On the Side of the Road

In Bali the sidewalks are very different from the sidewalks in the US.  The sidewalks here are made out of tiles that are red with flower designs on them.

The sidewalks are very uneven and they go up and down all the time.  Sometimes there are big holes in the sidewalks where you can see or hear the water from rain run-offs or maybe the sewer.

When you walk it is kind of hard to keep your balance, especially at night in the dark, because the sidewalks are so uneven.  When you walk you also have to watch out for animals roaming the sidewalks such as dogs and chickens.  Sometimes you see cows in fields right next to the road.  Once I even saw a man walking a pig down the sidewalk on a leash.

Another common sight in Bali are motorcycles.  There are about a million motorcycles in Bali!  People use their motorcycles as we would use our cars.  We've seen whole families on motorcycles--Mom, Dad, 2 kids.  We have seen babies, groceries, chickens, rice, vegetables and baskets full of fruit being carried on motorcycles.  If you see 2 caged roosters on the back of a motorcycle, they may be for cockfighting.  Cockfighting is a common sport in Bali.  It is part of their religious ceremonies and culture.  Cockfighting is when 2 roosters are put in a ring with knives attached to their claws.  They fight each other until one dies.

Some of the things we've seen growing on the side of the road have been coconuts, bananas, rice, peanuts, cabbage and tomatoes.  The side of the road in Bali is SOOOOO different from the side of the road in Rockport!