Surfers' Paradise

Bali is beautiful.  Okay, so parts of it are overrun with tourists (mainly from Australia, so I’m not complaining), but overall, it’s pretty amazing, and part of me feels like I could have stayed there forever.  Two notable points about Bali and Indonesia in general.  First, Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the WORLD.  Even more than any country in the Middle East.  However, the island of Bali is an exception; over 92% of the Balinese are Hindu, not Muslim.  The Hinduism practiced in Bali is unique, influenced by the route it took from its path from India, but also influenced by the ancient traditions of the Balinese themselves.  The religion is witnessed every morning and afternoon through the ‘offering’, which is placed outside of many businesses and houses for good luck.

The Balinese also have a really interesting naming system for their children.  All children, based on their order of birth and regardless of sex, have the same name.  So, all first born children are named Wayan, second born children are named Made, etc.  Once you get to the fifth child, you start back at Wayan, so you could have two children in the same family with the same name (the four names that are chosen actually vary from caste to caste, but you get the idea).  That means that walking down the street, you may meet ten Wayans or ten Mades.  Makes it pretty easy to send a text message or an email to the wrong person.  Yikes!  Haha.

Bali is known worldwide as a top surfing destination, and Melissa, Katie, and I stayed in Kuta Beach, Bali for a week.  Kuta is known as the party beach of the island and is swarming with surfers, backpackers, and people on vacation.  The beach is beautiful (despite the RELENTLESS hawkers trying to sell you something), and many come to Kuta beach to learn how to surf (there are advanced surfers here too, but it seems that many advanced surfers head to the the island’s other beaches during the day and party at Kuta at night.  Later in the day, though, especially around sunset, the advanced surfers are out in full force).  Other popular beaches in the area include both Legian and Seminyak, and you will pass both by taking a 45 minute walk along the promenade which stretches north of Kuta.  All three towns have a ton of shopping, restaurants, and nightlife, though Seminyak is known as the most ‘exclusive’ of the three.

Surfboards lined up for rent on Kuta

Hawkers got the best of this guy...looks like he's getting a head massage, foot massage, and whatever else these ladies will get him to buy.

Kuta Square- tons of surf shops and other stores

One of the hundreds of local board shops

Potato Head bar/restaurant in Seminyak.  Great spot for the sunset.

Teaching them young....

Out in Kuta with Tanner (friend of a friend who is teaching English in Bali), Todd (Dewey beach guy...random!), and their crew.

The girls and I really tried to take advantage of everything the island had to offer.  Other than just lying around on the beach in Kuta and going out at night, we explored the island's other beaches, watched a traditional Balinese dance, and saw volcanos, waterfront temples, and rice terraces.  We also visited the areas where they make coffee, silk, and jewelry, and spent a full day in Bali’s cultural center, Ubud.  Ubud was made famous in the movie ‘Eat, Pray, Love’, and is known for its art galleries, funky boutiques and restaurants, and bohemian vibe.  It was here that we ate babi guling, which is suckling pig, at Anthony Bourdain's favorite spot(http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/asia/indonesia/bali/77490/ibu-oka/restaurant-detail.html).  Ubud is definitely a cool place to chill out and spend a few days if you have the time!

Echo Beach in Caangu- they were holding the Oakley Indonesian Surf Competition here

Rice terrace

At Tanah Lot temple in the water

Balinese dance

Volcano

Cliffside temple at Uluwatu.  This is also one of the island's best surf beaches.

The girls left me last Friday, and I spent the weekend in Kuta (ran into my friend Angela from my program) before heading to Nusa Lembongan Island for a few days.  Not much going on there, but it's relaxing, and I stayed at a cool, waterfront place with a bar that ended up being pretty social (for $20 a night).  Two nights there, and now I'm on the island of Gili Trawangan, which is also beautiful, but is a party island.  I've been here for a few hours and totally get the draw of this place; just talked to a Dutch guy who said he's planning on staying here a month!  I'll post more about the two of these in my next entry, as the internet service here is terrible and I'm scrambling to update this blog.  Until next time....Sawatdee kah!