It is light in Mataram. This is my second awakening - the first was at 4 am at the sound of the first Muslim call to prayer. Lombok is mostly Muslim, unlike Bali which is predominantly Hindu (kind of an exceptional situation in Indonesia). Our traveling companions from the Gandhi Ashram are: Puji, 18, whose family lives in Lombok, and Mangde,24, who is our driver. Mangde's girlfriend (20?) somehow showed up for the ride - she is a Hindu theology student. Indra has most generously lent us his car for this part of our trip since he is in Jakarta (meeting with the prime minister, etc!) I noticed he packed quite a few white sarongs in his suitcase.
After the 4 hour ferry ride across the ocean to Lombok, Gede joined us. He lives in the Ashram in Bali but preceeded us in order to "prepare" things. I believe this was his mandate from Indra. He has a PhD. in Philosophy from a University in Calcutta, so his English is very Indian inspired. He explains all things Hindu easily and since he has studied other philosophies and religions he can make comparisons. He claims that Nitzsche (sp?) understood Hinduism. The difference is that when Westerners read Nitzsche they think of EMPTINESS as a negative concept whereas the VOID in Hinduism is a FULLNESS. The altars in front of houses and business are largely empty chairs or thrones - meaning that the deity is unknowable, impossible to conceive, imagine or personify.
The pool is the centerpiece of this Indian inspired hotel (Graha Ayu- it has internet, so it might have a website). I don't think we have ever been so glad to see a pool. Last night we got in around 7 pm and we were in the pool by 7:15 pm. The Bats swooped down - it seemed like they were taking tiny flying sips of water from the pool. There was no one but us - first time we haven't had our entourage!
At dawn, the birds are as plentiful as the bats were last night in the central courtyard of our hotel.Our room has a lovely front porch looking out onto the pool, peaceful green lawn and lovely tropical trees. It is truly an oasis. Mataram is as dense and noisily buzzing with motorcycles as Denpasar. The same jumble of shops, the roads a combination of large transport trucks and hordes of motorcycles with one, two, three people aboard. AND driving on the OTHER side of the road (to my western eye = CHAOS)
I just noticed a scurrying creature running down the walk and thought Gecko , but no, it was a mouse. The cute little gecko is above me on my ceiling.
I feel like a failure in the toilet department. When you think how humans managed without toilet paper for all of history until the 20th century? Half the world still knows how to do it the ancient way, but I haven't figured it out. There are ancient crafts techniques that have been lost, ancient music, ancient architecture, and now this ancient practice of doing your daily business without toilet paper is lost! I can't even image exactly HOW one deals with it. There is a tank of water and small communal bucket in the bathrooms. Does one throw the water UP from below or pour down from above? And as you might imagine, it isn't the kind of thing you can ask someone to show you how to do...
Yesterday, Gede and his girlfriend joined us.he is a delightful person and is now a teacher of Hindu philosophy. His girlfriend was rather uncommunicative, but she is a local so was very helpful. Yesterday was another too long day of sitting: An hour + to get to the ferry, 4 hrs on the ferry, 30mins to get to Mataram, 30 mins to get to Sengigi. The hotel Gede had chosen for us in Sengigi (beach town) was a resort that started at $125 DOLLARS, so we turned around and ended up back in Mataram at the Hotel Graha Ayu (means beautiful house).
I'm taking pictures but am not having luck uploading them to this blog or to Picasa. I was able to upload the one you see, so I'll tell you about it!! That is PUJI our lovely guide and her dance partner, Gede (this is DIFFERENT Gede from the one who is with us now). On January 28th we attended an art opening for a venerable Balinese artist. it was a BIG event - first snacks and later dinner was served. At first there were several groups of children performing, then French and Japanese consuls got up to speak as did the artist.
there was sort of a ribbon cutting ceremony at the door ( but the ribbon was a large lei of marigolds) and in we went to the gallery. His interesting introspective rather dark work (Balinese monsters coming out of the mist) was upstaged IMMEDIATELY by Puji and Gede's "yoga dance" which they had choreographed themselves. Maybe you can see in the photo how they are dressed Indi an style - she is wearing a sari. They danced slowly and smoothly through yoga poses which they then HELD - perfect for photos if you have a decent camera- It was mesmerizing. I also have pictures of us acting up afterwards - but only this photo was willing to be displayed (you now how willful photos can be..)
I love you ALL and appreciate hearing from you as well!
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