Sep 26

Sep 26 Kuta Beach

So we are peacing out of Bali a bit early because of that darn volcano... also, after 2 weeks we feel pretty satisfied with what we have seen, and we always have the opportunity to head back and explore things we may have missed.

I really really liked Bali. It was completely different than I thought it would be, and I like being surprised. Below are things that stood out to me.

- Bali has all sorts of smells. Some amazing, some terrible, sometimes in the same breath. I love the smell of incense mixed with hot muggy air. Streetside charcoal grills cooking satay combined with the passing smokey cough of a motorbike. It's constant and intense and it feels like the city is breathing.
- The people are lovely and kind.
- The architecture is incredibly detailed. The craft that goes into making even a simple door or roof is mind boggling, especially after being informed that everything is hand carved. I initially thought they had figured out a way to mass produce these traditional designs, because I thought "there was no way...". There is a way, I was wrong. My feeble Western mind had some trouble comprehending that things could still be created by hand.
- Riding the motorbike. So cool. It's going to take a while to get back in the swing of traffic laws. From what I can see, things work just fine without them.
- Lots of other things too, just don't want to write about them right now.

This is the hostel we stayed at in Kuta. So nice after the beautiful shithole that was Gili. The below room with the smiling Jazmyne in it looks very modest, but it felt luxurious. She might get around to telling you the story that will explain why in a future post. If she doesn't get around to it, I will, because it's a doozy.

Grungy nighttime street photos. We be hunting for foodzzzz.

Hostel interior glamour photos.

Hostel exterior glamour photos.

Matching couple number 1.

I thought this was particularly sick ^^^

This weird pink storefront intrigued me.

Warung for lunch. Pretty good, super cheap.

This is where they've been keeping the Hard Rock Cafe. Still rocking in Bali! Sorta... don't see too many people on that rooftop patio... hmmm.

The stinky slow transportation method of choice for people who like that sort of thing.

Such grunge, much angst.

This is where they grow the motorbikes in Bali. Fields stretching as far as the eye can see.

Matching couple number 2! Is this an Asian thing? Vacation uniforms? I'm confused, but I like it.

I really appreciate the straight forward advertising of this establishment. DRINK DRINK DRINK "Drinking and eating place". Refreshing to hear someone tell it like it is. No beating around the proverbial bush with these folks.

That dude is gonna look great in a tropical two piece.

Just a two story tall obsessively detailed god sculpture hanging out on the side of a hotel. Pretty regular thing to run across around these parts.

See, people are nice here. Perhaps too apologetic in this instance, but nice all the same.

This random coffeeshop we stumbled into on a side street was incredible and completely unexpected. Best coffee I've had in a long time, Asia or the US. I'm looking at you Portland.