Kites and Sea Shells
/One of my favorite things to do as a little girl was to go to the bay in San Diego. I always loved the colorful kites, so free in the breeze. Sometimes we would attempt to fly one, but most often my mama and I would lay on a blanket and watch the kites dance above us.
Kites are always flying in Bali, and yesterday at Jimbaran Beach took me back to my childhood wonder. We braved the motorbike and made the 30 ish minute trek to Jimbaran (north of Uluwatu). We stayed all afternoon and into the amazing sunset.
One thing I know for sure is that the sun does not set the same way in any two places- it's different sizes, and shapes, and paints different colors on different landscapes. The sun is huge in Bali and sets directly in front of Jimbaran Bay, a ball of fire dropping into a cool blue ocean.
HINDU CEREMONY AND KITE ELATION
LAST RAYS OF JIMBARAN
As it set, we watched the kites, children jumping and chasing them, men with carts barbecuing corn, and Hindu ceremonies passing by. The Jimbaran airport landing strip to our right, we watched planes take off and we watched with fascination as the beach restaurants dragged dozens of tables to the edge of the water and transformed the shore into a collage of chatty patrons.
The energy on the beach was electric and it was beautiful to see so many people taking time to appreciate the colors spreading across the sky.
It was no different tonight, as we adventured to a different beach after exploring Cafe La Pasion and slipping down to Balangan Beach. This beach goes from white sand, to black sand, to corroded rock structures that create tiny pools of water; the sun glistened off of them in every direction and there were so many sea shells. Just like the kites, the shells transported me back to one of my favorite childhood past times where my mama and I would collect dozens of shells and glue them on popsicle stick frames.
As the sun slipped down over Balangan, Jay helped me find the best shells and I realized how lucky I am to be with someone who marvels at sunsets and will take the time to look for tiny shells in this vast world: someone who understands that it's all the little things that take us from sunset to sunset.
CAFE LA PASION, ULUWATU