Australian Balls; and no, we are not talking about sports!
I live in a country that presumes itself to be modern, although an arm's length away from the government's desired 4.0 economic model they are striving to achieve.
Today's destination is Melbourne.
My perception of Australia has always been from a standpoint of vast uninhabitable land, cities scattered along the coast, easy going people, nothing eventful happening, with a 'no worries' attitude.
Two things astonished me:
Everything in that country worked, whether it was public transport, tourist bureau. trams, taxis, local markets, coffee-shops, connecting domestic planes with ease, and the strait-forward Aussie welcoming attitude. The spirit of the people, the expanse of the international mix making Melbourne, Sydney, Perth or even Brisbane not the end of the earth as Columbus might have imagined.
The other was:
The Aussie twang. It is something I have got to get used to. As much as it grates the ear, their fun and down home humour balances out the irritating drawl.
So fancying something very macho, "when in Rome...." I decided its now or never. My choice for the night was the very tempting luscious tasting Australian Balls. Well they are certainly a country that don't mince words. Balls tonight, Balls it will be.
White ones, Brown ones and even Black ones. In life, one must try them all to find out what one likes. Somehow our choices, cultures, and taste does not stretch that far and we pick the easiest less problematic choice. The Balls should be soft and yielding, they are tasty, some are presented with fuzz. Australian ones are particularly scrumptious and in Melbourne, Flanders Street is where you can satisfy your desire. Naturally they come in large and medium. Small are for "pansy's" Australian slang translated "a wuss" or a "wimp" So Medium Brown Balls is my wish for the night.
The MeatBall and Winebar is what I am talking about in case your mind went wild. The menu just says BALLS & ALL - they have Meatballs, Pork balls, Fish balls. Too much choice. But I wanted meatballs.
The suggestion was what should my BALLS sit on? A pile of beans, polenta, creamy mash or spaghetti? My BALLS were going to perch lightly on Spaghetti.
As I transported myself to oblivion taking my first bite of Australian balls, I looked up at the busy wine bar discovering the clientele had real macho men of different sizes, tall, trained muscles, groomed beards, loud deep voices with confident strides. Unfortunately none of these attributes my country produces; I guess effeminate Asian males probably don't eat Balls.
Tonight as I contemplate my country's far reach plan of the 4.0 economic model, its budget spending on submarines (we have no known enemies in the vast ocean) and return of promised democratic election. Maybe the world laughs at Australia's 5 Prime Ministers in 5 years. But I for one, a deep sigh, have no choice but to tolerate what we did not elect.
Balls to that.
PARADISE
Healing at NOKU
In my profession I heal people. With learned skills, clinical practice, words, soft understanding, and guidance - it encouraged me to continually help those in need more and more. Naturally accumulative problems takes my energy levels down, sometimes unknowingly low. And until I came to Noku Beach Resort in Bali for a beach holiday, and tried Reiki and Sound healing I soon realized my shortcomings.
Modern Science vs Ancient beliefs; well, it was time I opened my eyes and accept what science sometimes looks at disdainfully. My skepticism with a hint of sarcasm and quiet tone of derisory contempt attitude was not only rude but inexcusable.
I had no idea what to expect. The two and a half hours had such a profound effect on me that my skepticism and sarcastic attitude showed up my ignorance and stupidity which brought me down to humility. The shallow me began to understand how vibrations and energy can begin to heal many diseases.
If you have not heard of it, Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by "laying on hands" and is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one's "life force energy" is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.
The session of two an half hours of oil massage unlike any other massage I am used to; Stefany's healing hands directed at the spinal chord, where nerve tissues are formed. From the base of the neck to the coccyx, Stefany enabled the nerve fibres that coil up to stretch out. Modern living, fast-paced technology of one-button pushing results, expanding all possibilities to its limits; culminated in my unbalanced Chakras. Stefany managed to lay bare the nerve fibres and connect them through vibrations.
Towards the end of the hour long oil massage, Stefany produced the Spa’s small hand-hammered copper bowl with a mallet used for Chakra balancing, sound therapy and meditation. Lying on my tummy, head down, eyes closed, unaware of my surroundings; all seemed to be in tune with the world, as I sank into a meditative state. Until Stefany used the mallet to gently hit the side of the bowl producing a sound that made me jump as if I had an electric shock. Trembling from the top of my brain to the very tips of my toes, my whole body shook. Goose bumps appeared leaving me electrified by my own un-synched unbalanced chakras. As quick as it jolted me, I was suddenly in unison with the vibrations. I was following the sound as she moved the mallet to the edge of the bowl, the vibrations went deeper to a depth of an audible vortex, sending me into a parallel state of consciousness. I became part of that vibration seemingly entering an abyss of time, space, or perhaps the universe. Hard to grasp let alone voice out.
Healing finished, I walked out of the spa winding my way through the house; gliding into the sunset, the sea breeze engulfing my lungs, the harmony I felt with the universe was magnified. Could I, a writer, with the sway of words find enough phraseology to influence the non-believer?
The mystical energy of Noku Beach House, the constant sound of waves breaking on the shore; peace found where meditation didn't quite.
I was shown a space, perhaps fleetingly, where I can be in tune with the vibrations that heal.
There lies the mystique of Noku Beach House
