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Bali: Sanur beach picnic

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By happenstance and serendipity, Mister Bijou came across these gamelan musicians who were sitting and playing in the shade of a low-spreading tree just off Bali's Sanur beach path one late afternoon. The locale, the sun-dappled shade, the dry warm wind coming in off the ocean, the rhythms and sounds of this gamelan sonic world: it was one of those perfect moments.

Besides, gamelan is such a spacey sound! It's no wonder the aural tonalities and textures of gamelan caused such a stir in Paris in 1889 and inspired and influenced the French composers Camille Saint-Saens and Claude Debussy.

(click on photo to enlarge)

But on Sunday, 10 June 2007, why were these musicians playing on rough ground adjacent to a dusty parking area overlooking the beach? It was, it seems, part of a Hindu cremation ceremony (version Balinese) -- there was a priest and a photo of the newly departed, but the deceased was absent, and there was no funeral pyre. The puzzle wasn't explained then and thus remains.

If there is a next trip, Mister Bijou will load up on large memory cards for the camera and take some video. For the time being, gamelan: youtube

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(click on photo to enlarge)

Bali: Sanur beach

Miaster Bijou's first trip to Bali was too short and he hopes to return to explore more. This first time there were the undeniable pleasures of a five-star hotel (!) with its two swimming pools and several restaurants.

Not forgetting the firm and comfy bed, complimentary local fresh fruit, tea and coffee. Thirty TV channels, for those that care. And staff who knew my name. Out the window: manicured gardens and coconut trees.

Plus bike hire.

So, in between conference sessions, meals, swimming and sleeping, Mister B cycled along the beach path from one end of the bay to the other.

And also get a pedicure.

Then ventured into the "back country" and finally came upon a busy road and a taste of the other Bali: the Indonesian Bali.

Meantime, back at the hotel met some old friends and made some new ones.

Travel note: go wheel-chair assisted at airports and thereby avoid all queues for check-in and immigration. It's quicker, hassle-free, and if you fly Cathay Pacific they also give you a badge.

Ah, but home, sweet home. Having disconnected the computer and modem before departure, it was with some enthusiasm that Mister B fired everything up upon return. To no purpose. After much trouble and a day's hair-pulling, the problem was pinned down: a now dodgy graphics card.

Which meant on Wednesday a trip to Wanchai Computer Centre. Where someone sold me a new, superdooper GeForce memory-enhanced, state-of-the art graphics card.

Slot that in, up and running, back on-line, and the machine fair zips along. Though boot-up currently requires press F8 and choose Last Previous Set Up of Windows XP That Worked. . .

Anyway, so far, so good. Ta-rah!