Bali, Indonesia

Heaven on Earth

Bali in many ways is indeed heaven on earth. It is a tropical island just south of the equator and about 100 miles in diameter. White sand beaches are on the south side of the island and volcanic black sand beaches to the north. There are numerous active volcanos of which Mount Agung is the tallest at an altitude of 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) .

The Balinese takes care of their land to such a degree that the entire island resembles a garden. Stone rice terraces ascend just about every hill side. And everywhere you see temples. Every village has at least three major temples and every family compound has a temple or two.

In my opinion, Bali is probably the most culturally advanced and creative society on the planet. Everyone is an artist of some sort. Either painting, wood carving, mask making, puppet making, stone sculpture, dance, or music. Nothing seems manufactured in Bali, since everything is created as an act of creative expression. In Bali time doesn't seem to exist. No one seems in a hurry, especially if they are creating something.

The population of Bali is primarily Hindu. Daily offerings are made at the temples. However there are also Moslems, Buddhists, and Christians. It was quite amazing to go swimming at sunset in Lovina, while listening to prayers from the Koran being recited at the distant mosque.

If you like scuba diving, Bali is some of the best I have ever experienced anywhere.

Amazingly, Bali is also about the least expensive place I have ever been. Meals at great restaurants are only about $4 and you can get a four star hotel room overlooking the ocean for about $40. A full body massage is about $5 which would include a sizable tip for which you will get a most sincere thank you.

English is widely spoken in Bali as most of the tourists come from Australia. People are very approachable in Bali and it is very easy to remember peoples names in Bali. The first son is Wayan, second is Made, third is Nyoman, and forth is Ketut. The cycle is repeated with the fifth son being called Wayan again. Daughters are often given these very same names.

There is very little crime and the only annoyance is people trying to sell you things. With a little patience though, that too can be great fun.

You can take several pictorial journeys to the places listed above. You will return to this page after each journey. Don't be in a hurry as the images for the next page are downloaded while you view the current page.