First Days in India

 Ok, so here goes my first post.  I am not sure how this Google blog works yet or if it works at all and that is not too different a feeling about my experiences here so far.  I need to try and start somehow so please bear with me. Before arriving a read a book that helped me to understand the culture and how I could be successful fitting in.  It said not to make eye contact, not to touch anyone, not to get angry, buy local clothes and bargain for everything.  I have only been here for 4 days and I have managed to do everything wrong.  It is far more challenging to adjust than I expected.  Everything has been a challenge including working out the internet.  The people have been quite tolerant.  I think.  I really have no way of knowing how badly I may be offending everyone I come in contact with.  I am attempting to post some first impressions here.  I hope they make sense.  I made captions before uploading them but I don't see them.  Do you?

First, let me share that although I knew there would be smog here I was surprised at exactly how bad the air quality is.  This is a warning for us all.  Here is the view from my hotel room first thing in the morning and the sun is out, there are no clouds.  This is what the air looks like.  I will not share what it smells like.  A little worse than Los Angeles.  It feels and smells like the city has been burning for months. I am wearing a mask outside.

 I took a walking tour with this man, named Tariq, who used to survive on his own on the street and is now s leader in an organization called the Salaam Balik Trust.  He walked us through a bit of Old Delhi while he told his story.

 Rides available at the train station; entry to New Delhi

 Would you like a ride?

Selling everyday pottery

 This man was being very tolerant of me.

 Is it mail?  Garbage?  Worship?  I don't know.  I just like the way it looks.

 This is a stack of about 30 mattresses being stored during the day.  The children who stay here at night will bring them down to make their bed . I know I uploaded more photos but I cannot see them.  Please let me know what YOU can see!

Don't Do This

Apparently, this is an issue in Taiwan.  I know what the X means but what about the O?

Another Day, Another Creature.

I am not so sure this was a good idea

A really big creature I became friends with along the way.  He is cute once you get to know him.

Lunch with little lizards

A break with a bat

Dinner with a dog

little lizard checking me out

Here is what he looks like looking at you

a medium sized lizard

Jimbaran Puri Bali where the birds have a buffet

This bird will actually swallow this fish whole.  Honest.  It stays alive and wiggles in his throat for a long time.  I watched.

Bird battling with a fish it is trying to eat.

At breakfast I watched this bird eat not just one fish out of the pond but 2!  I have video of this phenomenon as well.

I didn't even care that it was about to rain.  I am not a sun worshipper anyway.  This was much more interesting weather and I enjoyed the breezes while just laying around- a rare thing for me to do with so much awaiting right outside the doors...

Aaaaaah.

A view of the beach and the ocean 

This is the outdoor spa.  It was hysterical.  the massage tables are inside each of these huts and the white curtain area is the reception.  you are supposed to feel completely private in the hut but I felt completely exposed.  The ocean is just to the right of the these "buildings"  Of course I had to experience it.  It was a very good massage even if I felt there were people watching.

The beach at Jimbaran Bay which was very private and quiet with bar service at all times

I bought these two protectors that will go on either side of the Bali bed in the garden.  They are also at Bali Frog in Bhatu Balan awaiting shipping instructions.  I actually think all of these pictures will post in the opposite order I want them too.  Please scroll to the bottom and start there!!

Oh yes and I even had this double swing chaise thing which I loved.  Isn't it cool?

The dining room and office space with the wireless internet that didn't work the entire stay because of the massive storms they were experiencing.   It knocked out their IT system so bad they said they would not have it repaired for 2 weeks waiting for replacement stuff from Jakarta.  how exotic.

A view of the dining room and office area from the bedroom at Jimbaran

Another view of the garden

This is me taking a picture of me in the villa

Half the bathroom.  I like the clever way they put the towels into a holder outside the bathtub.  There was an indoor shower and an outdoor shower.

The pool in the private garden.  Can you believe it?  It was a HUGE space and I was right on the beach as well.

The Bali bed in the private garden.  

This is Suarta, my butler at the Jimbaran Puri bringing me exotic fruits standing in my  private
garden outside the room.

The sofa in the living room of the huge villa I had all to myself.  I would like a couch just like this for my living room at home.  I even measured it.  While I was there I had a Reiki expert come to my villa to teach me Reiki and meditation.  This was the perfect spot for that class.  During my 2 hour session it was pouring rain outside, thundering and lightening the entire time.  We had hot tea and pastries together.

The Bedroom in my huge villa all to myself in Jimbaran Bay.  Each night at turn-down they set up the mosquito netting around the bed and leave me hot tea and pastries.

This is a lovely Ganesha I purchased from a lovely sculptor at a place called Bali Frog.  It is still at Bali Frog until I figure out a way for it to be shipped.  At least I have a photo of a lovely Ganesha.  It is a good size.  I would put it in my garden if I ever received it.

A picture of the living room in my HUGE villa in Jimbaran Bay

Fivelements Spa in Ubud where I got my prana fixed

There are 30 unusual huts along the river and I mean RIGHT ON the river.  You sit in the bathtub or in a chair on the balcony sipping tea that they have brought to you and the river is madly rushing by.  It was my most unusual and memorable spa experience and yes, they spell it Fivelements.  It is topped off with a gourmet raw restaurant but the spa is too new and quite remote so there was no one there but me and I wasn't going to eat raw food all alone.