Monkeys and Roosters and Dogs! Oh My!!

Animals in Bali are everywhere. How the Balanise value animals is also quite interesting. Firstly, animals roam free pretty much everywhere. Now when I say animals, I am talking about dogs, cats, chickens, pigs, cows, monkeys (in certain areas), goats, birds, geckos, sankes, not to mention wild animals that simply are around the area. I may come across these animals walking down the street, on the beach, at the airport, in a restaurant, under my bedroom window, and anywhere esle I choose to go.

The Balanise do not really keep pets. If they do, it is usually a caged bird, but they are not always kept in their cage. Sometimes, they might keep a monkey (like the boys at Baruna). They will feed "srtay" dogs and cats sometimes, but not really have any emotional attachments to any of them. I have only met one man that actually takes care of two puppies.

What is the most interesting/annoying, are the chickens and roosters. Now we all think they "cock-a-dooddle-doo" at dawn. Let me just tell you that this is a grave misunderstanding. That or Balanise chickens have ALL forgotten their watches somewhere else. They bawk, caw, cock-a-dooddle-doo, wobble, ruffle their feathers at ALL times of the day. In Amed, I found it really disturbing.

Here in Lembongan, the locals who live next to Lindas have many chickens roaming around their property. At about 3:45am they begin their role call. That is, each one in turn, says "hello, I am here and ready to go." This takes about an hour and 30 minutes for them all to have a little solo time. From about 5:15 to 6 am they form little groups and do warm ups with about 3-5 chickens at a time. Then, as the sun is rising around 5:45-6 am, they all begin the morning, daily ochestral wake-up call. This lasts untill about 7-7:15. If they have not woken you up by 6:30, the smoke from the burning rubbish will. I can usually tell what time it is within 10 minutes betwee 3:30 ant 7:30 based on my clucking feathered friends. The first few nights all I could do was crave the Balanise dish -chickent sate (chicken skewers with peanut sause- Yummy!!)

At night, I am "gently" lulled to sleep by the gecking geckos. I am not really sure how to classify their sound, but it is probably in the catagory of a frogs croak, but it sounds like the word "gecko." Now the little ones repeat their pharse about 5-8 times in succession, take a few minutes pause, and start again. Some of the bigger ones can get to 14 and I have heard even 25 (the one that lives at the house of the owner of Linda's). So this is like listening to someone with repetitive bursts of the hic-ups until you mangae to fall asleep.

Now the people inland may not have it as bad with the chickens. What they listen to at night are the bells around all of the cows necks clagging back and forth while they eat. At the end of the day, it is easy to see that animals definately have a distinct place in this society.