Entertainment

I spent my early evening rearranging my bedroom yesterday. I bought a simple shabby chic bookshelf to accommodate my scattered books. Like children shoes, I know this bookshelf won’t last more than a month or two. My collection grows rapidly even in Ubud with its limited bookshops. I’ve been selective but still nice books are in every corner waiting for me to buy. While searching for a nice one, I’m happy with the one I just bought.

I felt unmotivated after the rearranging. I had planned to go out to enjoy live music. I have called the café where Balawan plays. My safe choice. I was waiting for the time to go when spotted Anello Capuano show advertisement in a community booklet. I didn’t think twice.

I had intended to watch his show since last New Year. He doesn’t have regular performance in a café so I need to check event calendar to catch him. He’s Italian plays lutes, mandolin, flutes, and African percussions. His music inspired by traditional music from India, Middle East, Africa, and Indonesia where he lives since 2005. Since his show is one-man-show, he performs with the help of an ethno-electro music background. Technology makes possible for a musician to play anywhere in the world without bringing along the whole orchestra. I’ve seen some soloists did the same.

The performance was held at Adi’s Gallery, a newly open gallery owned by a German. He is an artist himself but open the gallery for other artists to exhibit and sell too. It’s a nice little house with funky art on display at the moment. The performer sat in the porch and some fifty in the audience sat in collapsible chairs in the front yard. I felt like attending a traditional wedding reception. There were only about three Indonesians among the audience. I didn’t feel like I was in Indonesia. I felt like I was on holiday somewhere although in fact it’s the contrary.

Listening to good live music hardly fails me. I felt good driving home passing small road I used to spend most of my time in the past. I felt funny to feel no connection with this particular part of Ubud anymore. My past is like TV shows without rerun. Enjoyed and gone. I realized that it needs creativity to entertain self since I live by myself.

I entertained myself again today in Denpasar. I went on a shopping spree with cousin Aga. I decided to buy a washing machine. I also went to check out the biggest hypermarket in Bali which turned out to be a fun place to visit (especially the bread section aah..). And to complete the trip, we also went to the well-known mall in Kuta. We giggled, we felt like coming back to civilization watching the branded shops. Aga wondered if I ever missed such life style. I don’t (but I shopped a bit).

We ended the day watching the sun went down in the back of the mall. It’s overlooking nice sandy beach. We talked about how life has brought us living in Bali – the thing that wasn't in our imagination twenty years ago. We discovered one thing about this new life. We lost one of the most fun holiday destinations — the place where we live now.

Photo of the sun in Kuta today.