Here in Bali today the sun is shining and people are enjoying the fine weather.
Getting back home last night night I walked down to Spy Bar for a beer and then to Santa Fe. It was great to be back so quick and I was going through the day in my mind.
This morning I rode over to Tebu restaurant close to Pura Petitenget in Seminyak. The pecarang (banjar traffic police) had blocked a section of road off and I noticed people showing up to the temlpe with traditional costumes and with offerings of fruit stacked high and carried on their heads. It looked just like a postcard. Lining the street were many satay vendors. These were all females and sat with a bucket of ready made satay sticks and a 2 foot long bbq in front of them. They used a hand fan to whip up the flames any time a customer called.
My breakfast, 2 croissants, coffee, carrot juice cost 20,000rp and I wanted to get some pork satay right after.
I got about 8-9 sticks for 5,000rp. She asked me if I wanted salt, chilis or sambal ( chili sauce) but I declined. Just as well as the satay was quite spicy on its own.
I shared my satay with Wayan who was outside the house making offerings. On 2 of the sticks were 2 big chunks of liver and I told Wayan I was going to throw them away. She made a gesture to indicate they were enak (delicious) so I passed them on to her.
I have been in Bali just over a year now and have seen tourism coming back despite wars, SARS, visa issues and government warnings. Tourism in fact has been getting stronger and a variety of sources have made comments to support this.
As foreigners there are ways we can act while in Bali and other Asian countries to make our visit there a better experience for the locals. Some of these inlcude: not raising our voices to get the message across, realizing things sometimes don’t always go our way, dressing appropriately and acting in a manner that won’t offend others.
I find myself getting steamed sometimes but have to tell myself things are different and its not worth shouting about. A couple of things I see all over the place that bug me are foreigners who walk around without a shirt at night. Okay you’re on holiday but I don’t want to look at someone’s hairy back when I’m eating my steak. The second thing is making out in public. I don’t know why foreigners think they can start swapping spit whenever they feel like it, but some do. Yesterday in the middle of the platform in Singapore a couple aged about 35 started going at it while the locals were waiting for a train. I’ve seen the same in the airport of strictly islamic Brunei and here at Internet Outpost 5 minutes ago.
Looking at the local news the last of the Bali bombing suspects is placed behind bars for a while.
Here’s our 10 day weather forecast. I’m looking out of Internet Outpost in Kuta and all I can see is blue skies so don’t let those clouds worry you.
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Last time I was in Bali I saw a couple making out in a restaurant, right in the window. There was about 4 or 5 Balinese kids watching, giggling and pointing, and when the Aussie guy saw what they were doing, he walked right outside and started yelling at them, telling them they had no manners. All these kids looked horrified, they were just little ones laughing at some stupid Australians flaunting it in public. I was foul for the rest of the day after that! What a wanker.
Some people think they are on holidays, so they can do whatever they want. I know when my parents stayed at Padma there were 3 or 4 honeymooners there, they literally slept in all day then swam in the pool & drank.
One day my Mum & Dad were talking to them & they each said they had been there for approx 5 or 6 das & none of them had left the hotel grounds! They were all Aussie’s from various places, but had not even gone outside their Hotel to do anything, they spenmt the days drinking & kissing & touching in the pool etc….
Why didn’t they just stay home? I can’t wait to get out there in Bali….?
Some people don’t realise what or why they travel!?
Hi Nick/
Nice to see someone enjoying life and promoting Bali.Bali indeed does look so
peaceful, but i guess what happened at the Sari Club would take some time to get over. I am thinking of coming over from London for 6 Months in June and will have to meet up with you. I will touch base nearer time and keep reading your articles - Oh by the way i totally
agree with you on tourists walking about with tops off at night and in restaurants in the evening - nothing worse than staring at someone sweaty gut and also about people making out in public, because theres a time and place for that. Anyway keep up the good work and feeding information back.
Regards Mark