Bali, Indonesia
May 8-14, 2000
| Here a some pictures from the trip my friend Brian Blake and I took to Bali. It was especially nostalgic for me, since I spent nearly one month in Bali during my Southeast Asia trip from November 1994 to February 1995. I got a chance to revisit some places and see how much (or little) they had changed, and I discovered Seminyak, a nice little coastal town just north of the horrible tourist ghetto of Kuta. Most of our time was focused in Seminyak and Ubud, the artistic and cultural center of Bali that is surrounded by endless rice paddies. |
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| The beautiful Puri Bunga Cottages in Seminyak, where we would spend our first 2 nights on Bali. | Lounging by the pool at Puri Bunga. | The breathtaking sunset from Kuta Beach. | On a stroll outside Seminyak... the Balinese countryside. |
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| On our stroll, we stopped at this family's warung (a small Indonesian
store selling basic needs) for a drink
and some noodles. |
Brian and a family member in front of the warung. | Our fearless taxi driver... on the road to Batubulan from Seminyak. Even though our final destination was Ubud, we decided to take the taxi only as far as Batubulan, and then experience Bali's public transportation (the bemo) the rest of the way. This was of course to our driver's dismay, who was looking for a larger fare from his tourist passengers. | The statue of some famous Indonesian general (forgot his name), as
we approached the Batubulan bemo
terminal. |
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| Riding the bemo en route to Ubud. The bemo, basically a beat up old minivan, is the most common means of public transportation in Indonesia. It will pick you up or drop you off anywhere along its route, and its passengers often include chickens, pigs, and other farm animals, not to mention the occassional tourist. The trip to Ubud cost 2000 rupiah, less than 25 cents. | My bungalow at the in Ubud. It's a wonderful place with tropical gardens and a pool. It is run by a very hospitable Balinese family. One of the highlights of staying here was the banana pancakes, fresh tropical fruit, and strong Balinese coffee served at my bungalow each morning. | The guesthouse staff hard at work.
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| Socializing with "Sweety," one of my hostesses at in Ubud. | Sweety on her lunch break. | Fellow guest Steffan from Germany with Sweety |