Bali!

Having just returned from Bali, Indonesia our family continues to be amazed by what we have learned and experienced from our travels.  Each country, culture and traditions offer rare opportunities to see things we never imagined making us continually grateful for not only what we see around the world but also how fortunate we are for what we have.  For this reason I have to begin by discussing the people of Bali.  The Balinese culture is so rich as we witness through dance, drama and sculpture.  We learned how the Balinese culture is a mix of Balinese Hindu/Buddhist religion and Balinese custom all together to form some of the friendliest people we have encountered.  Each day we saw how the Balinese are warm and friendly people who go out of their way to make you feel comfortable.  We were drawn to Bali as it is known as one of the World's Best Islands because of its attractive surroundings (both mountain and coastal areas), diverse tourist attractions, excellent international and local restaurants, and the friendliness of the local people. 

Our interaction with the Balinese people was varied throughout our trip.  Foremost at our resort they did everything required to make you feel comfortable and welcomed.  The recreation team at the pool was outstanding as they made the kids feel so welcomed and do so much to learn about you and your family through conversation.  There was so much for our family to enjoy just within the resort.

Each place we visit during our travels we try and bring home with us things that remind us of the people, support their income and display the local craftsmanship.  As Bali is known for sculptures, wood working and also craftsmanship we took advantage by meeting the people who have handed down the arts from each generation.

As we continue to explore the culture we spent a morning on a private tour which first took us to see a famous Balinese dance called the Barong and Kris.  It is here we got to witness tradition not only through dance but also music. 

Next we stopped in Tohpati to see handmade Batik’s, the art of textile weaving.  Batik is an Asian form of textile painting where patterns are designed in wax then dyed onto pre-woven cloth.  There are many patterns and designs, all which were gorgeous.

Our next stop was in Celuk where Natalie purchased a hand crafted silver ring.  Following this we traveled to Kemenuh which is known for its wood carvings.  Here we purchased a traditional carving reflecting work in the rice fields.

Lastly we ended the day with a stop at Penelokan to see the Mt. Matur volcano.  Bali is volcanic in origin, its East-West mountain spine rising to 10,000 ft (3000 m).

Completing our cultural experience in Bali we went to see “Devdan – Treasure of Archipelago”, labeled the most magnificent show in Indonesia.  The show displayed the heritage and beauty of Indonesia through songs and dances showing glimpses of regional cultures; Bali, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and Papua.  We all loved the show!  

We spent a day relaxing at “Waterbom” waterpark, home to 17 slides.  We loved the layout of the park in comparison to other similar attractions in the US like Kalahari.  Waterbom was literally an oasis surrounded by tropical Bali gardens.  We spent about 7 hours in the park and then Cooper begged me to stay with him as Natalie and Brady retreated to the resort pool to relax.  This resulted in another 2 hours of fun and so many stairs that this old man was exhausted at the end of the day!  I have to give Cooper credit, he went on the largest slide called “Smashdown” which has an 8 story drop at a 60 degree angle going 70 km/hour.  We must have done that at least 15 times!

Another day was spent going on a reef cruise called Bali Hai.  We took a large speed boat and docked alongside a reef pontoon where we enjoyed water slide, snorkeling, diving board, and banana boat rides.  The favorite for Cooper was Parasailing, allowing him to go twice once with mom and once with Dad.  Brady was not thrilled or excited enough to go that high in the air!   Our trip also included a guided tour of Lembongan Island.

Next we spent a morning in the water with the Dolphins!  This was such a unique experience allowing us hands-on and personal contact through petting , hugging, feeding, kissing and playing with a dolphin.  The environment was also very nice as the dolphins live in a floating sea pen in the ocean that we took a boat to.  It truly was a once in a lifetime experience!

Concluding our trip we had to have an overnight stay in Hong Kong, so what better place to stay than the Hollywood Hotel in the Disneyland Resort.  Although just a brief one night stay the boys (and Natalie!) had fun with Mickey!

We are now looking forward to our next trip in about eight weeks to Australia, New Zeeland, and Fiji for 24 days over the Holiday break.