Graptolite - Birds, Beasts and Crap Coffee

Graptolite's Sailing Log
Martyn Pickup & Heike Richter
Sun 9 Nov 2008 15:26
08:44.45S 115:12.80E Bali International Marina, Monday 10th November PM

I had an interesting day today. I shared a car and driver with ancient
mariners, Bill & Jill Dennis, first met in Australia, who tell me they have
been at sea for 17 years. Certainly there doesn't seem to be anywhere else
they haven't been in the world except for the uplands of Bali.

The day started out conventionally enough with visits to a bird park and a
reptile park. Both good. Then a look at some workshops and market stalls in
Ubud, with so much hassle from shopkeepers that I ended up only buying one
batik shirt even though I wanted more. Artwork here is generally cheap and
can be good quality but it seems getting to a reasonable price can only be
achieved by them grabbing and shouting at you while you pretend to walk off
down the street. Unfortunately, you also get the grabbing and shouting even
if you don't want anything to do with their hilarious penis-shaped bottle
openers.

Lunch was in a restaurant with a great view over the huge volcano of Mt.
Batur and lake. We then had a wander around a couple of big
intricately-carved and very puzzling Hindu temples where we had to put on
sarongs and sashes. I suppose it's only fair as they make the statues and
even trees wear them here.

In the afternoon we went to a place that did coffee. I'm not sure what I was
thinking of but I went for a cup made from coffee beans that have passed
through the digestive tract of a mongoose-like critter. As Jack Nicholson
says in 'The Bucket List' movie when he has his favorite expensive coffee
explained to him "You're shitting me" and a terminal but jolly Morgan
Freeman replies "Nope, cats beat me to it!"

In the evening we had a personal guided tour around Bali Zoo, in the dark
with a young girl with a spotlight. Most things that can eat you are very
active then. A big sleepy male orangutan reluctantly came to converse by the
offer of some star fruit but the lions were very enthusiastic about some
lamb chops which we had on the end of a big stick.

M