apc33 - August 16th, 2004

06:15 pm - Bali Fun

Thanks to some hard earned frequent flyer miles, the three of us were able to take a relaxing vacation to Bali last month. As you can see from the pictures below, Bali is a magical place. mel_24 was right! (Click on the photos to enlarge)

Bali Garden

An Offering to the Gods

Our Bungalow in Ubud

Every morning we woke up to the sounds of birds chirping and hot coffee and fresh fruit waiting for us on the patio of our bungalow. We spent most of our days exploring the fascinating city of Ubud, said to be the cultural heart of Bali. We ate lots of tasty food, like Nasi Campur and Gado Gado, and did some shopping - I bought a Jembe. We also saw some amazing musical/dance trance performances, like the Kechak and Legong.

A Walking Path in Ubud

A Refreshing Saltwater Pool

Fancy Some Coconut Water?

We also hired a driver for the day and took a tour of the island. Along the way we visited some ancient Balinese temples, ate lunch on the rim of a volcano, and took a walk along a black sand beach. The natural environment in Bali is awe inspiring, like a scene from another planet. As you can see from the picture, I had to wear a sarong at the temple - it was fun!

A Volcano and Lake

A Balinese Temple

Baby on a Black Sand Beach

I urge anyone thinking of taking a nice vacation in South East Asia to strongly consider going to Bali. Since the Kuta bombing of 2002, many people have the impression that Bali is a dangerous place to be. The truth is, it is just as safe as any other place these days. In fact, it may be safer since it has already been hit? Nevertheless, most of the people of Bali are wonderful and really depend on tourism for their livelihood. Please go to Bali if you get the chance.