I think it is essential, for a person travelling alone, to make a freind or two who is loyal and devoted. I guess that is true anywhere you go in life, and I especially appreciate that Bruce is that person to me at home. But here in Bali, I know that I can trust and depend on Anik, her husband Nyoman, Putu (in the photo) the son of Mr. Gusti who owns the bungalows where I stay, and to whatever extent he is able, Ketut, the lower cast employee of Gusti...

I understand and enjoy the give and take of these cross cultural relationships. Yesterday, Putu and Mr. Gusti invited me to a barbeque of sorts in their family compound. Early that morning I'd listened to the clatter of utensils and the excited hushed chatter of women in the kitchen. They were preparing food for this family gathering before Nyepi. I couldn't believe they invited me! Mr. Gusti is usually so pensive and aloof, but obviously he respected me to invite me into this rather intimate gathering!

I was the only female eating, and not so sure what to do... but with gestures and smiles, I came to understand that it would be like our own family buffet style eating! Above you see a relative of Gusti's bringing back a basket of food which she brought as an offering to the family temple and then spread out as part of the food at the buffet. I was handed a small rattan plate with a wedge of coconut leaf on it. I served myself a generous portion of sticky rice (I was thinking that if the other unrecognizable food was not palatible to me, at least I'd be eating and looking like I enjoyed it!). Next there was a mixture I'd eaten before in the market... some sort of finely ground meat with green spices. The rest of the food I just took a chance on, and put a small helping around the glob of rice. This is what I had: cubes of duck wrapped in a leaf (greasy but good), a finely chopped pig mixed with a glutenous substance (tasted good, like sausage), torn up leaves, that looked like bay leaves, that were coarse and bitter. These were mixed with red spices. It was hot and horrible, and I resisted the urge to spew it out of my mouth. I kept it in, chewing and chewing, and the little pieces of leaves got stronger and stronger in my mouth. finally I resorted to the old trick from my childhood- cough quietly into a napkin!

All the food was eaten with the right hand, and we ate and watched a duck which was skewered from bill to butt and tied to a bamboo skewer, being cooked over a little habatchi style stove. It was smokey and smelled delicious. The little chips that burned were from the shell of the coconut. The women waited on the porch and at first I felt uncomfortable, but when I'd try to make eye contact with them, they'd smile and not. I knew it was okay, and that it was quite an honor. I wasn't really sure when it was officially over, and when I could go... so I started to play with the little children. That was perfect!