sweet*BALI*sun

A bitter sweet goodbye to my students and co-workers was quickly masked by the blissful thoughts of laying on the beach of Bali~

I was traveling with Cheol, so we were well equipped with a native Korean and English speaker~

The seven hour flight from Seoul landed us in the beautiful Indonesian island of Bali. Our home in Bali was beautiful Oasis Hotel in Nusa Dua. The U shaped building holds the linear pool in the center and a view of the sea from all areas. The outdoor restaurant looks straight down the pool to the sea. The staff is so kind and beautiful with big glowing smiles. We called ourselves Prince Cheol and Princess Jessica for the week due to the luxury we landed ourselves in. ^.~

Our first night was spent exploring the main drag in Nusa Dua, strolling the beach and enjoying an Indonesian meal of sate. This grilled meat dish is marinated in a peanut sauce and brought to the table still cooking over the small ceramic charcoal grill.

We received a welcome package from our Korean travel agent in our room. Exactly what we would (not) need on our trip to Bali: Korean instant coffee, chocolate milk, kimbap flavored potato chips, and RAMEN!!!!

We spent the days soaking in the sun by the beach, swimming in the pool, and drinking fresh fruit juice and iced coffee in soft lounge chairs.

We bargained a sweet deal of water sports which in the end seem highly danger, careless, and really a lot of fun!! My favorite was this contraption called the “Flying Fish” a large raft is attached behind a motor boat and with enough speed lifts up, resulting is some kind of backward flying sensation.

While parasailing we could see all of the island from above, clam water below, and fear that if your arms got tired you would plummet into the water! We finished our play time with jet skis~ racing around the water, jumping waves, and whipping turns.

On the opposite side of the island we had a grilled seafood dinner called Jimbarayn. The setting was so unique with hundred of tables lining the beach, chairs facing out to the crashing waves, and candle lights illuminating the tables with stars above. The seafood included lobster, fish, crab, mussels, squid, and shrimp, all marinated in a sweet/spicy chilli sauce served with steamed rice and veggies. YUM! And to top it off a group of five Balinese guys trot around serenading each table with a spectrum of English, Korea, and Japanese ballads.

We toured through Kuta one night on a horse drawn carriage with our guide, Yassri, sharing stories about Baliense married life. That aspect was quite cool, but Kuta itself is just another city that has been stripped of its culture and identity, and replaces with a Starbucks and McDonald's.

Spa treatment and massage are very common in Bali, and popular with the traveling class. We took advantage of this luxury we couldn't necessarily afford in Korea or America and treated ourselves to massage and myself, a manicure. Initially, I thought I was receiving a manicure with extract from flowers brushed on your nails (like I've seen done in Korea), but turns out it is actually painting of flowers on your nails. Again, the language barrier wins~

Our last day in Bali, we finally felt recovered from the rat race of Seoul and endless hours with screaming children. We did a roadtrip around Bali with a guide and our own person driver. (Yes, like I said I was playing Princess Jessica in a short lived fairytale) First stop~ Uluwatu Cliff. This is one of the oldest temples in Bali with the most beautiful scenery.

Monkeys roam freely through this area, which is exciting and terrifying to me at the same time. Cheol let one sit on his shoulder, but they weren't friends for long because soon the monkey was unzipping his bag going for his wallet. One clever little monkey managed to get a pink flip flop from an innocent Japanese girl. Her crying ways forced the boyfriend to face the monkey. Man won the battle and the girl walked off with two shoes.

[seven monkeys]

We stopped in areas where the Balinese were practicing their handicraft: fabric printing, basket weaving, wood carving, and painting.

I was so curious to see Balinese style housing. The closest I got was to glimpse at the gallery owners property. Not a real repesentation of common housing, but a solid example of the upper class. Separate hut structures are like rooms in a western house. The one wall served as the backdrop for the plush bed, or flat screen TV. He also had prized chickens caged around the grounds. The floors are raised and passing between, open to the elements, is a packed sand ground. The house was more a maze of warm colored structures and fine adornment.

Next we moved to Ubud, an artist village situated in the center of Bali. This is my favorite place in Bali; it has so much character and a chilled out vibe. The diversity of shops and an bustling market place create the unique atmosphere.

We walked through the monkey forest, which has loads of spunky monkeys that would do anything for a banana. Their aggressive behavior made me timid and so so soooo nervous about on climbing on my head! Distracting me from the monkeys were the trees with such great height and mass, and beautiful glow in the sunset.

The week in Bali was a week in paradise. I'm grateful to of shared the experience with a dear friend and learn more of the Baliense culture from Yassri. The Balinese have a bright glowing smile and an easy going lifestyle. Their culture and daily life is based around religious ceremonies and pray. The streets are covered in sacrifices, incense, and flowers. The slow pace days and slow Bali time in a beautiful land made me envy the Balinese, but the stories of dependency on tourism and the travelers dollar was a glimpse into the hardship that they cover up with their grin.