In Reply to: What do you like about Bali? posted by SurfAddict on Monday, 13. February 2006 at 13:14 Bali Time:
Evening gamelan practice
Ubud fireflies
Air con at The Bakery after a long walk through the fields
My friends: Balinese and fellow visitors
The abiding sense of spirituality, be it Buddhism, animism, Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, etc
The Muslim call to prayer near my guest house window on the outskirts of Denpasar
Temple ceremonies
Geckos
Watching the Balinese watch us
Watching the Balinese ignore us
Watching the Balinese forgive us
The marketing miracle that is S&S beach bar
Constant challenges to my sensibilities and judgement
Practical ingenuity of the plumbing and electrical systems
Marveling at the sense of balance demonstrated in peak hour traffic, both physical on bikes and emotional
Dusk
Dusk, ‘because I still don't understand why it's so important to me!
Observing the accelerated life cycle of plants, flowers and rock, and drawing some conclusions which I forget too easily.
Seeing daily that a smile doesn't need teeth.
Knowing my ‘Bali child' is getting a better chance at life.
Swimming in the Padma Hotel pool early morning
Drinks beneath the huge canopied bar at the Padma
Watching TV with staff at Sri Ratu
Squatting on my haunches next to a farmer during his rest period, unable to converse in low Balinese, but exchanging smiles and nodding at the good and hard work done.
Sipping the coldest Bintang at the Hong Kong restaurant Denpasar
Wandering, for the umpteenth time, the main Denpasar markets
Walking until I get lost in Denpasar
Trying to make sense of it all. And of Bali also!