A Decade in Bali

 Ten years ago today, Dec. 9th, 2013, Katrinka and I arrived in Bali with only carry-on. Where'd all this other stuff come from?

Matcha Latte

There's a snazzy Italian place, Dimattina, about five minutes away by foot which has deserts that should be illegal and and a roastery that provides coffee for a lot places. They have a matcha latte with oat milk that is so good and it's authentic or at least the matcha is. The owner buys the matcha for 70 bucks a kilo and it's made with a whisk just like in Japan. Their chai is terrible though - a tea bag. There are two place that make chai like it was India. Both of them take forever to make it and I'm glad they're not in walking distance because I want two cups and once a week or when I'm out and it's convenient is enough for that. The other day I had to go to the ATM and I need trusty Nyoman to drive for that because I only go to one ATM at our bank with a 24 hour guard so the Bulgarians can't screw with the machine and drain accounts. On the way I dropped a travel cup off with the barista at Batu Jimbar and picked it up on the way back and got back to work. I try to keep caffeine to work time.

I llke to take Bandi with me to Dimattina and sit at a picnic type table in a nice grassy area they have. I sit there and let Bandi run around sniffing and mainly watching the golden carp in their long pond. I get into a zone that's so nice. The last two times I've been there I've gotten an apricot crumble too. So good. Limit - not more than once a week. Every employee we pass or who passes us wants to visit with Bandi. People here tend to ask the dog's name first, then they squat down and see if she'll come to them. I tell them Bandi is from bandit and that her full name is Bandita and sometimes explain that the ita ending in Spanish indicates small and feminine.