when i say today i meant yesterday....

Today we went into Kuta to walk around and do some "shopping" I say that with quotations because really it was Meg who was looking for this one thing in particular and the rest of us brokies just along for the ride!! Turns out today was like, THE hottest day since we have been here and we were just like sweatboxes, dragging ourselves from street market to street market. The best part was seeing Jons reactions to the cat callings of the street squatters- "gooday mate" and other aussie slang – they pretty much just assume everyone is Australian and it infuriates Jon to be associated with the bintang –tank-top-wearing crowd! ( its true though- the stereotype is sooo true!!) So we didn't even buy anything in the end, but we did make it down to take a look at the memorial from where the bombs went off. Sunday was the six year anniversary of the bali bombings and so the stone wall was decorated with mounds of bouquets and careds and other items. It was surreal and sad standing there looking at the names of all the people who died that night and it was humbling to see what the Balinese people had done in honor of the tragedy. I remember finding out about it that day and feeling more distraught then I did when the planes hit the towers in NYC. Not because I cared more, but because I had such a connection to the exact place where it had happened and had felt the exact way those people did the moments before their deaths. That is most terrifying thought really. The biggest tragedy is what that bomb destroyed for the people of bali and those who treat this place as a mecca for peace and kindness. The hospitality and genuine kindness that the Balinese people are re-knowned for was ripped apart with that night and the struggle to restore that level of serenity has been an obvious fight. Its different down there now- it just feels different i dont know how to describe it but its kinda sad:(