Bali residents too busy to watch favorite games

Indah Setiawati , The Jakarta Post , Denpasar | Sun, 10/19/2008 1:35 PM | Asian Beach Games

Bali residents say they are too busy with their tourismrelated businesses to watch their favorite sports at the Asian Beach Games.

Residents working in the tourism sector can hardly take a break while their workload peaks during the holiday season and staging of big events.

Take Putu Hetty, who works in a shop providing car rental, telephone, Internet and money changing services, for example. The 34-year-old woman said she barely had time to watch her favorite sports, beach volleyball and beach basketball, because tourism would be robust during the Games, which takes place from Oct. 18-26.

Putu's workplace is located across the road from the bustling Centro shopping mall, the venue of bodybuilding competition, and close to Kuta Beach, which is hosting the surfing, beach volleyball and basketball competitions.

She will miss the thrill and the delight of the Games, while the events take place around her, she said.

"The more people come here, the busier we are. Even on Nyepi and Galungan holidays, I have to take turns with my friends to pray,"she said Saturday.

Putu said that if she wanted to take leave during the busy time, she had to find a workmate to cover her shift.

Only private or government office workers have time to watch the Games, she said.

At least 5,000 athletes and officials from 43 countries, including Indonesia, are taking part in the inaugural Asian Beach Games. Regardless of their presence, Bali is already a favorite destination among tourists from around the world.

Nyoman Karmayase, a stall owner, said the competition was okay for him as long as it did not cause traffic congestion, especially along the Ngurah Rai highway in Sanur, where his stall is located.

Although he barely has time to watch the events, he said he would probably set aside time to watch sepak takraw and Indonesian martial art pencak silat.

"For us, the Balinese, holiday is like a luxury. On religious holidays, we usually leave home to prayer,"he said.

But enthusiasm remains visible among other local residents, who say they are determined to watch the major sports event.

"I will definitely watch soccer games because my old friend will play as the goalkeeper," Yandi, a gas station attendant, said. He added he was curious about how some events that were not usually played on the beach, such as pencak silat, would be played.

"It's weird, right? But I will give it a try and watch,"he said.

Meanwhile, Eka, a cleaning service employee at a shopping center, said she was more interested in watching the opening ceremony than the sporting events.

"I watched the rehearsal yesterday and it was great. I will bring my child to watch it tonight. It must be amazing because the President will come,"she said.

The Games are expected to help Bali's tourism industry recover following two bomb attacks on the island in 2002 and 2005.

Although played mostly by adults, the Games have also attracted school children who often spend their leisure time at the beach.

Ayu Trisna, a seventh grader, said she wanted to watch the volleyball and wrestling. She said she was delighted to find out wrestling would be staged at the Games.

She and her friends waved a small Red and White flag to cheer on the Games' torch bearers who passed their school building Friday.

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