Bali - People

Before I left Sydney, I had to prepare myself for facing the people and the culture I was about to meet, but I had a very vague idea about. The first contact with Indonesia was going to be at the Denpasar airport and then a taxi trip to the hotel. I assumed that the Denpasar airport is like any other airport and I seem to have quite a lot of experience in this field. I decided that once I am in the hotel, I will be on a familiar ground or I will ask for help my friend and the organiser of the Bali activities who should be there before me. So I needed only to figure out how much money I will need for the taxi and where to change my Aussie dollars to Indonesian rupiahs. I googled to find my answers, and sure enough, the answers were there. I am not certain how correct the advice was, but I was warned against money changers cheating but this, later on, was not my experience. I did not seem to observe any underhanded dealings. Maybe they were so good that I just was not aware of their tricks. Anyhow, if I was cheated I have not lost much money in the process, but I received many lovely, warm smiles from the locals as a part of the deal.

Google advised that I will not find the best conversion rate and airport, so I should change only that much money as I will need for the taxi and look for a better rate later on. This sounded familiar, my experience from other countries, including Poland, has been that airports, banks and hotels do not offer good conversion rates. The Goggle article kept scaring that the money changes that offer a favorable rate may cheat you. You are not to hand the money back to them for recounting as they are supposed to be magicians and can spirit out the notes without you noticing that. Hmm… I did find the place with “the best” conversion rate, and it was like any cantor I have seen in the world. The possibility of being cheated was in my opinion not existent. The article, however, created, perhaps wrong mindset of not trusting the locals.

 I must say that I am confused about this issue. I simply like the people. They are friendly, helpful and their smiles are heart warming. To me, their good intentions seem obvious. And how they all smile! I find a few things confusing, though. Let’s take the story of the taxi fares. Another advice of Internet was that I should use Bluebird taxis. I was told at the airport that there are no Bluebird taxis there but Gold Bird taxis instead. I though that maybe a bird in the name of the taxi chain is good enough, so I took a Gold Bird taxi. I paid upfront 285,000 rupiahs, and the transaction was made look credible as I received a very official looking receipt and I and lovely smiles from the girl at the counter and the driver. The driver was very friendly indeed and chatty. Being in a foreign country for the first time one does not have any choice but to go along with what one is told and use the first experiences as lessons. I did just that. The driver drove a “normal route”. That meant not via a long and spectacular bridge for which one has to pay a toll of 11,000 rupiahs, about $1A. I was not really given a choice, and the high number of zeroes made me feel that it was a lot of money. I was not told at that time that “the normal” way takes 40min and “the bus” way takes 20min. Actually, I did not mind going through the longer route as I could observe a bit of a Bali life on the way. The surroundings were not too exciting or pretty, but it gave me some initial impressions.  

As we spend more time in Bali, we travelled by taxis several times, the accepted way is to bargain the fare or go by the indication of the meter if a taxi has one. My friend struck a deal of 170,000 rupiahs for the trip to the airport. This was a significant improvement on my 285,000.  I was tempted to ask the same driver to take me there, but since my departure time was not certain, I decided to ask the reception to call my taxi when I am ready to leave. To my surprise, my fare was 110,000 rupiahs! This how much the taxi meter showed and I took the “bus” route. Go figure.

Reflecting on the fare differences, which for an Australian are really inconsequential, I wonder if I should classify such behaviour as cheating, taking advantage of dumb foreigners or way of doing business. I decided that it is just doing business and getting the best deal. My warm feelings towards Balinese could be maintained. It made me feel good.

Three and a half days in Melbourne – Day 1

It has been some time ago since my recent visit in Melbourne. It was in February, more than one month ago. Long time ago I intended to write my impressions or observations, I should perhaps say, but time passed and I somehow have not done it yet. Now is the time.

I have heard from many people that Melbourne has a European feel, but I never got an answer to my question – how so? After the recent visit there I am not able to answer the question myself even if I would agree with the statement that the city has a European character.  Wide pavements, trams, some vegetation greener than in Sydney… That is not that much, really. Must be more but I can not put my finger on it. It would be great if I could get some comments on the subject.

It was rather eventful three and a half days. Meeting friends I have not seen for quite some time, experiencing inner city living, Andy Warhol and Ai Weiwei exhibition, Botanical Gardens, tea at Hopetoun Tea Rooms, dinner at Pomodoro Sardo Restaurant, walks in the city, graffiti lane, taste of Moroccan tagine, simple and totally Chinese lunch at the Melbourne China town... It was all fantastic.

I rather like Melbourne SkyBus service, so convenient and even not expensive. I was greeted at the city terminal by a long time no see Polish friend. We had a nice light lunch in an old fashioned (in a good way) pub/restaurant. I forgot the name, but if I am in Melbourne again, I am sure I will find the place. It has this Art Deco look, the look of solidity I have been lately positively responding to. When the lunch and a quick catch-up were done I was collected by another friend and my host for the next few days.

The place of my Melbourne friends is in the middle of the city. Modern, spacious, newly and beautifully renovated apartment on the fifteenth floor with views on the Parliament House and the St Patrick's Cathedral towers. Great place, city living at its best. In the distant past I have lived in the very centre of Warsaw and then Paris, but all my years in Australia I have lived in leafy suburbs, so I forgot how it is to step into a hustle and bustle the second you close your home door behind you. Living in the centre of a big town where so many things are happening and are available hit me by its convenience and proximity of culture and entertainment. It was just a stroll to The Arts Centre, hundreds of restaurants and coffee places and other attractions. I am an art gallery junkie, so I took the first opportunity to see the very popular with Melbournians exhibition – Andy Warhol and Ai Weiwei. I never was very keen on Andy Warhol’s art, too Marilyn Monroe for me. I did not know Ai Weiwei’s art at all, but an art exhibition is an art exhibition, so I went to check out. It was a great experience, no Italian art, but art nevertheless and I liked Ai Weiwei work a lot. He is now on my radar and I will look out for his exhibitions. Since I like Chinese porcelain and Blanc de Chine is my second favourite after blue and white, I was particularly attracted to the big White Flowers composition. 

                 

                                    

I also liked the bike with flowers and walking through the various balloon rooms. This maybe was not exactly scary but I hesitated a little before entering the floating composition. Kids had plenty of squeaking fun there.

I said that there was no Italian art on display, but I found the place with exhibition of Alchemy of a Colour with colour blue as its focus and there I found Florentine pottery! I was totally happy.

Starting the post I did not expect that I will be writing it in installments, but it looks  that my Melbourne visit was packed with interesting and memorable events. So, I will continue.

Back in Gdansk

May seems to be the time for me to go to Poland. I have been doing that for quite some time and here I am – in Gdansk again. I came only yesterday and I have a jet-lag. Not the best time to write perhaps but I set myself a target of one post per week and I missed it the last week already. 

Some time ago I really hated the over 24 hours trips and traveled very infrequently to avoid the long flights and related expenses. I still dislike the trips but am more philosophical  and patient about the exercise. And I came to like Gdansk and consider it my second home. This morning I went for a walk to check how is the town after some months not being here.

 It is the 1^st of May and a public holiday in Poland. I walked empty streets in a sunny weather but it was fresh coolness is in the air. I suddenly remembered the smell and temperature of spring from many years ago. So different to Australian and I have  forgotten it for many years. Today it was like a refresher course in understanding some things about Polish spring again. One of my very close friends said a few days ago some words describing me and she said in closure ... and you are European to boot... Maybe I am to some extent European  but I forgot the basics like how the spring air feels.

Walking in sun was pleasant and warm enough even if I did not wear a coat. This was actually a mistake as I am still nursing my Australian cold and the clouds soon appeared bringing the temperature down to about 10 degrees. My understanding of Polish weather is not up to scratch yet.

It is much greener this year than it was the last year at the same time of May. 

That is how the park looked the last year  at the beginning of May

And  this is today, the 1st of May. Climate change?

 It is  much greener this year than it was the last year at the same time of May. My favourite chestnut trees are fully in bloom now and the lilacs are about to explode with their fragrant flowers

In Sydney it is past 10 pm and I feel suddenly very sleepy...