balinese cowboys

It is amazing how forward the Balinese men are.  When you walk down the street they all smile at you, say hello, and then ask “boyfriend?” hahahah, or sometimes they just say “yes?” (I was not aware that could be a question with absolutely no context or existing conversation... I think it means “yes, you like me?” or “yes, I can do something for you?”)

In our first week Caitrin had a local women warn her that the men “do not have feeling, they just want your money” (that’s a paraphrase, but that was the gist of it).  I think you would have to be pretty naive to not pick up on the fact that the men will hit on any woman with a pulse and a purse...

On Kuta beach they are particularly bad... I had heard about the “Balinese Cowboys” (local men that hang out with foreign women and get them to buy things) but I hadn’t realized how common it really was...

The first time I walked down to the beach I had a surfer come up to me, say hello, ask where I’m from, then say “all I ever wanted was a beautiful Canadian wife” ... yeah... right... I took a picture, started laughing and walked away.

I think the most interesting experience (so far) was on Legian beach (right next to Kuta, but a little more upscale) It’s really neat there, every evening at sunset a bunch of (very trim) men have football (soccer) games on the beach.... nice to watch...

So I was down on the beach putting a hard day in at the office (aka tanning, dozing, reading, listening to music) and I decided to go for a swim.  This beach is known for having a very strong current and people die each year getting swept out to sea (so I’m told) and there is actually “no swimming” signs everywhere.

Because of the known water danger (and my teeny weeny pink bikini) I went to wade in and cool off (not too deep so my bathing suit doesn’t get away from me, and I don’t.. you know... die).  I didn’t even get to my knees when a half a dozen Balinese men start walking towards me... they split up, and the most attractive one comes right towards me... as he makes his move the others go deeper and start diving into the waves...

So this guy (no idea what his name was... it’s hard for me to retain names anyway, and when they are names that I haven’t heard before and can’t pronounce, there is no hope) does the norm... says hi, asks me where I’m from, tells me he’s been there before for one night (in his dreams), asks me if I have “boyfriend”, apologises for his English (which was choppy, but not too bad) ... as we are chatting we are wading a little further, the waves are getting higher, and I am becoming increasingly aware that my bathing suit is a “tanning” suit, not a “swimming” suit (as I have to hold on to my bottoms so I don’t expose my...) this man is clearly into me (I mean my Canadian money) smiling and watching me struggle with my attire (jeez I’m like a sitting duck!) I can tell he can’t understand half of what I’m saying (me: so, what do you do? How is it that you can be at the beach in the middle of the day on a week day? He: I play football on beach.  Me: every day?  He: yes.  Me: So, how do you pay for living? How do you survive?  He: I play on beach.  Me: no, how do you make money?  He: giving me a questioning and confused look... and I gave up)...  and then he asks me if me and my friend are (and he motions his fingers together) I laugh, no I am not a lesbian (and then I realize that he must have been watching us to know that I was with my friend) ... evidently he took that as his green light, grabbed my hand and tried to lead me to deeper water (where the other men are waiting... watching... probably cheering) and he “helps” me with each wave and conveniently positions himself behind me so I fall into him.... yep.  That was it for me.  I laugh, shake my head, and tell him I am going back to my friend.

I’m Free!  I mean... these men are pushy, so that could have quickly escalated into an unwanted situation... not quite. He follows me back to my chair (trying to hold my hand on the way) asks me if I have “phone number” I lie and say no (I actually do have an Indonesian sim for my phone) then he asks if I have “facebook” ... I laugh and sit on my chair... he sits down near my legs (Caitrin and I start laughing) He asks if he can “take picture” of me.. sure.. why not.  I take the opportunity to get a picture of him (at this point I realize this is a “story worthy” situation) .... then I do what any polite Canadian would do, and open my book and start reading. (hahaha really I should have just been forward and told him to get lost) ... he takes the hint and disappears...

For a minute.

He reappears with some child playing soccer and helping her kick the ball (right in my line of sight) Caitrin and I laugh and joke that he probably paid someone to borrow her... I resume reading... he comes back, puts his blackberry on our table and informs us that he is playing football now (and all of the men make a soccer field in the sand and play as the sun goes down).

The sun sets, I take pictures, and we start to get a chill.  We decide to go shower the beach sand off before dinner and start packing up... my friend reappears with another man. He sees that we are leaving and asks if he can come to my hotel with me (hahahahhah!)  His friend tells me that he (my pursuer) likes me, but does not know much English.  I smile and say goodbye.  They ask what hotel we are staying at, and he offers to give me a ride on his motorbike.  (not likely!)  One last attempt, he asks if I will be back tomorrow... I say maybe and goodbye... we hurry away before they start to follow....

All  I could do was laugh.  I mean, if I really wanted to pursue my "brown baby" goal as I tend to joke about (yes, I say that one day I will have little bi racial babies, and that way I can ensure that I am able to live in at least two Countries... Canada and baby daddy country), this would definitely be the place to do it!  But then I would... you know... have a baby.  And that would put a damper in my travel plans wouldn't it!

Don't worry mom, I'm not doing "that" here.