Gutted but hey

That I had been keeping a journal, notebook, novelette in my back that got nicked so I am having to start over.

But Hey, I only need to look around me to see that's not such a big problem.
I have fast become firm friends with the streets kids here, in particular a little girl called Cuman who's maybe seven, yet wise way beyond her years, and her tiny friend, Ilia if she's four I'll be suprised. We go for drinks or icecreams most days and just sit on a walll and chat for a bit. They're beautiful, speak better English than many of teh adults due to teh fact it's the languauge they beg in.
It's not unusal to see children working long days here, selling fruit from a basket on their head, or bracelets or pencils. someytimes it's money for school, sometimes It's just I guess that the family need all the income they can get.

pretty much everyone here has one of four names, not amnongst themselves but to make it easy for the tourists. the Balinese get their number in the family before their name, Wayan or Putu meaning first born, madde or Kadak for second, Numan or Komang for third and Ketut for fourth, if there's more than four kids in the family they start again so number five is Wayan again. I met a woman yesterday who is one of twelve kids, couldn't help feeling for her mother.

Another Balinese custom revoilves around the offerings to teh Gods. Bali is primarilily Hindu although it also has a small muslim population. Outside every shop are small trays made from cocunut leaves fuilled with flowers. An offering to the gods. Inside every shop, yet more of the same, usually strategically placedc on desks and sometimes in mini temples. at the end of most roads, a larger temple where the shop owners for those roads place yet another pot. on average each shop owner will have around 8 pots. Before every meal the pot gets food, before evfery shower the pot gets water, before evcery drink, even alcohol, the pot gets first dibs. This is apparently a way of saying thank you in advance to the gods for the things people have.
I like it. In fact the more I learn about the Hindu religion the more I like it. It's all about balance, sometimes people ebven give gifts to bad spirits, as a way of saying if you are good to the bad parts of yourself the chances are they good side will grow. that seems to resonate with my thinking over the past twelve months or so, where I have been trying to be kinder to the bits of myself I am not so fond of.

There's so much to learn, to inhale about this place, I love it, but it's a tough place.


Julie x