New Locations

 I've discovered of late a couple of new coffee places to go to. It it seems that my life revolves around coffee, that's because it pretty much does. It's not the coffee so much as just something interesting to do, somewhere to go. I don't drink anymore, so I rarely go to a bar or a club. Also, I can't stay awake at nighttime. I did go to a local club recently (the only one I know of in Sanur actually). The music was rather good really, very professional, and I was enjoying listening to it. But then a hoard of people came in and one woman among them eventually asked me to dance. Yes I, who have challenge enough just walking. Not wanting to rude, however, I danced with the woman, and that was fine, but then she wouldn't go away. Just kind of kept hovering over me. Gave me her card, pointing out that her number was on the card. Did I mention that this woman did not interest me at all? That's probably an important detail here. Anyway, I eventually excused myself, having stayed later than I had intended to. Clubs, for a nondrinker, can be uncomfortable places as they pack up through the night with drinkers. One simply does not enter into the mood (or is stupor a better term?). 

So about these coffee places. One is out on Jalan Danau Poso, called Gecko Coffee. It has actually existed for a long time--I remember going there years ago. But it has moved to another location and is much larger now and more comfortable. There is a little outdoor seating area in the front, and then an open air upstairs section. It's quite a pleasant little place with a small, pleasant staff (the staff members themselves are not particularly small, but the number of them is). Oddly, this place appears to attract mostly long time bule residents in the area of a seemingly rather bedraggled nature (myself included, I suppose). Last time I was there, I went out front to sit and ended up across from an elderly woman whom I determined by-and-by to be actually a man. Long gray hair, thin as a rail, wearing what appeared to be pajamas. This customer was eventually replaced by a New Zealander, as I would guess from his accent, somewhere around my age though hale in appearance and looking as though he had been under the sun wind surfing for the past 7 years or so, sitting there now in 7 year old dungarees rather frayed with time. In the upstairs section, it is only fair to add, there were two younger men, in their 40s, I'd say, who were in much better repair, intensely focused, as young people tend to be, on their phones and laptops. 

The other place I found just today, and by accident actually. I was looking for somewhere else--a warung I remembered eating at some years ago--and walked into this place instead. I had some kind of spicy squid dish with rice, but then found upon paying my bill that they have "Ngopi Pagi"--morning coffee--buy one get one free! Can't beat that, so I'll give it a try later this week.