We love, love, love the first three photos….wild statues of mythical Balinese creatures. The first looks like a model for the Abominable Snowman, while the second just looks insane. The third looks either terrified, or trying to terrify us. All in all…great artwork!
So we are just blogging from Bali with miscellaneous musings and photos, not really from one place, because people have been asking, why the long hiatus from writing blogs? The answer can be found in our previous post…check out the property we are on! We have been relaxing by the pool, on the beach, in the lounge. With our blissful view, all we really want to do is read, listen to music, plan future destinations, and do nothing. It is too hot to do much! The two photos after the monsters are of paragliders being sent into the air and gliding along the coast of Bali, out in the Indian Ocean. We both noted that the owners are sure to crisscross in front of the pool many times over…perhaps to give other people the idea of how much fun it is? We did this in Catalina, and it is one of the best, fun experiences we have had. In the photo after those are some cute cabanas available along the beach, with glass doors if it gets too windy, but made for two people to relax in. There are all sorts of cabanas with “outside beds” to lounge around. So, we do!
Mike bought a package of five diving days…three down and two to go…and goes all day, driving up the coast and to the neighboring island. The farthest was a three-hour drive to Tulamben, on the northeast coast, to dive at the wreck of the US Army Transport ship, Liberty, which was torpedoed by the Japanese in 1942 at the neighboring island of Lombok. It was transported to Bali for salvage and situated on the shore. But the 1963 eruption of Mt. Agung pushed the ship offshore about 70 feet, and it created an underwater reef that is rich in sea life. Mt. Agung is still erupting, even while we have been here. All the rest of the photos are from his dive days, including a shot of the crazy small roads and traffic here in Bali. Tulamben is only about 60 miles north of where we are, but on these unpredictable and busy roads, it takes 3 hours to get there! The traffic weaves more than anything, but drivers are patient and gracious with each other. At the dive spot, you can see how many boats are waiting to go out, as Bali is one of the premier diving destinations on the planet. The restaurant area there, as usual, is open-air, as are most restaurants, bars, and businesses here. No reason for walls!
So, Bali is a great place to relax and do nothing. The views are spectacular, the prices are inexpensive, and the people are amazing…always smiling, always kind, always gracious. What’s not to like? We are already trying to figure out ways to return in the next year or so, but for two or three months. No wonder it has so many visitors! The island gently calls your name, saying, “C’mon, come back to me.”
