After Ganung Batur

a store on the way to the museum

I walked along the main drag, Jalan Raya. Jalan means road, I think, and is abbreviated Jl in all the countries I've been to so far. I was going to the Neka Art Museum.  The "concierge" at my hotel said it was only a 15 minute walk but it seemed a lot longer.  An art museum here seems superfluous because there's art everywhere you go.  Besides just about every store having something artistic, even if it's say, a Circle K (local 7eleven- bamboo wind chimes, masks, beaded baskets, wicker baskets, sarongs, ornamental knives, paintings, tile encrusted dishes and so on and on - there's artwork embedded in things like the bridges, doorways, the street and rooftops.  So the museum was okay and I'm glad I went.  A guy was playing a bamboo, uh, xylophone or marimba type thing and I jammed with him on another one just like it right next to him - until the other guy came back to play it.  

Next day I took a batik class.  I'd always wondered how that's done.

Then yesterday I took a cooking class and did a last little bit of souvenir shopping, getting a few musical instruments though they're Maori, like the thing that Crocodile Dundee makes a "phone call" with in the second of those films.

And today, my full last day here I feel like I did a lot.  Mailed 4 kilos of souvenirs home. Checked internet. Went to the Blanco Museum.  He's known as the Bali Dali.  Lots of birds there. 

Went by scooter to the ARMA - another art museum but with much more exquisite grounds and a lot more sculpture than the Neka. 

Grabbed another scooter to Horizon Glassworks since I've been trying my hand at glassblowing.  I'd emailed them first and they were expecting me.  Wow, what a bunch of neat stuff.  The scooter guy had given me his phone number.  And the glassworks are a bit removed.  So we called him when I was ready to go and he took me back to the Palace. 

Saw some guys playing soccer in the town pitch.  So after dropping my stuff in my room I walked down to them and got into the game.  Played with them until someone kicked the ball out of the park and broke a parked car's side view mirror.  They didn't seem at all concerned.  I hope the car was well insured.

Went home, cleaned up, booked a shuttle to the airport for tomorrow morning, had dinner and wrote this.  Next I go back to pack.  And tomorrow I'm in the air to Kuala Lumpur, arriving around 6 pm.  There's a hash both days I'm there.  Already contacted them and they seem willing to help me get to them.  So that should be extra fun.

Chinatown in KL