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VANITYSHACK MAGAZINE
VANITYSHACK MAGAZINE
Uluwatu Temple, or Pura Luhur Uluwatu, one of six key temples believed
to be Bali’s spiritual pillars
A LITTLE PIECE
OF WONDERLAND
BY DHANY NAIR
A
Amazing clean and white sand at Padang
Padang Beach
Whenever I recall my trip to Bali,
I’m often reminded of the famous scene
between the Walrus and the Carpenter
in Lewis Carrol’s Alice in Wonderland.
“The time has come” the Walrus
said “to talk of many things, of Bakso—
and beaches—and breathtaking scenery-of cabbages and kings.” Alright, so
perhaps Lewis Carrol never ever hungered for the delectable delight that is
Bakso or even dreamt about walking the
sandy beaches of Bali. But I’m sure if he
had, Alice would have had quite a different adventure in Wonderland.
However, while missing Carrol’s seal of approval, Bali has become
a sort of modern day Wonderland for
many of its visitors. Exciting new delicacies tried with caution, meeting eccentric yet lovable characters along the
way and seeing sights that could not
possibly exist. The first rings true looking
back when on the first day of the trip.
At a nearby coffee plantation, my three
companions and I bravely ventured to
try “Kopi Luwak”. Trying one of the world’s
most expensive coffee in the world seems
harmless enough, but one is understandably cautious when discovering its coffee bean is helped along by the Civet cat’s digestive system. Nevertheless
there are more conventional dishes all
over Bali for the anxious traveller. Sit by
the beach in Jimbaran and enjoy the
scenery while chowing down on the famous local seafood. Or tuck into some
soul satisfying Balinese dishes like Satay
Lilit or Sotoh.
As for the quirky characters often met in such travels, nothing beats
meeting the locals when exploring the
busy streets of Kuta. Despite the fact
that the area has developed into a
quite a tourist spot, it’s still worthwhile to
experience the hustle and bustle of the
area and its people. After all, nothing
gets the heart pumping more than the
thrill of bargaining with a local. Playing
the “I’m a student card, I don’t have that
much money”, while you and the shop
owner wear knowing smilesof the cat
and mouse game that is being played
out. Their charming persistence as
you stroll down Kuta Beach, apprehended many times by cheeky
offers in hopes of ensnaring one
more willing customer. Or even their
inherent kindness -pointing you in
the right direction when get a little
lost, or just carrying a genuine conversation.
I recall having a nice chat
with a kind old lady while shopping
in Kuta who encouraged me to
do well in my studies. “Study hard
and get a good job” she advised.
Before cheerily adding, “and then
come back to my shop in Bali’.
Equally, our tour guide at the wood
carving centre in Ubud jumped with
excitement upon finding out we
were twins. Excitedly asking us,what
it was like being twins. Even at the
Tegallalang Rice Terraces, the joys
of meeting the locals is evident.
While a bevy of tourists throng
the area, an old man with a sunny
disposition offers to take our picture, encouraging us to pose with
his hat and basket. He genuinely
offers his help, balking at any form
of payment and reluctantly joins
our picture after much cajoling. All
of these experience point to one
thing- fun and friendly personalities,
even if they are a little offbeat.
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One the other hand, standing at
the top of the Uluwatu temple, overlooking the clear blue sea,or even
walking along the beach of Tanah
Lot temple, stands as a reminder
of the originators of beauty in the
world-nature. It allows for the appreciation of their architecture as
it stands on top of hills, surrounded
by the ocean, amplifying the sanctity of these places.
Conversely, one also has
to marvel and the man-made Tegallalang Rice Terraces when you
imagine the creativity involved in
making it a source of food as well
as acting as a tourist attraction.
While all of this snowball into an enjoyable holiday in Bali, the pinnacle
of such trips can come from the simplest of things. Perhaps even in the
form of hot bowl of Bakso by the
roadside after long day at Padang
Padang beach. As such, while the
cities of Europe call you, or the
urge to run through the Hollywood
Walk of Fame and relive your movie
fantasies overwhelm you, you might
decide to stop instead, at this corner of the world. Where you couldfind yourself exploring the streets of
Bali, realising that you’ve stumbled
upon your own little Wonderland
adventure.
Tanah Lot, one of the most popular
places of interest in Bali