Finally at Tanah Lot                                                   Back

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As we drove down hill to the sea and Tanah Lot, the girls started singing in Bahasa  Indonesian. Though I couldn't understand most of it, I would pick up a word or phrase once in awhile but it didn't matter anyway, They sounded happy, vibrant and that's what was really important. Seeing, or in this case hearing children, enjoying themselves is probably the best medicine in the world & even though I was already on a high, that singing lifted me even higher. I was only sorry I couldn't (As I sometimes do with children back home.) sing along with them.

Quite a few songs later we pulled into the parking area for Tanah Lot. We had to walk about a half mile to get to the temple, all of this on a walkway that led us through lines of shops. The Balinese, it seems, are always selling something.

We were early for the sunset so we went to get are luck from the snake, he gave it with style. What surprised me was the fact that the only girl who was afraid was Ketut but she showed a brave face & also touched the head of the snake. I give that 4 year old a A+ for bravery.

After we had paid our respect to the snake, we went up to the terrace that overlooked Tanah Lot and ordered dinner. The scenery from our table was spectacular (I'm running out of adjectives to describe the beauty of Bali.) & from I don't know where, the quiet music of a tingklin floated in on a sea breeze.

The crowd started to drift slowly onto our terrace as the sun got lower and lower in the sky. By the time it touched the water we had made many new friends. One couple stands out from the rest, they were newly weds from Hong Kong, on their honeymoon. It wasn't long after France had turned Hong Kong over to the Chinese. We got to talking and naturally the subject of that takeover came up. They weren't really worried about the change of government in Hong Kong, "So far" they said, "not much had changed." what did worry them was a question I had heard over & over again. "Do you think Bill Clinton will be impeached? How come Americans worry so much about sex? It has nothing to do with government." I heard that question from Europeans, Asians, Kiwis, Aussies & even a girl from Paraguay. From the Aussies & Brits "What if we worried about Chamberlain or Churchill or even Prince Charles." It seemed that most of the foreigners I met were worried about the scandal in Washington and how an impeachment would effect U. S. world policy. It seems Bill Clinton was as popular abroad as the was at home

They were a great couple and after I changed the conversation back to Hong Kong I got quite an insight into that city/state. They told me that they had plans to migrate to France or Great Britain if the Chinese government started, in anyway, to crack down on their freedoms. They had friends in both places they felt they could count on.

Our meals came so I left this delightful couple and rejoined my own little group. As we ate, the sun did it's thing and it did it in the most glorious way. I really wish I had been back in time when I was young and in love. It was one of the most romantic settings I've been to and here I was without a lover. (Mine was in California with someone else.) I mean after all I had petted the snake on it's head.

Would my luck bring me love? I thought to myself. "Maybe in Kuta Beach.".

To view some photos I took at Tanah Lot, click Here.