The little things I like in Bali
ENI hadn't been to Bali for a few years. And there are a lot of little details here that I really enjoy.
To begin with, many of the houses and hotels look like temples, with their slit portals and carvings. In fact, there are temples everywhere.
And there are altars guarded by mythical creatures of stone, more or less monstrous, even in the gardens of small family hotels, type losmen or guesthouse. It is always very pleasant to sleep surrounded by gods and demons.
And then, every morning, fresh offerings are deposited in their small vegetable basket: flowers, rice, incense stick... All accompanied by a delicate gesture of the hand, to spread a few drops of water, a flower stuck between two fingers.
I love this little morning ritual, it has something reassuring. The gods and spirits are everywhere, so we try to conciliate the good ones and appease the bad ones. On the doorsteps, at the crossroads, small baskets of offerings litter the ground.
Another thing I like here is that even the trees wear sarongs. I mean, the trees that are considered sacred, those that are inhabited by a spirit.
The black and white checkered sarong also girdles the loins of the statues that guard the entrances of the temples. This black and white chessboard symbolizes what we know better as yin and yang: it is about maintaining the balance between the two forces, positive and negative, that govern the world.
One thing I had forgotten, too, that I observed yesterday in Kuta, and today on the road to Lovina: the kites. On the beach and in the rice fields, children and even adults play with kites. There are all sizes, some very simple, made in a plastic bag, others huge and very sophisticated, with long tail waving in the wind.
Finally, I am happy to find again those little things that I don't pay much attention to anymore, as I am so used to them, but that I like a lot in Asia: greeting people with a big smile is the most natural thing in the world again, riding with up to four or even five passengers on a motorcycle (well, not for me!), the possibility to have a snack at any time thanks to the little street vendors installed along the roads with their carts of kebabs, soups or fruits...
I arrived in the North, at Lovina Beach, today... Here no rollers nor surfers. Less flashy and more relaxed atmosphere. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow!
Oh, hello tomorrow for your impressions of Lovina beach and its surroundings ....
Bali hasn't changed too much since the last time you were there... I'm guessing not from your enthusiasm!!!!
Your comments give me a good idea of the general atmosphere.I've been told that Bali is very different from Thailand.....But it's still Asia,and thanks to you,I'm able to imagine myself there,with you.....
For my part, I'm also getting ready: 4 different islands, 2 that I know and love: Milos and Koufounissi;1 where I only know the stone bench in front of the church in the port, because I spent the night there for lack of a room, but it was charming this little bench, although a little hard.....bref, it's Folegandros;and another, unknown, it's the bailiff of the theater who recommended it to us: Anafi.
These 4 islands are not too big, quiet, and far from the festive atmosphere of Mykonos, so it will be a relaxing vacation... Well, we hope so....because the Greeks are far from being Thais....And in terms of organization.....they really suck!!!!Thankfully, their islands are magnificent, and that's why I'm looking forward to being there, as well as a good tiro pita.....(cheese puff pastry).
I kiss you.
Helen 8)
No, Bali doesn't seem to have changed that much. At least not Kuta-Legian-Seminyak, whose extreme freneticism I already knew! Apart from the usual tourist traps, I still love the charming Balinese welcome and the atmosphere where spirits are everywhere.
Here, in the north-west, I'm discovering places I didn't know before. I enjoyed the surroundings of Lovina Beach, as you'll read in the new article I've just published, but less the atmosphere of this stretch of beach. Spending two days there is enough for me!
Happy holidays in the Greek islands!
8)
I have a missed appointment with Bali. I was supposed to go there in 2002, but the terrorist attacks made me change my plans. Reading you made me want to go again! Who knows? If our plans to move to Asia within the next two years come to fruition, maybe I'll spend a few weeks there...
Out of curiosity, is the cost of living still so low?
My last visit to Bali was... in 2002, two-three months before the bombings. Now, six years on, foreign visitors are back, and that's a good thing for Bali, whose economy is largely based on tourism.
The island, which is predominantly Hindu, really stands out in the Indonesian archipelago, which remains the world's largest Muslim country, if I'm not mistaken. I really like the atmosphere that reigns in Bali, despite the commercial-tourist excesses of certain areas.
The people are generally extremely open and tolerant. The welcome is warm, the traditions are fascinating, and the variety of landscapes and activities will satisfy every type of traveller...
With living standards well below our own, the cost of a stay for a Western visitor remains very low. Although, here as elsewhere, soaring oil prices have pushed up prices. Many Balinese have told me that for them, the cost of living has risen considerably. That said, as part of a tourist visit, you can get by on a very low budget, provided you adopt a modest Balinese lifestyle (simple accommodation with cold water and fan, local food in the warungs, etc.).
As an example, the time I went to eat at the market with Sana, the young guy who acted as my guide for a day, in the interior of Amed country, the two of us spent just Rp 26,000 for lunch: chicken skewers + plate of rice + bowl of broth + drink each. That's 13,000 Rp per head, or not even 90 euro cents. In tourist restaurants, it's a bit more expensive, of course.
According to the people (working in tourism) I've asked around about this, a basic salary is around 700,000 to 1 million rupees, or 50 to 70€ per month. A slightly more comfortable average salary would be around 100 to 200€ per month, I imagine.
Hi Corinne, more questions than a comment. In fact, I've just taken the plunge and booked a diving cruise to the Komodo archipelago. The tour operator has booked the DENPASAR/LABUAN BAJO flight I need to board the boat, but I have to pay for it directly. I was wondering why, but then I saw that all airlines operating domestic flights in Indonesia are blacklisted by the EU! What can I expect? Experiences?
Second question, what would you do if you only had two days in Bali? I'm staying in a hotel in Sanur for two days before the cruise. Is one day enough for a quick visit to the temples in the area? I've been told the beach isn't worth the trip! 😯
Max
Why doesn't my avatar work? I think I made a mistake when I wrote my e-mail!
Max
@ Max / Mm148881: For the avatar, yes, you did make a typo when entering your email address the first time, that's why it didn't work.
When it comes to Indonesian airlines, you have to make do, when there are no other airlines to operate on the destination... I too have had to make reservations via an intermediary several times, and then pay the amount once on site. I relate two experiences here:
With Lion Air
»With Merpati (go down the post, on Tuesday, July 24th)
The most reliable company remains the national company, Garuda.
Two days based in Sanur is good, I think. It makes it easy to explore the surrounding area. The beach at Sanur (I don't really know it, I only went there to take a ferry to Nusa Lembongan) isn't as good as the one at Kuta-Legian-Seminyak, that's for sure, but the seafood is terrible, I hear.
🙄
I was lucky enough to make several fairly long stays in Bali in the years 2000/2005... I love this island and the feeling of arriving “at home” each time I land in Denpasar. I've travelled the length and breadth of the island on foot and by motorcycle, but unfortunately not diving, which I deeply regret. I've never been able to master being underwater... and yet I've often tried. It remains one of the great regrets of my life, especially when I look at the superb underwater images you offer us in your blog. Especially as I live most of the time in Madagascar, where I come across some extraordinary diving spots...
@Dom: Yes, like you, I love coming back to Bali... The atmosphere is really special, very pleasant. The people, the landscapes, the atmosphere: I love it. And then, of course, there's the underwater world. If you can't dive, you can always snorkel...
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