Tues. Feb. 8 - Sanur, Swastika Guest House ( a traditional symbol here - predates the Nazis by 1000s of years )

Last full day of this trip.No plan at all; it's been raining off and on so far.I'll just read and then use free wifi at a café nearby - lots of good choices available.Anyway, yesterday I walked around to see the few things there are to see here: a quick walk-through of the Le Mayeur home/art museum and then a meander up to the N. end of the beachfront walk plus a bit beyond, to an area with a few locals sitting in the shade relaxing and watching fair-sized waves break next to the shore and crash onto the rock wall.A fair number of travelers were on lounges in the shade at the top of the beach; I was gratified to see so many reading.( BTW book exchanges and shops here have very little in English ).I got a few photos of interest, including a local guy with a big scorpion tattoo on his chest ( he's a 'Scorpio', he explained. ) It was hot and my T-shirt soon was soaking wet, but I had lots of energy and just kept going, slowly and trying to stay in the shade when I could of course.

I have met no one here for conversation and don't expect to.The other foreigners I see are mostly European couples older ( many MUCH older! ) than I am and content to keep to themselves.Many live here, I've read.To locals here, I'm just one more bule, undistinguished from the thousands they see constantly.Their English seems at best barely up to handling the stereotypic transactions with tourists.

( later ) Alone at Cinnamon Cafe, where I just had a great mixed-kebab lunch ( just the smell of it cooking was worth the $7! ) and a large beer - and chatted with Connie for the first time in weeks ( Skype, of course ), including a brief time actually talking till the connection dropped.Earlier I went back to Hardy's and got some very expensive muesli to help me through spring, though I will need to start making my own eventually and should be able to do a reasonable approximation for a much cheaper price.Since I've gotten several books here for free, I don't feel so bad about paying a lot for breakfast cereal.

No more rain, but it's still cloudy and less warm than yesterday.I will go back to the hotel and use the pool, and then have a simple dinner at the hotel's own café tonight.