The beginning of asia

Trip Start Aug 28, 2006
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16
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Trip End Ongoing


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Friday, October 27, 2006

Time for a whole new outlook on the world...even though they still drive on the wrong side of the road here! The first hour in Bali was spent zooming through the streets of Denpasar in a taxi on the way to Ubud... crazy driving on a super narrow road with trees planted right at the edge of the asphalt and buildings right behind the trees. Everything seems to be very tight, dense, busy...it is not what I expected. This is what you see in Vietnam, Cambodia...trash piles burning, mangy dogs wandering in the road. I definitely had an idealized image of Bali, I am not sure why, images I have had in my head since I was young. It has what every other poor asian country has, and especially after the bombings the place went bankrupt. People are not making money now, there are hardly any tourists, they are just hoping to keep their business alive.
Well, I am happy to say that once I arrived at my hotel in Ubud (Sayan Terrace) the images from childhood came to life. So beautiful, tranquil, idyllic 01-view from my room at sayan terrace
01-view from my room at sayan terrace
 . My room is perched above a river valley with terraced rice fields below, I could just sit up here all day...and I have been doing that. I am staying here for my whole trip, I am taking a break from one or two nights in each town which I did in Australia and am just taking day trips out to temples. Everyday the hotel staff asks me what my "program" is for the day, I feel guilty telling them I am just going to do nothing.
Luckily, I had the chance to visit a Balinese family. My sister Andrea has a neighbor from Bali (Made and his wife Mary) who invited me to go to his family's home (his brother Nyoman, wife Wayan, son Agus, and his mother and father). They were wonderful, even though we couldn't really communicate (we always had an indonesian/english dictionary handy) we managed somehow and I had a great time. We hung out at the house, saw some sights, went to Agus's school, and went to Wayan's Balinese singing practice at the temple. I really appreciate all the effort they put into hosting me, it really is a gracious, quiet, and beautiful culture.
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