Bali has changed significantly over the years, but there are many traditional aspects of the predominantly Hindu island that have withstood the onslaught of Western travelers. There are many more tourists nowdays, especially from Japan and Korea, and this has had an impact on traffic and congestion on the roads, beaches, and in the many shops. It's a mixed blessing of course, as more visitors leads to more opportunity for local income - as well as more trash, crowds, and construction in the once pristine jungles and rice fields. The jungles and beaches are still here however, and what remains is beautiful and exotic in so many ways.
Later we found another surf spot, Padang Padang, where we swam and drank coconut milk on the shoreline while watching more strong waveriders tackling steep walls of water further out to sea.
We started off our stay with a 4-night stop in the village of Ubud, the shopping and export hub of Indonesia.
The local people of Ubud and the surrounding villages are extremely talented artists, stone carvers, and wood craftmen.
They are also smiling, intellegent, friendly, and very savvy salespeople, which leads to some fun interaction. This is the land of "yes, please", "yes, taxi", "yes, look" - and these sayings are ubiquitous. "Where you from" and "where you going" are two other phrases that all locals know, and use with great frequency, which gives ample opportunity for humorous verbal exchange and banter.
In Ubud we spent time doing the obvious - shopping, getting soothing massage, dining on Balinese cuisine, exploring rice fields and bamboo jungle, and visiting the Monkey Forest.
An unusual highlight came on our second evening when we were invited to experience a temple ceremony during the full moon. We dressed in traditional Balinese temple costume and were taken to the village where we were the only Westerners among the crowd.
This was an authentic temple experience. The gamelan band that played and the praying that was happening all around were not a show for tourists, but were actual and heartfelt.
We were extremely fortunate to be welcomed into the main sanctuary of the temple where we sat cross-legged on the ground, surrounded by local worshippers. We were shown the proper ways and we were allowed to join in prayer alongside sturdy men and beautiful women and children. It was special and moving and there was much rejoicing by all.
We visited the village of Batu Bulan - a place that specializes in stone work, where we purchased several carvings, large and small, that we've shipped homeward by cargo boat for our personal pleasure.
Our time in the Ubud area was both exhilarating and relaxing - and we didn't let the afternoon crowds of day visitors dampen our uplifted spirits. We embraced the changing times and marveled at the intact traditions of daily offerings and bedecked stone gods and goddesses that are seen in every nook and door way.
Next stop was a 3-night excursion to an offshore island, Nusa Lembongan, a short 35-minute boat ride from "mainland" Bali. The small limestone island is a haven for water-based activity. The surf breaks are world-renown, "Playgrounds", "Lacerations", and "Shipwrecks" - but are not for the novice or the faint-hearted!
The swell was solid and the waves were thumping, which offered up some fantastic viewing, but no attempts were made to join the action, many due to the sheer size and force of the mountainous waves -- not to mention the razor-sharp coral reef bottom. That didn't stop the more expert waveriders, braver travelers and experienced locals, however, and we witnessed some extreme tuberiding and wave acrobatics from our hillside bungalow.
The coral reefs that fringe the island also lend themselves to phenomenal diving and snorkeling oppportunities. We hired a local boatman to encircle Lembongan so that we could swim with the fishes in the crystal clear, aqua sea.
We dove below in several locations on each side of the island, and as always, loved being in the warm equatorial water.
We found Dream Beach, and also explored Devil's Tear, where huge waves crash onto the rocky southern edge of the island
Back on Bali for our final 3 days and we headed straight to the seaside community of Legian, near the well-known (and usually more crowded) Kuta Beach area. Legian was calm and much more serene than it's reputation, and we thoroughly enjoyed shaded, comfy lounge chairs and colorful beanbags on the sand. The summer crowds had dissapated and we relaxed on the uncrowded, surprising clean, wide expanse of coastline.
We had swimming, boogie boarding, sunset walks, and typical beach activity - as well as some excellent meals while gazing off at the blue ocean and clear sky.
A day trip adventure to the hillside Uluwatu temple, then down to the famed surf break of the same name to watch the bold surfers take on some uber-challenging, thick, beautifully peeling waves.
Our final full day was also our 10th wedding anniversary, so we relaxed with more beachtime, had a sunset stroll, then celebrated in style at an upscale eatery, enjoying yet another fabulous dininig experience along the coast.
On this amazing journey we have made several new friends and met many interesting international (and even some American) travelers from around the globe. And, though Bali has changed, it's still a magical, tropical island paradise.
Our Borneo/Bali trip has been a grand success and the Grateful Globetrotters are feeling rejuvenated and very blessed by our good fortune.
*(bagus means "good" in Indonesian)
