In Reply to: JBR 1984 posted by Bin Lurkin on Friday, 20. July 2012 at 11:00 Bali Time:
...and I do feel sorry for the newbies who while they too will get 'IT' will not have experienced those 'early days'.
No wall along Pantai Kuta.
The Southern Cross poolside Bar and Restaurant was our main haunt for many years.
Sit there morning noon and night looking across (the not so busy road) to the beach.
1989 AFL Grand Final. You would walk up the stairs and through a frame that had streamers woven (like what the players would run through). They would put new streamers on the frame and wait for the next customers.
First two trips (88 and 89) stayed at Jayakarta (then called Kuta Palace). Walk out of room across lawn over low wall and onto beach (now have the road through front of hotel.
Trips to bat cave (Goa Lawah) Elephant Cave, Tanah Lot, Tampak Siring, Besakih, Bedegul etc were trips to 'other worlds'.
Many oldies would understand the following...but how many newbies would not?
1. Klungklung to see the Kerta Gosa (Hall of Justice) to see the murals on the ceiling that show the punishment you will receive.
2. Tenegan - the walled village - one of only 2 Bali Aga (original) villages.
3. Trunyan - the other Bali Aga village - at Kintamani - drive down into the bowl...drive upo, down, up down over the lava flows to the village of Toya Bunkah. There hire a little boat and go accross the lake (that most of us look at but dont go down too when we go to Kintamani) to Trunyan. Go to the cemetary. Unlike most Balinese that cremate their dead, the Trunyans simply put their dead on the ground in the cemetary and cover them with palm branches. They say there is no smell because of the Banyan trees in the cemetary.
There is plenty to see of the 'real' Bali if you get away from the tourist traps. It is special...that is why I have 'IT'.
Your early memories forumnites?
Bali High.