Eat-Read-Sketch-Kind of Day in Bali

"We are the instruments of our own performance, and to be effective,

we need to recognize the importance of taking time regularly to sharpen the saw..."

- Stephen Covey 

After an exciting first day in Bali, I wanted to wake-up early and enjoy a morning jog along Seminyak beach.  But I hit the snooze button too many times until I just totally shut it off and I hid under the crisp white sheets for a few more hours.   When I woke up, the sun was fiercely shining. 

I got into a cab and asked the driver to take me to Jalan Kayu Cendana. where I wanted to have my brunch. Jalan means street in  Bahasa, the Indonesian Language. I remembered one friend who travelled to Indonesia and could only remember the word "Jalan" in the address of their host.  She later realized that almost every street in Indonesia started with "Jalan". Yeah she got lost but eventually found the correct jalan she was looking for.

A Leisurely Brunch

It was crowded by the time I got to Sisterfields Cafe. It was Sunday just before lunch time. I sat on the high-chairs facing the al fresco dining area.  Foodie blogger Lady Iron Chef  mentioned Sisterfield's was one of the best cafes in Bali.  

My fist time to try Eggs Benedict.

I took her recommendation and got myself  Eggs Benedict.  It came with either Bacon or Smoked Salmon.  Difficult decision. Salmon or Bacon? Bacon or Salmon? Healthy or Not? Chose Bacon. 

I had one of the most leisurely meals of my life. Stared at my food (and took a few photos) instead of straight-away devouring it.  Sliced it into into smaller portions. Savoured every tiny bit.  Allowed the tastes to linger in my mouth before swallowing it.  This was one of the things I enjoyed and truly appreciated thanks to my unscheduled day. If you were a busy working person like me, you would admit skipping several steps and going straight to the swallowing part most of the time.   Having the chance to eat at a leisurely slow pace was just heavenly :) 

Drawing What's On My Mind

I took out my sketchpad and colored pens and drew some nice purple flowers.  A maroon-colored dragonfly came and I quickly took photos of it, anticipating that it would quickly fly away. But it didn't. It lingered there and I later realized that it resembled the flowers I drew. 



When we are not limited by time, our creativity flows.

Discovering Some Artsy Places

To ease my guilt for eating  a generous helping of bacon, I went for jalan-jalan (stroll) afterwards.  Seminyak is a haven for artsy folks because there's just too many shops selling nice stuff.  Not too good for those within a tight-budget though as some can be a bit pricey.  Folkart Gallery is one of the shops I would suggest that you visit.  They sell different arts and artifacts.  Careful with the tag prices though as some could be in Indonesian Rupiah and some would be in USD which would make an enormous difference.

Various colored fabrics from different Asian countries.

Almost bought this Onyx necklace thinking that it was only 200.000 IDR.
Thank goodness that the owner informed me that it was 200 USD!

As I browsed through the items in the shop, the owner stood from her working desk and went over to chat with me. I got to know her as Linda, an American lady who was over 60.  She migrated to Bali several years ago and opened this shop  together with a friend.  



There's something very special about choosing the perfect card for a loved one.

She shared a little about her shop and the jewelries they create. She designed the cards she was selling and printed  them locally.  And I thought to myself that maybe I could do that with my sketches too.

She asked me where I was from. Singapore I said. And she asked how I find living in Singapore. "Oh, I love how everything is clean and organized and I could go out to the streets almost any time.  But life can be crazy. There's a lot of pressure," I explained.  

Contemplating

I headed to another café suggested by Lady Iron Chef, Living Stone Cafe and Bakery along Jalan Petitenget. Like how it was described in the review, It's the kind of place where you could spend an entire afternoon reading.

Tall glass windows, high ceilings, comfy sofas, soothing music.

I've had Stephen Covey's "The 7 Habits of Highly-Effective People" for several months but I still haven't gone past Habit 3.  I hoped to finish it during that trip.It's very timely that the 7th habit shared in the Book was about renewal, about taking some time-off to refresh yourself spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically. It re-assured me that I was doing the right thing by taking some rest in order to sharpen the saw.  I underlined those sentences that truly spoke to me. Pausing and pondering what it truly meant and how I could apply it in my life specially after the trip.   

I will leave you with an excerpt from the book.  Ponder on it and feel free to share with me what comes to your mind.

Suppose you were to come upon someone in the woods working feverishly to saw down a tree.

"What are you doing?"  you ask.

"Can't you see?" comes the impatient reply.  "I'm sawing down this tree."

"You look exhausted!" you exclaim. "How long have you been at it?"

"Over five hours," he returns," and I'm beat! This is hard work."

"Well, why don't you take a break for a few minutes and sharpen the saw?" you inquire. "I'm sure it would go a lot faster."

"I don't have the time to sharpen the saw," the man says emphatically. "I'm too busy sawing!"