My introduction to Bali, was that terrible Julia Roberts movie, Eat Pray Love. When I watched it, I kept feeling as if perhaps I was missing some deep underlying meaning that others saw. Or maybe the book was better and I just joined the party too late. Unfortunately, despite Bali’s charms, I found some strong parallels to Eat Pray Love.
Maybe the old Bali with all of it’s charms has just been eroded by the millions of Aussie tourists, or perhaps with my short, five-day stay I missed some of its depth. Most likely, it was both of those factors, combined with the fact that Debbie and I didn’t have much time to plan this trip because of our whole China Visa fiasco. As a result, we ended up staying in Canggu in the southern part of Bali, which was jammed full of tourists and felt a bit like Ko Phi Phi/any other touristy Island in Thailand. Nevertheless, Bali had some real magic to offer when we looked in the right places.
I’ve always been fascinated by Borneo, with its unexplored jungles, orangutans, beaches and just its general remoteness. I was hoping that being part of the same country, Bali would offer some of the same treasures. The south of Bali certainly does not, but I found that as we moved to the central part of the Island and away from the crowds, Bali is quite intriguing.
On our third day in Bali we hired a driver for $50 USD for 8 hours, and made our way towards the Unesco heritage-winning Jatiluwih rice paddies. As we drove North, the tourists and all signs of western influence, began to dissipate. Each remote town featured its own gorgeous Hindu temple, and carved stone fences that earn it the reputation of being the island of 1000 temples. As we drove through these small villages, it gave me the impression that this is likely how Bali used to feel throughout, and my disappointment was largely due to choosing the wrong part of the island to stay.
On our way back to Canguu, we stopped at the Monkey Forest and a famous temple. Having a monkey jump on my back and grab at my water bottle was an experience I’ll never forget, but it was a chance encounter at a roadside stop that will leave the most lasting impression.
We decided to stop to buy some fresh fruits at a local supermarket on the side of the road. As we got out of the car, I spotted an opulent ceremony going on at the temple across the street. There was an “orchestra” which consisted of a massive group of percussionists playing the most curious sounding sacred music and hundreds of locals carrying various offerings of food adorned in white clothes. Inside the temple, there were people holding maroon felt-covered umbrella’s, and performing what looked like the Balinese equivalent of a Chinese lion dance. Our driver explained that this was an annual celebration commemorating the creation of this particular temple. It was the most magnificent and authentic experience I had during our whole trip in Bali. Witnessing this completely foreign religious ceremony made me realize just how diverse and interesting the world still is. In a world that sometimes, feels like it’s being watered down by a blur of fake news articles, instagram posts and buzzes on our smartphones, it’s comforting to know that there are still places where people have remained true to their past, while simultaneously embracing the modern.
The following day, we bought tickets to see a traditional Balinese dance and ceremony, but it paled in comparison to what we witnessed on the side of the road the day before. We also stopped at this fantastic hole-in-the-wall vegetarian restaurant, where we ordered five dishes for the equivalent of $10 CAD, and discovered just how amazing Balinese food is. After some rough days in Tanzania from eating contaminated food, we were a bit hesitant to eat at this roadside stop in Bali. We opted to stick with freshly prepared hot foods this time though, and it all worked out fine.
I left Bali the same person as the one who entered. No Eat Pray Love transformation for me. But I took with me a taste of a culture unlike all others that I’ve experienced, and a renewed appreciation for the diversity that exists in the world in spite of all the forces that are pushing us to be more similar than ever before.
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