A Quiet Time in Sanur

Sanur was where the majority of pre-WWII expats settled on Bali. It's easy to see why they chose the Eastern Coast of Bali with its protective reef and warm water to build their fine homes. While some of these old homes still exist, hotels and modern villas have taken up most of the beach front property.

                                     You too can get hitched in this giant glass diamond!!!

After the madness of Gili T, Sanur was a welcome break. A package holiday destination, Sanur also caters to those who come to Bali for retirement, as well as those who work for the few embassies and NGOs in this part of Indo.

The entire area of Sanur is connected by a 4 km long beach walk; great for running, checking out the waste array of traditional; fishing boats all freshly painted for the tourists or having a bite of fresh seafood. We were also happy to learn a bit about those Europeans who were first drawn to Bali. Belgian painter Adrien Jean Le Mayeur traveled the world in the early part of the 20th Century and finally made Bali his home when he fell in love with a much younger Balinese woman (the European painter, young Balinese dancer combos happened quite often it seems, another famous team being Spaniard Antonio Blanco and his lovely dancer wife). Nearly 100 of Le Mayeur's works are on display at the artist's former residence, a small hidden home surrounded by garden. Unfortunately, as one of the oldest museums in the country, without proper ventilation, or shelter from the elements many of the paintings have faded. There are however many lovely works, as well as beautiful antique Balinese carvings and artwork decorating Le Mayeur's former home.

Apart from our trip to the museum, our time in Sanur was dedicated to catching up on our reading, and sleeping (thanks to the lack of early morning wake ups due to the call to prayer or the multitude of roosters that liked to hang outside of our door on Gili T).

                                          Boat stuck on the Sanur reef