whole family on motorbike

carrying his rice

Komoto Dragon

Bali Hai

I had a lot of computer problems the past few days. It seems the ethernet cable I had was going in and out but went to the computer lab last night and Dennis gave me a brand new one so I should be good for awhile.  I did a blog both days and it did not post and did not save so I will try to remember where I left off.  

One of the pictures is a picture of me from the tv.  They video tape all the things for the WC and it seems I have been on the morning show twice now.  Once eating chocolate at chocolate tea and then at the Jazz brunch with my mimosa waiting for my pasta.  Hey he always gets me eating.  Maybe that’s because we are always eating!!!!!!

World Cruise Games.  I played free cell the first two games I was awesome I just solved them immediately and then the third game I panicked and lost.  Dennis the computer guy came over to me he said you had the gold what happened I said “I collapsed under the pressure.  I still came in 5th out of about 100.  Not good enough for a medal but my name is on the wall of the computer lab!  Then it was right to backgammon.  Well they set the board up different and I was totally confused.  I have no sense of direction so when you change things it goes all haywire on me.  I was knocked out in the first round.  Bill’s game came down to the last roll and he lost.  Oh well better luck next time.  But as David (entertainment staff who ran it) said you guys are still smiling and that is what’s important.  It was fun just to participate.  Today there is the closing ceremony we will go to nd then an early show at 7:45pm.  Usually they have two shows 8:30 for the early seating and 10:30 for the late seating but they have been doing this one show nonsense!  Can you tell I don’t like it.  It seems every time we have reservations at the specialty restaurant at 7pm there is an early show!!!!!  Oh well.  

As I said Bali was great I loved it.  The people are so friendly.  Our guide told us that 95% of the people are Hindu, 2% Catholic, 2% Muslims. 1% Protestants.  Most houses have some kind of temple I tried taking pictures from the bus but it was not easy.  I will go through and see if I got any good ones and post them.  We only traveled a short way but it took us 2 hours.  The roads (Highways) have 2 lanes each way but people park their cars and motorbikes all along so you are constantly going around things, people and dogs!  The other roads are one lane and hardly fit the bus and it was quite scary.  In fact if I didn’t have a heart attack between that and when the Elephant Driver got off my elephant and left me on there alone, my heart is Strong!  We went through many different villages.  It was nice to see all the different towns and modes of transportation.  In the center of the city they do have public transportation but when you go out where we were people either, walk, ride a bike or motorbike.  They put the whole family on the motorbike.  Mother, father and two kids!!!!  I even saw a really old lady on the back hanging on couldn’t help laugh picturing my mother on the back of that! Another great day!

Tomorrow we are on the island of Java, Indonesia,  There are 16,000 islands all in all some are not inhabited.  We had a choice of some beautiful temples to visit one was Hindu and one was Buddhist but they are both 3 hours each way for a total of 9 hour trip and so we passed and will just do a small tour of Semerang!  We will see some of these same type of temples in Cambodia, Thailand and China!   

Today was the Crew’s Tug of War and slippery pole contest so we went up and were lucky enough to get a seat in the shade.  They served rum punches.  It was really funny.  Some of the crew got dressed up as babies with bottles and all.  The stewardesses got dressed up as policewoman.  The dining room waiters made it to the semi- finals.  They had to play against the entertainment team in the semi-finals.  I routed for the entertainment tean when they played their first round but now that they are playing the waiters as I told “David, I can do without entertainment I can’t do without food”!  The waiter’s won so that is good they will all be happy tonight.  I left there and ran to my memoir writing class.  We had a guest speaker today.  Harm De Bji who is a georgraphy expert.  He worked for ABC as their geography specialist and for National Geographic.  Anyway he has written alot of text books for schools and also other books.  He has written a memoir also and spoke about that.  He was very informative.  After class Joe, meet with me and discussed my story about Hannibal.  It is going to be read on Friday!  He told me that I am a really good writer and it is really funny stuff and I could be the next Erma Bombeck...... DO YOU HEAR THIS CHRIS!!!!!!!!!  Of course I am not going to do anything with my memoir but I am loving doing this.  Well I  need to go do my hair and get dressed for informal night.  Then they are having an early Karaoke at 10pm so I will go to that! 

Just got back from the show, dinner and Karaoke in that order.  Augusto made us his special eggplant parmigana again with tiramisu for dessert yummy thank you Augusto.

Karaoke was fun but it is late and I have an early am tour.

 Tomorrow Java, Indonesia!!!!!!!!!!!

So good night and God Bless!