The Medicine Man and the Market

How soothing it is to wake up to birds chirping and wind in the palm fronds. This place is a whole different world! Yesterday morning it was raining so hard there were rivers in the streets and deep puddles everywhere. You couldn’t walk without having your feet completely submerged in water. During this downpour, a fellow artist and I went to a Balinese medicine man together. It was an incredible experience. We were lead through the small gates in the side of the temple where he works, to a small area with a roof over it where about five people were already sitting and waiting. He was probably in his seventies, a small man with a white shirt on and a black and white plaid sarong. As he treated people, you all were there watching. It was amazing to watch him work. When it was my turn, I was impressed by the fact that before I had said much, he had already triggered the side of my throat that had been bothering me, and quite a few other symptoms that I hadn’t even mentioned. I am eager to see how I feel in the next couple of days! 

              I then went to Ubud with our entire clan of six. We first went to the art store, which was surprisingly well stocked, then on to the supermarket. It was the first open-air supermarket I have seen, but it seems to me that everything here is open-air.  I went to buy two things, chocolate and water, but left with a bunch of other odds and ends as well.  As I was checking out, there was an Australian man behind me who was buying a bunch of crazy looking fruits. One of which was about the size of a plum with red skin that was very spiky. When I asked him what it was, he said he wasn’t sure what it was called but that I should take one to try. Man was it delicious! It tasted like a lychee, but it was much bigger. It was so good, I had to go buy a whole bunch.

            We then all headed to the art market, where it is hard to come out without a lot in your bag. It was so colorful, with stalls and stalls full of fabrics and dresses of the brightest most beautiful colors. It was hard to tell, though, what was authentic and what was not. Most stalls had the same items. But nonetheless, they were all beautiful. The most important thing was to master the art of bargaining. When you first ask the price, they usually say something way expensive, and then you have to give them a counter offer. Most of the time I would end up paying about half of their initial price. I think I did pretty well, although I definitely got suckered into a few purchases. One of which was a dress that I don’t even like! Haha. They can be so persuasive!

            As I lay in bed writing this, I am full of ideas and excited to have a full day of creativity. I now have all the supplies I need to go to town! I will show you what I comes of it on the next post....