, and it was not as moving as the kecak dance the night before, but it was good to see. After a while I did get tired of the gamelan music which was harsh and a little loud due to it being amplified on a bad quality speaker. I was glad when it was over.

Early on in the performance there was a large commotion which was actually hard to hear with the loudness of the gamelan, but it seemed there was some chattering going on behind me. I guessed people were lost and arriving late, but couldn't they do it quietly? The guys in the orchestra who seemed to be playing music that they had played for centuries looked to see what was going on, though it didn't affect their playing. They did not look happy.

Several times during the performance, a ruckus would rise from behind me, mostly male voices chattering. I couldn't make out what language they were speaking. I thought maybe they were Indonesians and maybe it was acceptable behavior, but from the faces of the guys in the orchestra, I guessed it was not cool. Finally, I made out some Japanese.

Wow, my image of Japanese as good travelers had been shattered. Compared to the Germans, and Russians, and French, and all of the other Westerners (and even Chinese) I saw in Europe, the Japanese all seemed so well prepared, so well behaved and so respectful. How could they be making so much noise at an obviously inappropriate time and not notice the stares they were getting.

When the performance was over, I could not wait to get up and turn around and see who these rude Japanese were. There was a large group of old Japanese men, some with bad comb-overs, looking a bit lost as they tried to negotiate their way to the exit (all they had to do was turn around).

I walked back, down Ubud Main Road to the junction of Monkey Forest Road and then down a little east/west road that I like. Ubud Main Road and Monkey Forest Road seem to be the center of Ubud. There were lots of fancy restuarants, spas, and of course lots of men saying "taxi? transpor?" and making funny steering wheel gestures as well as women and young girls begging.

When I got to Jalan Hanoman I was only asked "Taxi?" once and then had a nice walk down a quiet and nearly deserted street. My room welcomed me with its coolness and I had a good night sleep.

It was only after breakfast today that I realized I might have Bali belly. I think I am going to see if I can find some ginger tea if I don't end up getting psychic surgery.

Monkey Forest and Missing Julia

I think my invitation to go to a cremation was one of those "fake invitations" - I saw the old guy who invited me this morning when I went down for breakfast and he only said "Salamat Pagi" (good morning) and then something else that was beyond my mastery of Bahasa. He never mentioned the cremation.

Later, when I ran into Made, my maid and personal assistant, he asked me if I went to Kecak last night. How did he know that? I kind of get the feeling that people here are psychic. This girl in the internet cafe asked me yesterday where I was from. I told her America, which is my standard answer as the politically correct "United States" confuses most people (except the Germans who were at my other guest house who said, "oh United States" when I said "America"), anyway after that she said, where are you from in America, San Francisco, California? I asked her how she knew and she said by the way I speak, which is odd, since I speak New Jersey.

Anyway, Made asked me if I went to Kecak and I told him yes. Then he asked me if I wanted to go to another performance tonight. I told him okay, since I didn't know what was up with the cremation. I kind of guessed that the reason he is offering to get me tickets for performances where I can just buy a ticket at the entrance, is because he wants a tip. The ticket was 80,000 rupiah ($8.00) and I decided I would give him the other 20,000 rupiah as a tip (2 bucks), this because I am not sure what to do about tipping him as a maid. I've never mastered that skill and usually leave nothing, or sometimes I will leave something big when I leave.

I am assuming also that Made spoke to his boss (since everyone seems to talk to everyone about everyone here) and told him I bought a ticket to tonight's dance and the boss knew I would not be available to go to the cremation and I am not sure if I committed my first cultural faux pas or not. The boss didn't seem too friendly to me this afternoon and I kind of avoided him because I felt awkward about the invitation that I am not sure is an invitation.

Whew! Bali is hard to understand!

After breakfast, I went for a walk to see if I could find some more of my friend Yaari's recommendations. The only place I have not been in the area from my guest house to the official end of Ubud (or what Lonely Planet calls the "center") is a part of Monkey Forest Rd. I thought I might find some of the spas and restaurants that Yaari recommended there and also if it wasn't too far, I would visit the Monkey Forest.

I walked down a little east/west road that runs from Jalan Hanoman (my street) to Monkey Forest Road, past the men sitting on the sidewalks making funny steering wheel gestures and saying "taxi?" Some of them are very clever and hold up a sign "Do you need a taxi?" One had a sign that said, "Do you need a taxi?" on one side, and on the other "Maybe tomorrow?" since that usually seems to be the follow-up question to "no thanks". I was saying, "yes, maybe tomorrow" as a Japanese maybe ("maybe" means "no"), but then I decided I would be more blunt and have started saying, "no, I don't think so". I've learned that most people on the street (most as in all) who smile and say hello want something. It's ok though, I talk to a lot of people every day! And it is better than the prostitutes blowing kisses in Seville!

The only people who really make me uncomfortable are the beggars. There are women with infants at strategic points around Ubud who look really down and out and hold out a hand and make a very sad puppy dog face. I try not to look at them. They make me uncomfortable because their looks are so pleading and they don't smile like the men saying "Taxi? Maybe tomorrow?"

Monkey Forest Road seems to be a bit busier and more touristy than Jalan Hanoman. I'm glad I am not staying there. I have found that the existence of a beggar means a site that is frequented by tourists. The street I was staying on before had several of them and I am guessing it is because Wayan Nusuriah or whatever her name is, from Eat, Pray, Love, has her shop there and EPL devotees now flock to her storefront to take classes on traditional Indonesian healing herbs. I am guessing she is ripping them off in the same way she ripped Liz off in the book, but who knows. Maybe she is legit. The few times I walked past, there were groups of young, innocent looking foreigners sitting at big tables looking kind of confused.

The chatty girl in the internet cafe is now making an offering to the gods. She is climbing up on a stool with a plate of watermelon, incense, flowers and other goodies and does this beautiful wave of her hand as she makes the offerings. Geckos who I guess make the shrine their home otherwise are surrying along the walls.

Where was I? Ok, back to Monkey Forest Road. Yep, it was busy, and had shops such as Dolce and Gabana and Versus (Versace), which I am guessing are fakes, just like the many "Armani" tailors I saw in Bangkok.

I saw a sign for a doctor and thought I'd make a visit since I woke up this morning with a full feeling in my right ear (the good one). I assumed I got water in my ear spending so much time with my head submerged in the pool yesterday. It was dumb. I laid on the little wall that separates the baby pool from the big pool and my ears were underwater. Not good for someone with one working ear. I didn't want to take a chance so I thought I'd have a doctor look at it.

The doctor was not in, but the girl in the pharmacy/doctor's office called him and we spoke on the phone. I could hear lots of chickens clucking in the background.

He advised me to take some ear drops and if it is not better to visit him tomorrow and he would flush my ear. It feels better now. I think the water has drained.

I stopped at Wayan Bakery and Cafe (one of Yaari's recommendations) for a little refreshment because it was hot and the pineapple pancake I had for breakfast was not giving me enough energy for the heat. I had a black rice with coconut milk and an iced lemongrass tea. The black rice pudding was better than at Nomad, which has convinced me that the food at Nomad is no good, and it is the reputation that draws people in (either that or they like food that is no good). Still, I think my black rice pudding is the best. My lemongrass tea unfortunately was made with real tea and not lemongrass. In Bangkok they sell little bottles of juice and teas at the train station and I was buying lemongrass tea with pandan leaf every day. We were also served it at the cooking school. None of them were made with tea, but only lemongrass, sugar and sometimes pandan leaf. I have not had caffeine since July 1, so today was an exception. No more chances with "teas". I will stick to juices.

From there I walked to the Monkey Forest. Upon entering, there they were - the monkeys - hundreds of them. Some sitting around waiting for food, others playing, others lazing around picking at each other. They kind of smelled and I thought they were a little disgusting and scary. Signs warned of what to do if they jump on you. I was afraid to venture in further to the forest to see the temples because I thought there would be even more monkeys, and also it was not as cool as Lonely Planet said it would be (as in temperature), so I left.

I found a new route back to my hotel and now know that the Monkey Forest is very near if I want to go back!

I had the same lunch at the same place as yesterday. I noticed that I drew a crowd. I think other people think like me. If a place is empty, I won't go, but if there is at least one person eating there, I will take a chance. I noticed people look at me before looking at the restaurant and two couples came to eat there after they saw me. The food is really good and the nasi campur is quite a deal. I love it.

Back to my hotel to rest by the pool, Made came by to chat. He had now changed from his green sarong and head scarf, which is his maid uniform, to shorts and a t-shirt and was busy knocking almost dead leaves down from the trees and sweeping them up. They really take care of things at Artini and Matahari Cottages could have used a little attention to spruce things up. There are surely enough people working there, they could clip the grass, pull some weeds and clear out some of the overgrowth.

Made has offered twice to take me sightseeing on his motorbike. Today I told him I might rent a bicycle and ride around, visit some rice fields, other villages, etc., but he said he would take me on his motorbike and it would not be as hot. It is a very gracious offer and I am assuming it is not just out of the kindness of his heart. Whether he asks or not, I would pay him. I am going to ask the chatty girl in the internet cafe what a fair price would be. I don't know if I will get an honest answer from her since she might try to sell me one of her own tours, but I will try.

While chatting, Made told me Julia Roberts had been here to film Eat, Pray, Love. I missed her. She was here last month. He also told me that the old palm reader Ketut Leyur (or whatever his name is) was in the film. We talked about Wayan as well.

I think I am going to wait a few days before taking Made up on his offer. He has a cold and I need to continue to adjust to the heat. I am feeling like I am adjusting. I don't feel like my blood is boiling anymore and between air-con and dips in the pool, I have ways of regulating my body temperature so that my head does not explode. I also want to develop a bit of a tan so that I can be out in the sun and not get all burnt and blistery. So a few days should be enough time for me to get myself ready to hit the road and for Made to get over his cold.

And that has been my day so far, other than enjoying so much of the things Ubud has to offer. It is a feast for the senses. Walking around I am awestruck at the beauty of the place, from not just a physical perspective, but also spiritual. Offerings are constantly being made (mostly by women) to the gods, who seem to be everywhere. Beautiful sarongs in beautiful colors are worn by both men and women, and men also wear these dashing head scarves that really make them look exotic. The sights, smells and sounds combine to make it a feast for the senses. Added to that the warmth of the people, even if it is only to make a buck, and this really does feel like paradise.

Ok, Epi (I just asked her name) has finished praying, so I can wrap up now and go look for dinner. Now she told me her name is really Sedani - Sedan with an i! She is really funny. Epi is her nickname. She laughed when I told her my name is Ketut Rick (that's what Made calls me) and then she told me she is Made too. Oy, this is confusing.

Ok, time for me to hunt down some new food.

Kecak - Balinese Fire Dance

After using the internet cafe with the very friendly, chatty girl, I crossed the street to the Dirty Duck Diner. It was early, only 5:00, but I was starving and I saw people were still going in. I imagined it was quite a scene at lunchtime and also later for dinner, and I wanted to avoid the scene. My friend Yaari told me rich Indonesians go there, and the girl at the internet cafe told me they don't treat her very well because she looks like she can't afford it (she looked fine to me with her beautiful sarong and her t-shirt that said "It's Very Hot!" (at first I thought it said, "I'm Very Hot!")

The place was nice, not a diner at all, but a collection of eating areas, some tables and some areas that were set up on platforms with pillows and low tables. I don't know why foreigners choose those places to sit if they can't sit with their legs crossed. I saw one guy climb up on the platform with his flip flops on and walk on the pillows with them! What an idiot! I saw others lounging like they were out of some Rubens painting waiting to be fed grapes. Seriously, if you can't cross your legs and sit like a real Asian would, then sit at a table!

I was happy to sit at a table. I ordered the crispy duck, because why else would I go to the Dirty Duck Diner?

It was as was promised. Crispy. Supposedly the duck is marinated for 36 hours with special herbs and spices, but really it was so crispy, I couldn't taste much. Most of the meat was crispy and dried out as well. I dipped it in this delicious fresh tomato sambal (spicy sauce) after I realized I would not be covering up any subtle flavors. I would say my $2.00 nasi campur was just as good even if the atmosphere was not as fancy. But the DDD seems like a nice place to go for a little splurge, or maybe if I meet a nice Indonesian person who I want to treat for a special meal.

As far as being treated specially, I was not. Maybe like the girl at the internet cafe, they looked at me as if I were a peasant (well, I kind of am at heart), or maybe because it was a bad time and they were getting ready for dinner, or maybe they don't treat anyone special and the girl at the internet cafe has high expectations since Balinese seem to treat everyone like royalty.

Aside from the oafish foreigners would could not sit cross-legged, I also saw what I guess were some rich Indonesians. Big cameras seem to be in these days. I mean, REALLY big, National Geographic type cameras. I don't understand them. I saw them a lot when I was in Europe. Tourists in their three-quarter length shorts with Tevas (standard tourist garb) and these big cameras hanging around their necks. Nothing like trying to stick out like a sore thumb. The Malaysian guy in my Thai cooking class also had a really big camera, which he used incessantly.

At the DDD, there were several people, they are always men, walking around with these big cameras taking pictures of every flower, statue, or anything else that caught their eye. One guy went back to join his girlfriend who was taking a picture of something with her i-phone! It would be interesting to do a study to look at gender differences in terms of the use of photographic devices. I must have missed the memo that real men have big cameras.

Anyway, from there, I returned to my hotel, read a little and finally decided to take a walk. As I was leaving, I met the older Indonesian guy with really bad teeth who seems to be the manager or big boss at my hotel. I didn't like him at first because when I went to check out the room the nice young guy at the desk gave me my special deal of $40 per night. Then this guy came along and kind of made it seem like that was a problem, but, he was going to give me this special favor. But he insisted I leave 400,000 rupiah as a deposit. It sounds like a lot of money, but it is just $40. I didn't know why he wanted cash and not just my credit card, since they could charge my credit card whatever they wanted if I didn't show.

He was insisting they would return the 400,000 rp when I left, but I told him it would not do me any good since I would be leaving the country and could not spend it. The guy behind the desk understood this, but this older guy was a little slow to get it. Finally he said if I pay for a week on my credit card when I return he would return my cash deposit.

Yesterday as I was leaving to go to the internet cafe, he asked me if I could pay for four nights. He told me that the owner was upset that he gave me a deal of $40 per night because in high season they raise the rates (high season does not really start until December 20th). I told him I could pay for a week. He said he just wanted me to pay for four nights. I think it was because he told the owner (his cousin) that I had already paid for four nights. It all seems very complicated to me, but that is what I did. I paid for four nights. And I told him anytime he wanted me to pay again, I could. As long as I am using my credit card, I can pay anytime they want!

So, last night after returning from the DDD and resting, I was leaving and ran into this older guy. I have to get his name, since he seems like he will be a recurring character. He asked me where I was going, I said, "jalan jalan" - which I remember from my first trip to Indonesia is the appropriate response - it means "walking walking", and that is what I was going to do. Walk. Since I was in a new neighborhood with more going on, I wanted to see what was up on a Saturday evening.

I asked him where he was going and he told me his studio. He told me he is a painter. I think a lot of people are painters here, or dancers, or artists of some sort. We chatted a bit and then he invited me to a cremation! It seemed like quite an invitation and I am not sure how serious he was. I know in some cultures people invite others to do things but don't really mean it. I hesitated a bit because I knew I would feel slightly out of place and really stick out like a sore thumb, but also I knew it was an amazing opportunity. I pointed to my shorts and t-shirt and said, "can I go like this?" and he said, "of course". So we will see. The cremation is today and according to Lonely Planet is the most lavish and expensive of the Balinese rights of passage. The body is carried around in some sort of towering carriage, and tossed about and turned around so as to confuse it, allowing the spirit to break free until the body is finally burned. It must be something to see!

I knew I was going to pass this place that had dance performances and I knew that Saturday night was the Kecak - Balinese Fire Dance, and I knew I wanted to see it (I had seen it in a movie, something like Powaqaatsi or one of those type films), but I didn't know I would see it last night.

As I walked up the street away from my hotel, I noticed everything was very dark. A few places had these weird lights. Others had candles. Apparently the power was out. I felt guilty about leaving my air-con on. I thought I was going for a short walk and wanted my room cool when I returned. I guess my hotel was operating on a generator.

As I passed the dance place in the dark, I could see the shadows of men, white teeth glaring, with these little white spots on their temples that seemed to glow in the dark. One of them asked me if I was going. "To what?" I asked, but I already knew. Within minutes he had sold me a ticket to the fire dance and I was seated on a plastic chair in the front row looking at a very fancy tower that had little flames all over it.

At exactly 7 p.m. the dance started. A little toddler who had been fussing and crying suddenly sat spellbound (he eventually fell asleep) as the men came out, all wearing sarongs with flowers in their hair, white spots on their temples, hands raised and fingers moving about wildly like they were typing on some imaginary keyboard in the sky. They were grunting and making funny noises, but all moving in unison. They sat cross-legged on the ground and began moving from side to side in unison. Moving their shoulders together. Their heads all moved at the same time. And all the while they were making this funny noise kekakekakekakekakekakeka. It was amazing. I felt an intense feeling of joy wash over me. I am not sure why. I felt like smiling, laughing, but I didn't think it would be appropriate. It wasn't that I thought it was funny, but it was so much fun! I've seen Indonesian dance performances before and enjoyed them, but this felt really magical. I felt like I had wandered into the deep jungle and stumbled across some strange unknown culture and was witnessing one of the most sacred of rituals.

The performance was an hour and 15 minutes. During that time the men chanted most of the time. At times, different demons and beautiful maidens came out and did things around the fire. I was focused on the men and the kekakekakekakekakekakeka and the woo woo woo woo woo woo and the other sounds that were interwoven with the kekakekakekakekakekakeka. It was amazing.

Afterwards, I ran into Philip, the guy from my old guest house. He was there with Ketut, one of the many guys who work there. At first I thought Ketut was Made, the guy who takes care of my room at Artini. I'm ashamed to say but so many of these young Indonesian guys look the same to me. I recognized Ketut by the Alaska t-shirt he wore every day, but he wasn't wearing it. And Made wears pink Croc-type shoes. I'm not saying they all look alike, but they are very similar in size, coloring, hair, eyes, etc., and it is kind of hard when I am meeting so many people in such a short time.

And so I may have said it before, but I will say it again. I am loving Ubud. I now feel like I am in the right place and I think the next month will be filled with all kinds of exciting adventures. Between cremations and dance performances and massages and healings and shamans and cooking classes and just sitting by the pool, I think I will find plenty to keep me occupied for the next month!

Hot!!! Hot!!! Hot!!!

It is very hot here. It's like a sauna. I felt like my blood was boiling yesterday and I was going to cook. So, I set out to find a new hotel.

Between my spotty internet connection and a bit of walking around, I succeeded. I found a place on a nice little tourist strip with lots of shops, restaurants and massage/healing offerings, that has air-con, a nice pool and a well-tended garden. It's a little more than what I am paying now and doesn't have internet, but the place I am in now only has internet if I bring my laptop up to the breakfast gazebo or the air-conditioned library that is not always air-conditioned (if it were, I would be spending all of my time in there!)

Other than the heat, I had a good day yesterday. Ubud is growing on me. I want to see more. I am going to take some tours and eventually get my own transport, either a bike or a motor-bike, once I know my way around a little better. There is no hurry to do any of those things. I have 4 weeks here!

I walked up a road I thought the Sari Spa Hotel was located on because I was considering it as an option for my new digs, but I was on the wrong road. It was interesting to see a little of Ubud beyond the tourist shops though and see how people really live. I thought the road was lined by temples, but actually they were all family compounds. Each compound is surrounded by a beautiful stone wall and at the entrance is a statue of a god - usually ganesh - the elephant god. There are little packets of flowers, rice and crackers all over the place - on the sidewalk, on steps, in front of garages, on cars and motorcycles - all offerings to the gods.

My posting this morning was interrupted by a very nice guy from New Zealand who was staying at my former hotel. Also my batteries on my computer were about to die. Now I am in a nice internet cafe across from the Dirty Duck Diner, a place I have my eye on for dinner tonight. There is a very sweet Balinese girl working here who is very chatty, so I am not sure if I can finish now, but I will try.

First, breakfast with Phillip. He was one of the most interesting people I've ever met, and he was gay. Big surprise for me. He told me he is living in Timor a former Indonesian island that is now independent (I didn't realize they gained their independence). He is an advisor for the NZ army there. He told me a lot of stories about how difficult it is there for the Timorese and how bad the UN is in dealing with issues. It reminded me a lot of the stories of Haiti. It is very sad. Things that we take for granted like running water are a luxury there. People spend most of their day going to get water and transporting it back to their homes - usually it is not clean and because it is limited, they can only use it for cooking, not bathing.

After breakfast, I packed up my things and changed hotels. I am now staying at a place called Artini Cottages. I have a lovely bungalow with a really big bed a nice bathroom and most importantly, air-conditioning!!! It also has a nice pool, which I saw yesterday but didn't think I would really enjoy. To the contrary, I spent most of the day at the pool today. I figured one way for me to help my body adjust to the heat would be to try to stay out in it as long as I can. Shutting myself up in an air-conditioned room will not help. Phillip told me this morning that he found Ubud cold! How could that be? At 8 a.m., while we sat having our breakfast, I was drenched with sweat.

So now it seems like I am all set to begin enjoying Bali. Actually, I already have. It is amazing how something so simple as a room can make a difference. I think the location is also better. The young woman in the internet cafe told me Artini is a very good place to stay and that I got a very good deal.

The people who work at Artini are also very nice (the ones at the other place were nice too). The guy who carried my bag to my room and I guess also cleans my room (and tends the garden) called me Ketut Rick. Balinese names are interesting. They are named for the order in their family. Wayan, which is a very common name for both men and women, is the first-born. Made, is the second. Ketut is number four. So, Made, my new friend at Artini, called me Ketut Rick. He even wrote it down on a little piece of paper. He put his name, Made, and his last name and then (Bali) in parentheses. And then he wrote Ketut Rick (America). It was very sweet, as I am finding the Balinese in general are. They flash amazingly large smiles with brilliant white teeth and even the guys sitting by the side of the road saying "transpor?" and making funny steering-wheel gestures, are kind of charming.

After I checked in and went for a swim, I went out to forage for food. On Thursday I ate at a place called Nomad, which is featured in Lonely Planet and had a large crowd for dinner. It's kind of famous I guess. They have an organic garden and a fusion menu and fancy decoration. The food was okay. I was really hungry, so I wasn't too picky about it. I got gado gado, an Indonesian standard, only this was not served the usual way. It was rolled up in rice paper like spring rolls and hard to eat. I would have preferred it as a salad, like it usually is served. I then sampled some Indonesian tapas - chicken satay, fish satay and martabak (which I think might be Indian). They were all good, but nothing to write home about. I finished with black rice pudding in coconut milk, which is one of my favorite deserts. It was so bad, I didn't finish it.

Yesterday I had afternoon tea at Matahari, my old guest house. It was weird sitting in the middle of this overgrown garden eating little finger sandwiches and cake. I only liked a few of the cakes. Most of them seemed old. One was warmed up, I think to hide its staleness. For dinner, I walked around a little. I had one place in mind but when I went there it turned out to be a Thai restaurant. I saw no point in eating Thai food in Indonesia. So, unable to find any alternative, I went back to Nomad. I got chicken curry. How could you mess up chicken curry? They did. It was not good. I think it will be the last time I go to Nomad.

Today for lunch I stopped at a small Warung (food stall) outside of Nur Salon, the place I had my Javanese massage yesterday. I ordered nasi campur, which is rice with an assortment of things around it. It was delicious! And it was only $2.00!!! I think what I have discovered is that the very touristy places are overpriced and not that good, and the more local places do some pretty good Indonesian food. A major generalization after only a few meals, but I'm going with it.

So, now my goal is to adjust to the heat and little by little start exploring. There is so much to do. I already found a place with cooking classes. There are nightly dance performances. I can rent a bike or motorbike and explore on my own. And of course, I can just laze by the pool and read.

I feel kind of odd spending one month in the same place when Bali seems to have so much to offer, but if I learned anything from my travels through Europe, I learned that the longer I stayed in a place, the more I began to appreciate its subtle charms. So far Ubud's charms are not subtle at all = they are in-your-face charms, but it will be interesting to see how I feel after one month. I've already met more people than I did in my two and a half months in Europe and I have only been here two and a half days!

Ubud, Bali

I really need to brush my teeth.

And this is the way it begins.

I woke up yesterday as I have since I arrived in Bangkok, early. Several times. I had managed to stay up until about 10 p.m., and then crashed, but woke up at 3, at 4, at 5, and finally at 6 decided to get up, exercise, pack and get ready for my flight which for some reason I thought was at 2 or 3 p.m. I wasn't sure.

Then I thought about my arrival time in Denpasar, since I had already told the hotel so they could send someone to pick me up. It seemed I had told them 2:15, but was I arriving later?

I decided to check my itinerary. Something maybe I should have done sooner.

Good thing I did. I was getting all of my flights confused - Chiang Mai, return to Bangkok and this one. Turns out my flight left at 8:50 a.m.! I had very little time to get ready.

I rushed to throw everything in my backpack and in that rush I left my toothbrush and toothpaste in the bathroom of my hotel. Fortunately, I got everything else, except a few items of dirty laundry which the maid found when they checked my mini-bar.

I made it to the airport in plenty of time and had a little time to buy a snack and some lavender spray (I read on the internet that my room was kind of musty, so I wanted to be prepared).

The flight was four hours from Bangkok to Denpasar. It was uneventful other than the Indian family that surrounded me and seemed to think the flight attendants were their own personal servants. They did not stop ringing their call button during the entire flight. Peanuts. More peanuts. Tea. More tea. Vegetarian meal (even though they hadn't ordered it). I felt so sorry for the Thai flight attendants and eventually I moved to a different seat because they were stressing me out so much with not only their constant ordering, but also the way they treated the flight attendants. They were really rude and bossy. I guess that is how you treat servants.

I arrived at the airport and cleared customs and immigration. I had a nice little chat with the immigration officer about what I was going to do for 30 days. He recommended a beach that had big waves. He smiled when I told him I can't swim.

I've always wanted to be one of those people greeted at the airport with someone holding a sign. They always seem like they are special - VIPs. Well, there was someone waiting there holding a sign with my name! And there were about 50 other people standing there holding signs with other people's names. I guess everyone on my flight had arranged for an airport pick-up. So much for being special!

It was really hot as we exited the airport and went to my van. My driver, Wayan, was really nice. He flashed a really big smile and spoke decent English, even though he kept saying his English was not good. The van was hot, in spite of the air-con and traffic was horrendous. It took us 1 1/2 hours to get to Ubud.

I expected Ubud to be noticeably cooler. It wasn't. It was still hot.

My hotel, is a bungalow complex. There are about 6-8 bungalows all scattered around a very lush "garden" - I say "garden" because it is more like the jungle in miniature than a tended garden. It is rustic. Chickens and roosters provide the soundtrack, but there are also birds, crickets, geckos and babies crying. None of the gamelon players that Lonely Planet describes wafting over the rice paddies.

Well, breakfast is being served now and then I will go out and explore Ubud. I don't know what I will do for one month here. Perhaps I will find a new hotel, perhaps I will get used to where I am staying. I hope I will get used to the heat and not be eaten alive by the mosquitoes, which have already begun to sample my tasty American flesh.

I'm So Full!

Everything here is saying, "eat me!!! eat me!!!" - well, the food that is. And it is so hard to resist. It is everywhere and it looks and smells so good.

Today after a light breakfast - fruit, boiled rice soup with fish, some noodles and vegetables, I set out on my week's mission - finding a laundry.

I knew of a laundry place that is tucked away on a soi off of Silom Road near the hotel I used to stay at that was called the Tower Inn. It is now a Unico Hotel and it is not as cheap as it used to be (I hope they change the air-conditioners in the rooms now that they are charging more). Anyway, the laundry place was cheap from what I remembered. Cheaper than what the hotel charges, but it is a few blocks away from here. I was sure I could find something closer.

The past few days I have been combing the sois around my hotel to see if I could spot something. There is a place I used before that looks like a dry cleaner and they seemed confused when I brought t-shirts before. But as I left the hotel this morning with a black trash bag filled with clothes a taxi driver standing outside said, "laundry?". I asked him if there was one nearby and he directed me to the place around the corner that is a dry cleaner. I decided to go and check it out before heading over to Silom.

When I went in, I saw that they had price lists for dry cleaning and laundry. They were asking 40 baht per shirt, which is about the same as the hotel charges. I told them never mind and left.

As I headed over towards Silom Road, I passed another place. Again I went in and checked the prices and again it was per piece and the same as my hotel. If I was going to pay those prices, I would just have my hotel do it and deliver the clothes the next day.

And so I went over to Silom Road, past what used to be the Tower Inn and found the little laundry place tucked away in a little quiet soi. They charge 5-10 baht per piece and a t-shirt was 10 baht instead of 40 (1 dollar = 33 baht,so that is kind of expensive).

After dropping my clothes off, I wandered down a little street that has a market. I used to go there regularly to buy fresh fruit - pineapple, mango, etc. I wanted to take some photos. There was food everywhere, yummy, aromatic, fresh and tempting food. I saw a group of foreigners crowded around one stall and then noticed they had little baskets and were collecting ingredients. It must be one of the other cooking schools. I'm glad we don't have to go around with little baskets and go shopping in a group.

I bought a kilo of mangosteens for 20 baht (less than a dollar) and a container of sticky rice with mango for 30 (they charge 80 at MBK food court). I then went searching for a guy I saw deep frying bananas while I was looking for the soi with the laundry place, but I couldn't find him. I thought he was on the other side of the street, but he wasn't. He must have moved. Walking up Silom Road however, I did find someone else selling fried banana chips. They were dipped in batter and deep fried with sesame seeds. They were really yummy and I ate quite a few before giving the bag to a very down-and-out looking guy who was stumbling down the street (it was hard to look at him, but it looked like his shorts were covered in blood). He gave me a wai and thanked me in Thai and English.

After dropping off my purchases, I headed to MBK. My plan was to eat and get an "eye treatment" and then go to school.

I arrived and went straight upto the food court. I had a beef noodle soup with Chinese herbs. It was not that good. I thought it was this beef noodle soup I really like that I get at the weekend market, but it didn't have a very good flavor. I then went and got a Thai desert - assorted little jellies and things in coconut milk with chopped ice on top. Very yummy.

From there I wandered around a little, looking for socks because the pair I put on this morning ripped when I was putting them on. I didn't find any socks I liked, but did see some things I might buy later.

I then headed down to the 3rd floor for my eye treatment. Since my facial the bags and dark circles under my eyes have become more apparent. Nice Face offers an "eye treatment" exactly for that. Instead of Nice Face however, I tried another place a few doors down. The woman at Nice Face standing outside trying to get customers kind of creeped me out. She was a little too friendly if you know what I mean.

I don't know the name of this place.

I laid down on the reclining chair and the treatment began. It felt like a facial. Again with the very cold creams. This time she was massaging my face and circling around my eyes. At one point she was pinching my skin with some metal object and it really hurt. I was thinking of the saying, "beauty is pain" and wondering how women endure some of the things that are done to them in the name of beauty. I could do without the pain.

Finally, she finished and I headed to school. I thought I was late, but the morning session went over and we had to wait until about 1:40 (class is supposed to begin at 1:30)

There were four other students today besides me and the Malaysian guy. One guy was Scottish and the other three wer from England. The Malaysian guy is really getting on my nerves with the picture taking, but fortunately, the other students didn't follow suit today. As he was taking photos one of the British women, just grabbed the food and then we all followed. I was so glad. I was really getting tired of having to wait for everyone to take their photos of the demonstration food. This guy has this huge camera and takes several shots of everything. You'd think by now he would have gotten it out of his system.

We made a jungle curry with beef, chicken soup with coconut milk (always one of my favorites), stir fried glass noodles with shrimp and these cute little packages filled with shrimp and chicken. For desert we made a banana custard that was steamed.

I am so full now and really ready to sleep, even though it is only 6:45. I might try taking a little nap and then going out for a walk.

Tomorrow is my last day in Bangkok for now. It's been a fun time and I have really been enjoying the cooking classes. When I come back after Bali, I might try a bike tour. I think there is still so much I could do here, and thanks to the internet I have more access to the possibilities than I ever did before.

I'm in Love

As far as I am concerned, I could just as well take or leave Barcelona, Sevilla, Rome, and all of the other Europeans cities that are on everyone's top 10 list. I'd much rather come to Bangkok, especially in the cool season.

Sure it was nice to be in Europe and see some European stuff, old and new, but as far as I am concerned, none of the cities I visited can hold a candle to Bangkok in terms of the possibilities that are offered.

First of all, Bangkok is a very affordable city. There are so many hotels and more and more being built. Unlike Rome, where I slept in a closet-sized room for over $100 per night, I am in a very luxurious room in a really nice hotel with a pool and exercise room and a delicious breakfast buffet for about $55 per night. Meals are cheap, especially if you eat in food courts or on the street, but even in a restaurant, a decent meal would not cost more than $10-15.

And the food! It's just amazing!!! Taking cooking classes is introducing me to a lot of Thai food that I don't usually eat. Normally I have a few standards I go for - green curry, green papaya salad, fried rice, and when I am in Bangkok, some soups and a steamed pork with rice that I like. But I am eating so much amazing food. It all tastes so fresh and healthy and the flavors are so complex and layered. Making it myself allows me to adjust things like the sodium and heat, so the food has really been just perfect for me.

I've already mentioned how I feel like a royal with everyone greeting me with smiles and a wai, and that feeling continues. Add to the royal treatment, the fact that I can get massages, facials, teeth cleaning and any other service I want for a fraction of what I would pay in the US. I had a massage earlier today and just finished with a foot massage. I booked a teeth cleaning for Wednesday.

But what I am really loving is being able to walk around and just see Thais going about their normal business. Today I went to the shopping center I tried to find yesterday. It is called Gaysorn (I know, what a name) and the place I wanted sells all kinds of natural soaps and aromatherapy products. I bought some soap and aromatic oil.

I took the Skytrain there (which is one more thing I love) and from Chit Lom station, there is an elevated walkway that goes to different shopping centers and department stores. I remember walking down on the street below in pre-Skytrain days. It was not easy to walk on the crowded and uneven sidewalks and not pleasant with all of the traffic. But here I was, above it all, able to look down on the street below. I could see taxis and tuk tuks, and buses and cars chugging along, and pedestrians and vendors and little shrines with people praying. I really enjoyed being able to witness everything from above.

Because I had a massage, I was running a little late for school and didn't have time to stop anywhere to eat. Plus I was on Sukhumvit Road, which is a major tourist trap these days and there weren't many options. But, I knew at Surasak Station where my cooking school is, there are some vendors selling things like fried chicken or hot dogs wrapped up in crepes. I thought I would get a small snack and a lemon grass drink since I have been feeling so full lately and I knew I'd be eating at school.

I looked at the chicken, which was very tempting, but I didn't know how to order it. It turned out that the chicken guy was at the entrance to a little eatery that had several people cooking. One woman was making stir fried noodles. Another had this stewed pork I like and that is what I ordered. I went and sat down and she brought me my meal, which was really like a little snack (I guess I know why so many Thais are not fat - portion size!). It was the perfect meal, but I had time to kill and wanted some fruit or something. So I walked down the street and found a fairly good sized market, filled with people eating and surrounded by vendors selling all kinds of food (I will probably go there one day this week). It was truly amazing and even though I wanted to take pictures, I knew that a photo could not capture what it was like there.

After school I walked home because I was full from dinner. It was a pleasant walk, even though it was rush hour and there was a lot of traffic, but it was cool. Kids were just getting out of school and I enjoyed seeing them congregating at food vendors on the sidewalk or open air restaurants.

I stopped at the Silom Dental Center to make an appointment for a teeth cleaning and from there walked to Silom Road and down the soi that is a bustling market place at lunchtime. Things were closing down and many vendors had gone home. I saw some of the vendors sitting down together for a meal, probably their first break all day. Others were still going strong and all kinds of foods were still on display. It is mind-boggling how much food is being sold on the street every day.

Finally, I arrived back at my hotel, rested a little and went to the little massage place across the parking lot for a foot massage (my feet are getting tired from so much walking). The massage was not the best, but for $10 I really can't complain.

I know Bangkok can be stressful and sometimes annoying, but on this trip, I am really appreciating all it has to offer and I know that there is so much more that is beyond my limited experience here. I'm feeling like I would like to spend more time here, learn some Thai, and really get to know Bangkok beyond the tourist track.

For now, I am content with everything I am doing now and so happy to have a city that feels so welcoming.

MBK

Taking cooking classes as somehow heightened my senses. I don't know what it is. Maybe because I am eating such delicious food, I am super satisfied. Maybe because it is cool and possible to walk around in Bangkok, I am able to notice things. I don't know, but I am enjoying myself immensely.

Yesterday we had another teacher, a little chubby guy named Charles. I asked him about his name because he said he was Thai, and he told me it was his Christian name. Apparently he went to a missionary school, which was also why he spoke English well. He was the first teacher we had that I could understand clearly.

Charles showed us how to make four dishes, mostly from the Northeast of Thailand. I think the Northeast is close to Laos, because northeastern dishes are similar to Lao food. Thais often disginguish northestern food from the rest of Thai dishes. They are usually spicier or more sour or both.

We made panang curry (which actually is not Northeast cooking), crab souffle, a spicy and sour soup (similar to Tom Yam, but made with sour tamarind juice instead of lime) and green papaya salad. Everything was good of course, but I liked the soup and the salad the best.

I ate in the restaurant with four of the other students. There is one Malaysian guy who is taking 7 days of classes. He started on the same day as me. He is a bit odd. He had a HUGE camera and is constantly taking pictures. After the teacher demonstrates the recipe, we are all invited to sample it, but this guy always has to take several pictures. Because of him, the other students then pull out their cameras and we all have to stand there and wait while everyone takes a picture. It's really silly because we are going to make the dish and can take a picture of our own food. Plus the food looks so good and we have to stand there and wait.

There was a Chinese couple (maybe from Hong Kong) who spoke to each other in Chinese and a South Asian guy who was very serious and didn't speak. It was an interesting contrast to lunch on Saturday where there were a lot of Westerners and the conversation was very interactive.

In general, we have too much food to eat. I tried preparing my stomach by having a smaller breakfast - only vegetables and a little fried noodles, oh and some congee with pork, oh, and some fruit....I guess my breakfast wasn't that small, but I steered clear of meat and the bready stuff. Still, I couldn't finish everything and only concentrated on the things I liked. My papaya salad was really spicy because I pounded my chilis too much. We had ice cream for desert, which I needed to cool the fire in my mouth.

After we finished, I decided to walk to my hotel and explore some more of the back streets. I ended up on a street that only took me to Silom Road with no option to turn. I used to walk Silom Road a lot when I took massage classes years ago. I was staying in a hotel on Silom and had to walk to the river to catch the boat, but it's been a while, so I enjoyed the walk.

When I got to skytrain I decided to go and look for a shopping center I found last time that has a store that sells some very nice aromatherapy products. I like to spray aromatherapy oils in my hotel rooms to make them smell a little less like hotel rooms. I couldn't remember what shopping center this place was in though, and it was a Sunday afternoon and every place I went into was packed with Thais out strolling about in large groups. It was hard to get around, and I never found the shop (I checked my guide book when I got home and I was in the wrong place completely).

As I headed towards the skytrain to come back to my hotel, I passed the entrance to MBK. MBK is this huge shopping center. It is kind of like a market place that is stacked seven floors high. It used to be very dingy and kind of scary looking, but after a fire some years back, they remodeled it and it looks shiny and nice. It is a maze and I always get lost. You can buy just about anything there. I think they only thing they don't sell is fresh food, but I could be wrong about that. I don't think I've ever made it through the whole shopping center since I usually am exhausted after just one floor.

I was hungry after passing so many food venders on the streets and inside the shopping centers and wanted something a little sweet. I knew MBK had a food court and I could get sticky rice with mango, so I went in.

At first I ended up at the International Food Court, which I never knew existed. It looked interesting, but they didn't have what I wanted. I asked one of the girls working there where the other food court was and she sent me up to the 6th floor.

I love the MBK food court. There are so many places to choose from and the signs are in Thai and English.

You buy coupons from a little booth and then go and choose the food you want and pay with coupons. Any coupons you don't use can be exchanged for cash as you leave.

I only changed 50 baht because I wasn't planning on eating a lot, but the sticky rice with mango was 80 baht (most meals are usually 30-40 baht), I had to go back and get more coupons. It was worth it. Even though this is not mango season, the mangos are incredible. The combination of the mango with the rice with coconut milk is really nice. I gulped it down and it was so good I wanted another. Instead I sat and rested because I was so tired from my morning exercise and so much walking. I was hoping that by allowing myself to digest a little, the feeling of wanting more would go away. It never did, but still I refrained (mostly because I didn't want to buy more coupons again) and I left.

As I headed out, I passed a place I had seen on the way in. People were lying on reclining chairs getting facials. I was feeling like my skin needed a good cleaning after all of this travel, and especially after walking around in Bangkok. I stopped to look and a woman outside showed me a flyer with a description of the facial. There were like 16 different things they apply or do to you for only 500 baht (about 15 dollars). I thought it would be a good way to relax a little before heading back to my hotel and no matter how good the facial was, you couldn't beat the price. And so I went in.

I laid down on this reclining chair and the woman working on me began by cleaning my face with warm water and then applying a very cold cream. The process continued and more very cold creams were applied. It was almost painful, some of them were so cold. At one point, she applied a mask, which started as a cold cream that was very thick, but also runny and began running down my face and neck. I tried to stop it dripping down my neck, but it was impossible. Finally, it began to harden and then she peeled it off.

She also applied really cold strips of cucumber and then covered my face with a towel, sealing in the cold. I felt like she was trying to freeze my face so that she could then lift it off.

The whole time there was a lot of chattering and movement as people came and went. It felt like I was getting a facial in the middle of a marketplace and not in a spa. There was no mood lighting (florescent light bulbs lit the place up), no mood music and no aromatherapy. It was a basic no frills kind of place, exactly in line with the whole spirit of MBK, where most things are no frills and very cheap. It's one of the reasons why I love MBK. Compared with the expensive, glittery new shopping centers, it is a real Thai experience and a visit to Bangkok is never complete withtout a visit to MBK.

I Feel Royal

I don't know if it is because I am a tourist, staying in a hotel or if this feeling is just a result of experiencing the beauty of Thai culture, but I feel like a royal. I am being treated like a king.

Every morning I go down to my fabulous breakfast buffet and am greeted by warm smiles, a warm greeting, and the beautiful "wai" - the Thai way of greeting. It is a prayer-like gesture, hands pressed together and raised to about nose level. I feel as if a red carpet has been thrown down every time I pass through the lobby. What a difference from the "diga" in Spain!

And then there is the food! It is everywhere. Every little space on the sidewalks, every alley, is filled with people cooking up something. Most of it is not terribly tempting to me - a lot of fried stuff, hot dogs, fish balls, etc., but it is everywhere and I have never paid as much attention to it as I am on this trip.

But of course, my favorite dishes have been the ones I've been making in school. Yesterday we had the head chef, the founder of the Blue Elephant. I think her name is Noon. When I first took classes there in April 2008, I met her daughter, I think her name was Sandra. She was a lovely woman who was half Thai and half Belgian. She told us about her mother starting this cooking school, which specializes in Royal Thai Cooking. She has actually cooked for the Royal Family.

There was also a Belgian film crew there yesterday interviewing Noon and filming our class. I guess I will appear on Belgian TV some time in the future!

We made four delicious dishes yesterday. We started with Massaman Curry with chicken. Noon explained where Massaman Curry came from, but like most of the teachers, it was hard to decipher a lot of her English, and it was complicated by the fact that she was pounding the spices in a mortar while she was talking.

Massaman means Muslim, but I didn't get the connection, since it seems the curry was introduced to Thailand by some king in the past. Perhaps it was imported from some other place? Maybe Malaysia. Noon said it is one of the most difficult curries to make, and our curry was delicious, well, mine was anyway. She showed us how to make the paste, but for our own curry we used packaged curry paste (Blue Elephant brand) and added some extra spices - cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf. The spices were really wonderful in the curry and if it had cooked even longer, I'm sure it would have been even better. I can't wait to try it at home.

Next we made a steamed fish with lime dressing. The fish was steamed in a steamer with herbs - lemon grass, galangal and lime leaves, and then we made a yummy dressing with lime, chili, garlic and coriander root. How can anything with those ingredients not be totally yummy? It was one of my favorite dishes so far. It felt like it was healthy and was so fresh and delicious. I'm glad I am learning some ways to cook fish, since I am so intimidated by it.

Next we made pork with black pepper and lemon grass. Noon showed us how to fry lemon grass and then we stir fried the pork and put the fried lemon grass on top. It was okay. I think I cooked mine too much, but I was afraid to eat raw pork.

And our final dish was a delicious soup with asparagus and chopped prawns in coconut milk. This was an old traditional recipe that Noon updated with asparagus for foreign cooks. It is normally made with lotus root, but since it is not available in most Western countries, she makes it with asparagus. The combination of prawns, asparagus and coconut milk was delicious.

We ate our lunch in the restaurant. The class was fairly large, and it was a nice group of people. There were students from Australia, the UK, a few Americans, Japanese and Taiwanese, and one guy who I guessed might have been Belgian or French. We were a really happy crowd.

After lunch, I came home stuffed and had to rest a little. It was kind of warm, so it was a good time to take a nap.

Later, I went out for a walk, and stopped to get a massage. I had a one-hour massage and the pressure was perfect. My body felt so tight and it was so good to have it stretched. They tried talking me into a "combination" massage. I am not sure what that is, but they said it is more deep pressure and not so much stretching, but I told them I really needed the stretching. I guess Thais are learning that foreigners do not appreciate the Thai style of massage - well I do, and it was just what I needed. They had a sauna in the massage place but it wasn't too hot so I didn't stay long. I showered and left.

By then I was getting hungry, but I was so full earlier, I didn't want to eat a full meal. It was evening and the vendors on the street had changed to the night-time crew. Silom Road was buzzing as the night market geared up and Patpong prepared itself for a night of revelry and gawking tourists. I passed several options for food - chicken and rice, noodle soup, fried chicken, and finally stopped for some satay - well, I thought it was satay. I got two chicken and two pork skewers, but instead of satay sauce, they put chili sauce. Fine by me. I ate them as I walked back to my hotel, totally satisfied with my day.

I slept really well and had to drag myself out of bed at 6:30 so that I could use the treadmill in the gym and get to breakfast in time to make it to the cooking school by ten. I guess there was no need to rush, but it was nice to wake up feeling refreshed and satisfied (and hungry). The morning was deliciously fresh and cool and I opened the windows in the exercise room while I tried to burn off some of the extra poundage I've picked up in the past few months. I am so glad I am able to be in Bangkok during the "cool" season. It's 68 degrees now according to my computer (Thais are probably walking around with winter coats on) and will go up to a chilly 84 today. I'm used to it being so hot and humid here that walking feels like you are moving through hot water rather than air.

I'm almost sorry I am going to leave here, even though I am looking forward to Bali. I think in the years I've been coming to Bangkok, I have had a range of feelings about the place. Mostly I like it, but I reach a point where the traffic, the heat and the noise eventually start to wear on me. This time however, I have found a new sweetness about the place. Is it because I am getting older and able to appreciate the subtle charms beyond the surface, or is it because Bangkok somehow is becoming more charming?

All I know is that right now I am feeling like a king, and it's a nice feeling.

Eat, Eat, Eat

My version of Eat, Pray, Love, would be called, Eat, Eat, Eat, since that is all I seem to be doing on my travels. But there is no place better to eat than in Thailand.

In Bangkok, food is everywhere. Walking down the street, especially around lunchtime, the streets are filled with the smells of a variety of food and vendors prepare all kinds of dishes to sell.

This morning after blogging, I went back to the little market I discovered. I had seen a "food court" and thought I would go there for lunch. It seemed clean and it was air-conditioned. I went out around 11:45, just in time to hit the lunchtime crowd.

I walked past the food court and it looked crowded. I hesitated and was going to walk to another place I saw deeper inside the market, but as I walked down the little soi with the market, it was packed and I knew that any place I went would be crowded, so I swallowed my traveler's pride and decided to be adventurous. This was new for me. In the past, I would have walked around afraid to go into a place that was so crowded. But this was Thailand and I'd already been putting myself in awkward situations and surviving. So in I went.

There was a woman sitting at a little podium and a sign in Thai mentioned two prices - 50 and 100 baht. I knew from being here before that there are places where you buy coupons and then take the coupons to the vendors. Usually I buy 100 baht and then return what I don't use - because the food is so cheap, that is often half of what I originally bought, but better safe than sorry.

So I gave the woman 100 baht and she gave me a little card, like a credit card. This was new, but I saw this credit card type thing in the bakery in Lisbon.

I went inside and it was a buzz of activity. A flood of office workers had filled the place, which was not that big. There were about 5 or 6 vendors. I had my eye on one place that looked like they sold chicken fried with chili, but there was a long line. Instead, I settled on a soup place because there was no line, there were easy pictures to point to, and it looked like the soup I had seen minutes earlier being sold on the street outside my hotel. I have not worked my way up to sitting on the street and eating, but that is the next frontier.

So I pointed to the picture and the woman asked me in English what kind of noodles I wanted. Gee, this was easier than I thought it would be. I ordered wide noodles, got my soup, put some condiments in it (different kinds of chili sauces mostly) and then hunted for a table.

Most tables were taken and those that didn't have people had umbrellas or other things reserving them. I finally found an empty spot next to two women and sat down.

The soup was good. I've had it before. It was a rich, pork flavored broth with pieces of pork, fish cakes and fish balls. It might have had a few prawns, I don't remember. I was the only foreigner there. I felt like I had forced my way into a private club, but no one seemed to care.

After lunch I went to the Blue Elephant Cooking School which is one skytrain station from where I am staying. I could have walked, but walking is not a pleasant experience in Bangkok due to the heat and traffic. Even the short walk to the station is grueling, walking along a soi with no sidewalk and lots of traffic.

I was served an herbal tea made from lemongrass with a beautiful orchid in it while I waited for class to begin. At 1:30, we were led to the classroom.

Our teacher was a young Thai woman. I think she said her name was Ni. I don't remember. Her English was good but sometimes a little difficult to understand. But once you got used to certain pronunciation difficulties she had, it got easier. Green for example was geen.

She showed us how to make a dish and then we went into the kitchen to prepare it. We did this with every dish we made. She also demonstrated a dipping sauce that we did not make.

We made four dishes and a desert - the first one was yellow curry with chicken, potatoes and pineapple. She showed us how to make the curry paste, but we made our curry with red curry paste (already prepared) and yellow curry powder and turmeric. Next we made desert - jasmine cake, made with mung bean flour, coconut milk and palm sugar. It was like a custard that was then baked. After that we made sweet, sour spicy prawns, fish baked with herbs in a banana leaf and grilled beef salad (yam nua).

Yam nua is one of my favorite Thai dishes. The first time I had it, two cute young gay guys from Northeastern Thailand watched as I ate it and the sweat poured off of me. They thought it was comical. They then explained to me that it was a northeastern dish. I think the name translates as "waterfall" or something like that. It has become my test of how good a Thai restaurant is. If they can make passable yam nua, then I think it is a good restaurant.

Well, the yam nua we made today was okay, but it didn't seem authentic to me. It was missing something and it definitely was not as spicy as the one I had years ago. I guess I can experiment and try different recipes, but what I found was that it is not hard to make at all. It seems like a good way to use leftover steak (not that I often have leftover steak, since I don't eat steak that much).

I opted to eat my meal in the restaurant but the other students in the class got theirs to go. I thought about getting mine to go too, because I have a refrigerator and a microwave in my room (as well as a little stove), but thought it would be nice to eat there in that lovely setting.

When I went down to the restaurant, the table was set with my four dishes. I started with the fish which was fabulous. A nice piece of sea bass baked with dill, basil, lemon grass and a paste of garlic, coriander root and galangal. It was perfectly spiced and really yummy. From there I sampled the other dishes and decided to eat the prawns. I knew I could not finish everything, I was already full, so I got the beef salad, the curry and my jasmine cake to go.

I don't know if I will ever become a masterful Thai chef, but I am learning some good little techniques to make Thai cooking a little easier. I mean, when you think about it, in households all over Thailand, people, mostly women, are preparing these dishes with nothing more than a mortar and pestle and a little fire. If they can do it, so can I.

Ah Bangkok!

I'm old. Officially. It's true. Not that I just turned 50, but my body is telling me that it just isn't like it used to be.

When I lived in Japan from age 29-35, I made many trans-Pacific trips - long ones. I don't remember them being as hard as the trip I just took. It seems my body just doesn't like flying much anymore. My knees started to ache about halfway through the 12 hour flight to Tokyo from San Francisco. I got up several times and stood as much as I could (since I had a bulkhead seat, I could stand up and not bother anyone), but still, my legs were killing me. By the time I reached Bangkok over 24 hours later (28 hours door to door), my ankles were swollen and I was exhausted.

So first, a message to any young folks out there who might be reading this - don't wait until you get old to travel. I'm so glad I did a lot of traveling when I could because it seems to me, unless I spring for business class, I'm not going to be doing a whole lot of long trips anymore.

But, what a pleasure it was to arrive in Bangkok. My first trip here was in 1991. I was living in Japan and took a short vacation to get away and study for my comprehensive exams as I finished my masters. I flew to Bangkok, green as they come, got roped into staying in a hotel without knowing where it was, and took a "city tour" which included me buying lunch for my guide and driver and going to workshops where they did wood carving, made Thai silk and sold gems. I think we visited two temples before they took me shopping. I thought I would never get to my final destination, Koh Samui, but I did.

A lot has changed since that time. Not only do my ankles swell when I take long trips, I also know not to talk to anyone upon leaving customs. I ignored the tourist information booths, the calls for "taxi?" and any other offers of help. I walked as if I knew where I was going, which I sort of did, but didn't really since Bangkok has a new airport. I just followed the signs and my instincts.

Bankok's new airport is really spectacular. I could live there. I followed the signs to the "public taxi", which was downstairs from arrivals (for some reason, kind of hidden) - told them where I was going and got a short, sort of gremlin looking taxi driver who I did not have much faith in (based on a very judgemental first impression). I was not sure where my hotel was located exactly, though I had an idea and a google map. I told them the name. The driver didn't know it. I said Silom Soi sam (fortunately I know how to count to three in Thai - had it been Soi 4 or 5 I would have been out of luck).

As we walked to the taxi in this almost underground taxi hangout, the driver turned to me and asked me where I was from. US, I told him. "Washington?", he asked. No, San Francisco, I told him. I wonder if he knows where San Francisco is.

We got in the cab and he continued to ask me questions. Was this my first time to Thailand? How long was I staying? I reservedly answered because I was waiting for him to try to sell me something - lady massage, a tour, gems, something, but to my surprise and delight, it never happened. He was just a nice guy making conversation.

I asked him where he learned English. At first I thought he said by himself, which is usually the answer I get. Turned out he had said Saudi Arabia. He worked for 7 years there at Lockheed, a US company. He took classes at the US Embassy. There is a whole world out there that I am not aware of. His English was good. He understood everything I said, and I understood most of what he said.

It was after 2 a.m. when we began our journey from the airport to my hotel. I told the driver when I first came to Thailand there was no freeway, no skytrain and the taxis did not have meters. He told me skytrain was due to open in December and pointed to an overhead train track running to the airport. I wasn't talking about the airport line because I didn't even know it existed. I was referring to the two lines that run in the mostly touristy areas of Bangkok. In the old days you had to haggle with taxi and tuk tuk drivers anytime you wanted to go anywhere. Now there are air-conditioned meter taxis, skytrain and a subway. And the freeway makes the ride to and from the airport quick and pleasant. Bangkok is growing up nicely.

We moved quickly through the mostly quiet streets, most buildings were dark and there was very little traffic. I could smell the distinctive smell of Bangkok from the time I got off the plane - a mix of food (lemon grass and galangal), camphor and eucalyptus (Thais are addicted to the stuff)and car exhaust fumes. It is a heady mixture that I wish I could bottle and inhale anytime I need to feel myself back here.

It turned out the hotel I am staying, the FuramaXclusive, is the same hotel i stayed when I was here in April 2008. It was the Unico Sathorn then. It's a nice hotel, located on a quiet soi between two major streets - Silom and Sathorn. It is near the Patpong night market, which I avoid, but I like the convenience of the shopping centers, the skytrain station and other amenities that this area provides.

I was hoping I could order some room service when I checked in, but the kitchen was closed, so I unpacked, set up my computer and went to bed. I woke up at 8, feeling like I had slept all night and got to breakfast by 9.

I love Thai breakfast. Usually they have pretty much the same as what they would eat at any other meal it seems. My favorite thing is rice porridge with chicken or pork.

At the buffet here, they had porridge, but it was plain. I tried adding some things to it, but it wasn't as good as the rich porridge they make with pork or other flavorings. I also had some fried noodles with vegetables and chicken stir fried with basil. I looked at the other tourists eating eggs, croissants, and the typical breakfast stuff that does nothing for me.

I went on to have some fruit - papaya and pineapple, and then ordered some fried rice with pork. They made a mistake and brought me chicken. It wasn't that good, but I really could not complain about the choices they had laid out in the breakfast buffet.

I went from breakfast out for a walk. Usually by 9 a.m., Bangkok is sweltering, the air thick with humidity and the smells of food, exhaust fumes, camphor and eucalyptus and the clogged, polluted canals. But today, the air was fresh, not so humid and the temperature was mild by Bangkok standards.

I walked to a little foot massage place I usually go to. It used to be an open air seafood restaurant, but a few years back, the restaurant closed and they built a little shack for massage. The last time I was there, I was a little uncomfortable because they tried to get me to go upstairs for a full body massage and I felt there may have been a little hanky panky included, but for foot massages, this is a good place.

I asked for a foot massage and a pedicure. The woman who sat down and grabbed my feet asked me if I wanted a manicure. I said no, only a foot massage and pedicure. A few other women were walking around chattering and laughing. I assumed they were talking about me. I tried to pretend I understood Thai so they wouldn't get too carried away. In the end, I just laughed along with them.

As I drifted off into deep relaxation while my foot was poked, massaged and rubbed, I felt another pair of hands grab the other foot and begin my pedicure. Every time I opened my eyes, the woman doing the massage would ask if I wanted a manicure. I would say no, laugh and close my eyes again. Finally after about the 5th time I put my hands under the towel they had laid on my chest. We all laughed.

My massage and pedicure cost me about $12. After tipping, I spent about $18. It was worth so much more

I walked down Silom Rd and stopped in a Family Mart to get some water and a toothbrush (I forgot to pack one). From there I passed a little soi (a soi is like an alley) that I have passed many times. Vendors selling food, fruit and clothes spill out from the soi onto Silom Rd and around lunch time it gets really congested with office workers buying lunch and other goods. I decided to walk down the soi since it would lead me to my hotel.

It turned out to be quite a major market. Lots of women's clothing with bears and other animals, sparkles and other designs mixed in with vendors selling Thai food, sweets, and fruit. The smells were amazing and I may go back for lunch. I saw my favorite Thai desert, which is a mix of little jellies, and other things like water chestnuts, that are served in cold coconut milk with ice. It is super refreshing and really yummy. I got a little bag to go and continued walking through this amazing hidden world which I have passed so many times since my first trip here in 1991, but never ventured into.

I was thinking of how well I know Bangkok. I've been here at least 10 times, maybe close to 20. I have lost count. It is always a convenient jumping off point for other places in SE Asia - Cambodia, Laos, Burma, and now Bali, but in reality, I don't think I really know Bangkok. I know the shiny shopping centers and have been to most of the tourist sites, temples, etc., but I would love to be able to get a little off the beaten track and see some more of the real Bangkok like what I saw this morning.

Either way, knowing it only on the surface, or getting to know it better, Bangkok is a city that always feels welcoming, warm and a little bit like home.