Going To Check Out Shadow Puppets

I politely declined the resort's invitation to watching an open-air (original) wayang kulit show. I assumed that half grew up in Southeast Asia and would have watched plenty and therefore we don't lack for a cultural education. I doubt the rest of the girls want to watch it. They're no children- I sorta expect them to know what it's all about already.

Later, the girlfriend who didn't grow up in Asia, whispered, "Good. Don't want lah. I watched quite alot of them on youtube already." I was like, "What??! Youtube??!" The other 3 sheepishly admitted they hadn't seen a 'real' one either. Oh dear. Sometimes, youtube isn't a substitute for authenticity. Sure, one can get a picture of what wayang kulit is from the screen. But nothing beats sitting down and watching the shadow play happen in front of you, admire how the dalang controls it all and hear the music live by skilled musicians.

We're in the centre of classical Javanese culture. What better place to soak in the performing arts? Even though I'm really not keen on watching the Ramayana or the Mahabarata for the nth time, I guess I'll have to sit through it again. Well, there is always something else to do. But peer pressure rules. So it came to pass that we would all trot to watch a wayang kulit show in the rustic village square tonight.