Archive for July, 2011

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    Dive Shops in Trawangan Gili Islands Bali
    The diving is apparently very good here on the island with several dive shops all with identical prices. It was explained to me that they all decided on a set price to keep compeitition between the shops friendly and prevent a pricewar from breaking out. So their main focus now is to provide the best service to attract customers.  It is 2,700,000 or about $315 all inclusive...
    by Rex at July 31st, 2011 at 06:07 pm
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    First impressions of Trawangan, Gili Islands, Bali
    The Gili Island of Trawangan itself is much much different from what I was expecting. I think the good old days of relaxed backpackers, drinking mushroom shakes and hanging out on the beach in bean bags like what was described to me by Indonesian locals in Sanur is long gone. I’m not sure how often they update the Lonely Planet guide, but the one we have is from...
    by Sandra at July 31st, 2011 at 05:07 pm
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    Rex, hustled, hassled and hot, arrives safe in Gili Trawangan
    Trawangen Ferry At last I have arrived safely on Gili Trawangan. It was a real mission to get here.  Got into a cab at 8am and arrived at the island probably about 6:30pm, so almost a full 12 hours of traveling. We pretty much got hustled by a “tour” company which really pissed me off, but overall cost wasn’t too bad getting here. It’s  just...
    by Rex at July 31st, 2011 at 05:07 pm
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    Rex taking off for Trawangan Gili Islands
    Everything affordable on Trawangan island is booked. I got a Lonely Planet and tried to find some places that don’t have websites. It seems a lot more people want to go there than there is accommodation. Affordable places to stay, that is, like not $150 a night! Perhaps that’s a business opportunity? Open a backpackers! haha Decided just to head out tomorrow...
    by Rex at July 29th, 2011 at 02:07 pm
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    Little Ethiopia on Fairfax south of LACMA
    Messob's on Fairfax Ave There’s a string of Ethiopian restaurants and food shops in one short block on Fairfax south of LACMA on the Miracle Mile in LA. In fact, you don’t really need the sign that says you’ve arrived in Little Ethiopia. Picking a spot to eat was strictly right-brained and we were so lucky to stumble into a lively eatery filled with...
    by Sandra at July 28th, 2011 at 09:07 pm
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    A social day at LACMA with Ray’s Stark et al
    There’s plenty of art to see, but there’s also a social life to be enjoyed at LACMA (Los Angeles County Art Museum). Ray's for lunch White sails in the noon sky Topiary in the plaza Kinetic interactive sculpture Free Afro-American-Latino Jazz concert Stark's bar with video of The Mourners Ballet   Happy Hour  
    by Sandra at July 28th, 2011 at 08:07 pm
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    Rex looking at a quick trip to Gili Islands off the beaten path
    On a side note, I may be traveling over to one of the Gili islands near Bali with someone from the hostel. Going to do some research today, but the main island, Trawangan, largest of the three, is supposed to be full of backpackers, bars and just a really friendly fun atmosphere. Lots going on. It’s both a romantic getaway location and a party destination for backpackers. Most...
    by Rex at July 28th, 2011 at 07:07 pm
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    LACMA permanent collection of Islamic Art is almost as impressive as Gifts of the Sultan
    Carved Ivory tusk, Moghul India with human figures from the permanent LACMA Islamic art collection (as all photos on this page.) At LACMA, we visited the Gifts of the Sultan exhibit with an impressive collection of gifts either given by various Sultans of the Ottoman Empire to other crown heads, such as the Tsar of Russia, or received by them. Photography was not allowed...
    by Sandra at July 28th, 2011 at 04:07 pm
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    1001 Inventions at LA Science Center: Islamic Science in Golden Age plus Arabia 3D
    1001 Alchemist tents The interactive exhibit at the LA Science Center is definitely worth checking out. Geared to kids, as most of the Science Center is, there is something there for all of us children at heart. The achievements of the Islamic World during the time of the European Dark Ages are impressive. Too often we think of the Arab-speaking world as the repository...
    by Sandra at July 28th, 2011 at 03:07 pm
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    Kuta Bali Nightlife of T-shirts, Epedrine, mushrooms, and Bintangs
    Kuta Nightlife Part 1 photo credit: http://www.jakarta100bars.com/2010/05/bali-nightlife-vs-jakarta-nightlife.html Going to the core area of Kuta at night was a very different scene than the daytime beach area.  There are tons of clothing and souvenir shops, all of which try to drag you inside to look around.  My friend from the hostel wanted to pickup some shirts, so...
    by Rex at July 21st, 2011 at 09:07 am
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    Kuta, Bali beach resort
    We ended up taking a taxi to Kuta for $7 over and $8 to get back. It’s always the best to negotiate before you get into the cab what the fare is going to be. Cab drivers here will often try to rip you off. Kuta was pretty much exactly what I expected it to be.  It has a very long beach with a nice surf break, but was clogged up with 100′s of people in the...
    by Rex at July 19th, 2011 at 08:07 am
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    More Faces of Freedom Fighters in Gaddafi’s war on his people @wheelertweets
    The battle for Free Libya rages. These are more faces of the young men who are giving everything to make a new country of hope. American James Wheeler is there, in the hospitals of Tunis with them, recording their stories via twitter. Please see the many articles posted on sandraoffthestrip which recount the heroic stories of the bravery and sacrifice of these Libyan Lions....
    by WheelerTweets at July 16th, 2011 at 06:07 pm
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    Ali, legs lost in Misrata, waited 27 days to sail in fishing boat to Tunis hospital @wheelertweets
    Meet Ali, an inspirational son of Libya July 14. Tunis hospital. Meet Ali, an inspirational son of Free Libya.  He’s a Misrata freedom fighter hit by a Gaddafi Grad on May 13. Both legs amputated. Ali said the Grad exploded at his feet and the blast threw him 10 meters away. One of his comrades was literally cut in half.  He waited 27 days to get out of Misrata....
    by WheelerTweets at July 16th, 2011 at 02:07 pm
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    Changed my air ticket home
    I had a flight booked from Bali back to San Francisco July 18. But am extending my visa, so needed to change flight. Tried and tried to figure out how to contact Korean Airlines. There was no way that I could see to change this ticket via the website and the offices for the telephone number are closed on the weekends. Didn’t know what to do except try get hold of...
    by Rex at July 16th, 2011 at 10:07 am
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    Twitter with Purpose
    Like all writers, I love words. I like to play with them and caress them, putting just the right ones in the right combinations to tease the senses or trick the mind. My fiction is sprinkled with phrases that linger between poetry and prose. I also like to write pithy, straight forward facts and opinions expressed directly, with no frills, no icing on the cake. That’s...
    by Sandra at July 15th, 2011 at 02:07 pm
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    Extending my Bali visa
    Visa extention is in the works. Guy came by the dive shop yesterday and I gave him my passport and 500,000 rupiah [US$58.]  [8500 rupiah roughly to the US dollar or 9000 to the AUS Dollar]. He said it takes about a week  for everything to go through, so he’s going to send me a txt when its done. The process is underway, but I won’t have my passport for the...
    by Sandra at July 15th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
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    On Federal debt deadlock and GOP risk to America
    Op-Ed by Frank Harbinger “The current deadlock in Washington over the expansion of the Federal debt ceiling is a threat to America’s economic stability. It (not the debt, but the deadlock and criminal failure to act) is a severe risk for the world’s economy and a grave financial a danger to countless individual Americans. It is also an unprecedented national...
    by Frank Harbinger at July 14th, 2011 at 03:07 pm
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    Conditions in Tunis Hospital for Libyan FFs by @WheelerTweets
    Live 3am. 1st floor of this private hospital in Tunis where many Libya FFs are patients. Raw sewage everywhere. Bad Live (3 am): 1st floor of this private hospital in Tunis where many Libyan FFs are patients. Raw sewage everywhere. Bad. Some injured FFs I know from Misrata, Zintan and Kikla are on this floor. I’ve been staying nearby recently, since returning from...
    by WheelerTweets at July 14th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
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    Open Water Scuba Diving Certificate Bali
    It’s official!!!  I just finished my Open Water Scuba course and passed! (not that it was that hard). The dive today was pretty amazing. Went to Tulamben (the same place I went snorkeling the other day), but got to see way more of the wreck since I was under the water. The wreck site is the USAT Liberty. The 2nd dive was at Coral Garden – both at Tulamben,...
    by Rex at July 14th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
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    Récits de tortures et de viols dans la prison libyenne Abu Salim par @WheelerTweets
    Libya Moyen Orient et Afrique du Nord / WheelerTweets / 12 juillet 2011  Traduite par Isabelle Madesclaire @IsaMadesclaire Cet homme a été torturé dans une prison de Tripoli pendant 84 jours. Cet homme a été torturé dans une prison de Tripoli pendant 84 jours. Electrocuté dans l’aine. Des crosses de fusils pressées à fond sur l’estomac. Brûlés...
    by WheelerTweets at July 13th, 2011 at 03:07 pm
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    Sen Diane Feinstein’s reply to my message on Libya support
    Thank you for writing to express your views about international military operations in Libya.  I appreciate hearing your position on this issue and welcome the opportunity to respond. Please know that I support the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-led efforts to enforce a no-fly zone and arms embargo over Libya aimed at protecting civilian populations from Colonel...
    by Sandra at July 13th, 2011 at 02:07 pm
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    Beer, massage and Irish pub and music in Sanur Bali
    Last night had a pretty big adventure here in Sanur. I started just kinda wandering around, trying to get a feel for the area, and somehow ended up walking in circles like 3 times. By this point, I was getting really overheated and started feeling light headed. So I popped into a bar and got an ice cold beer and sat under a fan for a while which cooled me down. At this...
    by Sandra at July 13th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
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    Tales of torture and rape in Libyan prison Abu Salim – from @WheelerTweets
    This man was tortured in prison in Tripoli for 84 days. This man was tortured in prison in Tripoli for 84 days. Electrocuted in his groin. Gun shafts twisted in his stomach. Burned with cigarettes. Beaten. Ligaments crushed. The list goes on. Too much for Twitter… Can’t show his face or disclose his name. He still has family at risk in Tripoli. For now,...
    by WheelerTweets at July 12th, 2011 at 09:07 am
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    Strumpton Coffee Roasters in NYC serves up great brew
    Strumptown Coffee Roasters, Ace Hotel, NYC I love a good coffee shop and am always looking for the right place to get the right foam in the right atmosphere. This article was posted by Christine C Quinn who has been New York City Council Speaker since 2006. She represents the council’s 3rd district with all the great neighborhoods of Chelsea, Greenwich Village, Hell’s...
    by Sandra at July 12th, 2011 at 08:07 am
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    @WheelerTweets “Freedom Fighter Stories” from Tunis hospitals – tales of bravery and no money
    3 Guys from Kikla at a tunis hospital. Rida (far right) says the pain is gone when I'm there. That's me, James Wheeler, the guy with the camera. Many of the freedom fighters are in a long-term care facility in Tunis. Libyan FFs here are the most forgotten of all. Lights are turned off to save electricity (expensive in Tunisia). Untended cleaning carts litter the...
    by WheelerTweets at July 11th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
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    1st day of diving class in Bali
    Diving Sites Bali Today was the first day of my diving certificate class at Bali Scuba in Sanur. I’m the only one currently taking the class, so everything went smoothly and quickly.  My instructor said it can sometimes take a while if there are 4 or 5 people, because everything needs to be 1 at time and if one person is struggling, then everyone else has to wait. The...
    by Rex at July 11th, 2011 at 09:07 am
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    Whitewater rafting in Bali
    Over the dam Went whitewater rafting for the first time today, which was really fun and exciting.  They were supposed to come pick me up between 9 and 10am, but they ended up coming at like 10:45 – right when I was about to give up. The driver apparently couldn’t find the villa – which turned out not to be the last time that day he would get lost. I...
    by Rex at July 9th, 2011 at 07:07 am
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    I love this song for Zintan Martyrs of the Libya Feb 17 Revolution
    by Sandra at July 7th, 2011 at 10:07 am
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    Misrata July 6 Rally: LIBYA LIBYA LIBYA LIBYA
    Watch and be thrilled, inspired and proud. The JOY of it. Gaddafi eat your heart out. Are these the beeble who love you?
    by Sandra at July 6th, 2011 at 11:07 am
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    Brave Faces in Gaddafi’s war on his own people @WheelerTweets
    Mohammed 9 yrs old hit by Gaddafi Grad This is Mohammed. 9 yrs old. He was hit by a Gaddafi Grad while playing outside his house at 5 pm on June 5 in Zintan Libya. His left hand and two toes were ripped off in the blast. His face was pummeled. A piece of shrapnel remains in his eye. I’ll never forget the way Mohammed looks at his left arm and feels it with his...
    by WheelerTweets at July 6th, 2011 at 10:07 am
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