Three funerals and a wedding

It's called 'snore' by those who are looking for a party life, but our most recent trips to Sanur have been far from boring. Last year we found ourselves there by default as the tail end of a cyclone had made our Amed accommodation uninhabitable. We secured comfortable walk-in accommodation, but during the night were roused by sirens. Well, it's a bit noisier than Ubud so to be expected. But the talk at breakfast was all about the shootings. Apparently police had been tracking a terrorist cell for five months in Java. When they moved to Bali, Sanur to be precise, they wasted no time in storming their cheap hotel and shooting them. Dead. All three. And that was only a couple of hundred metres down the road. Another two in Denpasar.  So boring? Not that time.

Yesterday we decided on the spur of the moment to catch a bus down to Sanur Beach. It's less than an hour's drive from Ubud, and you pass the traditional rice-growing areas as well as craft villages specialising in wood, stone and silver. In one we saw the preparations for a wedding, with everyone beautifully dressed and the gorgeous decorations all down the gang (alley) to the village hall.

Sanur itself had been hit by a severe storm in the early hours. We were unaware of this but the heavy surf swell and the debris - broken boats, rubbish, shoes (many shoes) - scattered along the beach told the tale. Tourists headed to Nusa Lembongan had to brave the heavy swell to get out to the outrigger that would take them there.
This provided some entertainment, but shortly afterwards, the dog patrol appeared. Armed with blowpipes they circled any stray dog on the beach and aimed. The yelping indicated that the feathered dart had reached its target. It wasn't pretty to watch but we were told that it is a government program to vaccinate the dogs, who quickly shook off their annoyance, were banded with a yellow collar and left to go their way. A good thing.

Sanur, being very flat, is ripe for a tsunami and warnings along the beach indicate the direction to run should there be an event. It's not a comforting thought. Provided everyone is evacuated in time though, it would be no bad thing for what is surely Bali's ugliest hotel (right on the beach front) with its even uglier wedding pavilion to disappear. There is no planning in Bali. Unfortunately.

We didn't expect to find a turtle conservation project right on the beach, but here it was, and all donations to keep it going are gratefully received.










Nor did we expect to find another cremation. Actually two. Much simpler affairs than any we had seen before, with the cremation bull constructed of simple bamboo. Loads of people participating and watching. A real community thing.

So what was intended to be a simple stroll along the beach provided endless interest. Sanur is much quieter than Kuta, but the stall holders are very keen to have you 'just look' at their wares. 'Persistent' would not be an exaggeration. But firmness and good humour usually saves the day, if not entirely to the shopkeeper's satisfaction.

And the third funeral? Just as we were leaving, traffic stopped for a long procession led by women, followed by the men and a walking gamelan. We were told they were on the way to the beach to scatter ashes from an earlier cremation. The Balinese certainly know how to do death.

Boring? Not this time either.