Poor World

 Coming up now on this week's end date for lockdown. The 31st, I think. How long has it been now? I've forgotten. 

Well, I guess it don't really make much difference to me. Most of the places I go aren't really following the protocol anyway. It's supposed to be that you can eat/drink coffee/or whatever only outdoors and only for 30 minutes before being required to pack up your shit and go, but that, for the most part, is not how it is in practice. My usual spots in Sanur continue service indoors and outdoors and you can stay as long as you wish. In western type establishments, such as Starbucks, the rules will sometimes be in effect, sometimes not, depending on whether the manager happens to be working that day. 

On the other hand, many of the beaches are actually closed, some being guarded by the local Balinese police, while some seem to be open. All, however, are rather deserted, many establishments closed, and so not very attractive venues these days. Mostly, I've been sticking to the in-town establishments in Sanur or to the Starbucks in Renon. 

Supposedly, non-essential shops at the malls are supposed to be closed, and I've found this to be sometimes the case, sometimes not. 

In any case, a general reopening of Bali seems very far away indeed as COVID/Delta continues to roar through the island, and through the archipelago, making the whole place rather pointedly unattractive, even if it were to open. 

Poor Bali. Poor Indonesia. Poor world.