The charms of Bali and your neighbourhood

After having visited other places in South East Asia, it is only natural I think to compare them to Bali. I can only imagine if we had come to Bali straight away from Canada, with no other experiences in Asia to draw upon, it would have charmed and amazed me as an exotic and beautiful place. I am still charmed, but it's a subtle spell. 

Just for fun imagine you didn't have to concern yourself with working for a living. Where would you live? Perhaps some in Canada would choose a tropical paradise like Bali but I don't think I would like to live anywhere else but Canada. The main reason is it's my home, plain and simple. It's where I feel most comfortable, in a culture and environment, both urban and natural, I understand and like to think I appreciate. Perhaps the winters are a bit long for my taste, and I wouldn't mind skipping the odd one, but I think I would feel out of place without the seasons. 

I'm sure most of the Balinese would say much the same thing about this island. This is their home, their culture, their natural environment. Why would they live anywhere else? In Vietnam I got the sense from a few people I spoke with that they would consider moving elsewhere for a better life if they had the opportunity. I don't get that feeling here. The Balinese seem to be quite comfortable in their environment. It shows in many ways. For example, the way they interact with foreigners like me, calm and gentle, greeting me with big smiles. It's like they are happy. I think that's it. And I think foreigners who come here for the spa treatments, yoga, guitar lessons and whatnot are drawn here to capture some of that happiness. 

Here's the big life lesson you can gleen from the Balinese if you're paying attention. Slow down and take it all in. As we would say, "stop and smell the roses".  Or as one guy here put it, "stop and listen to the brook". That's the best advice I've gotten here since "try the curry" - it's tasty by the way. 

We ran out of time to get the golden hour tour from a local art collector and curator named Rai Agung who runs a great art museum here called ARMA. But I know where he's going with his tour where he shows people his favourite misty forest at dawn and points out the "beauty and poetry" of early morning village life. He's from here, he has cultivated an appreciation for the place over a lifetime, and he's happy to share his joy with others. 

As I sit writing this, the sun is starting to set, and sunlight is peeking through the clouds to reflect golden across the water soaked and newly planted rice paddies. The swallows are having their last dance over the fields, catching their dinner, before it's the turn for the bats to put on their show. The breeze is cooling as the leaves move without a rustle. It is silent, save the sounds of nature's crickets, birds, and the odd rooster in the distance. Their are two smaller birds picking their way at the insects in the field, occasionally turning to each other to sing a song or grouch at each other. The moon is almost full and on the rise, soon to ascend directly over us later this evening like last night. Catheleen is on the same path, about to go out with Elizabeth to the next village to watch the white cranes leave the rice paddies en masse to roost for the night in the nearby trees. 

I'm sure the ARMA guy could point out the beauty and poetry of this setting better than me, but I get it. I should invite him to a golden hour tour from my deck at the cottage in Ontario in the summer, or a nature walk though Gatineau park in the fall. 

Every place has its charms if you open your eyes.