The real Lombok

The "real Bali" is a marketable commodity, accessible in eco-cultural packaged tours, usually starting at Kintamani and then working downwards and ending in Ubud.  Not so on Lombok where the "real Lombok" is all around you.  Yesterday we got Ketut to drive us from Senggigi through the almost continuous line of villages and townships that make up Ampenan, Mataram and devoutly Muslim Kediri, then on through Praya, and south to Kuta Beach, Lombok, on the southern coast.

Along the way Ketut described his perspective as a Hindu (Balinese) man making his way in an increasingly extreme (his word) Muslim society in Lombok.  He told us that rich Arab countries (especially the Arab Emerites) are funding the increasingly magnificent mosques that are proliferating in this poorest of poor countries.  These same countries are funding free (Muslim) education for high school age children, a big draw card in a poor country where families have to pay to attend government schools.

 




We were interested to see significant work already underway on Lombok's new International airport on the road to Kuta and the start of a new roadway that should bring increased opportunities for development in the south of Lombok.  (Although Ketut reckons the new airport may not be used by tourists.  He says it may just be used for Lombok's good Muslims heading off to Mecca for the Haj.)

Kuta just looked the same as it did 5 years ago when we last visited; if anything the children and the goats looked a little thinner.

We drove past Kuta to enjoy lunch at Ashtari, an Australian owned vegetarian restaurant on the hill overlooking Kuta and the beautiful Southern coastline beyond.  It was a haven after the rawness of Kuta.

Ketut put his Kijang to the test navigating the "broken" road from Ashtari to Mawun, a beautiful, isolated and completely undeveloped beach about 20 minutes drive West of Kuta.

I took this picture of the water in an attempt to capture sparkling TURQUOISE.  I have never seen water that colour before.

We met Gregg and Leigh and a few other local ex-pats at Asmara last night for Stammtisch (which is really just a word coined by Sakeena, the German owner, for a get together of regulars for the purposes of drinking and having a good time).

  
We were both entranced by these little girls and their Dad, contributing to the performance (by the same band as at Alberto's the night before).

And then afterwards to Happy's Club for a lime daiquiri with Leigh and a chance to enjoy the club's resident band, "The Not Bad Band" (I'm not joking).  The singer on the left channelled little Stevie Wright from The Easybeats and the lead guitarist on the right was channelling Kiss (don't know which one).  They did all the great pub rock numbers.  We loved it!