Magical Bali

Welcome to Bali, a mystical land where Barong and Rangda are locked in an eternal battle of good vs evil. A land where the people are friendly, humble and welcoming, where humility is prized and good manners are essential. A land with an incredibly rich cultural tapestry spanning back to 2000 BC, and people that embrace the modern world yet safeguard their traditions in order to preserve their incredible way of life.

As we navigated the light afternoon traffic on our way to the temple, our tour guide kept us engaged with incredible stories about his homeland. He told us about the Balinese caste system and runaway marriages known as nyerod. It was fascinating to learn what's in a Balinese name, which carries a treasure trove of information. A person's name in Bali will tell you their sex, their caste, whether they were child number 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 as well as what their hobby is.

The traditional Balinese dance show was a spectacular experience. It was like watching a theatre performance infused with traditional dance. The performers mesmerized the crowd with their incredible show, garbed in beautiful traditional hand-crafted costumes. The show was performed to the exotic sounds of a band that produced an almost hypnotic tune with their traditional instruments. I was taken aback by the intensity of the eye movements and expressions during one particular segment, which reminded me of the Maori hakas and their bulging eyes.

We visited a temple and had to cover ourselves with a sarong. The intricate designs were astounding, with beautiful hand carved statutes and buildings, many of which were painted with gold. What I found particularly fascinating is how the local villagers rotate and sleep in the temple to protect it from theft. Although I suspect this is more of a tradition than a necessity since theft and crime are exceptionally rare nowadays.

I must admit I was quite skeptical at first about the Kopi Luwak. The asian palm civet, a small and cute animal resembling a possum, eats the ripe red coffee cherries which then pass through its digestive system. However my concerns were allayed when they explained that the coffee bean is still preserved in its shell when it comes out, which is then removed and the beans cleaned thoroughly.

The coffee was delicious having absolutely no bitterness to it. In fact it almost tasted like it had a bit of milk and sugar added to it, even though there was none. After the Kopi Luwak we indulged in a bit of coffee tasting, sampling delicious combinations such as coconut coffee, vanilla coffee, ginger coffee and ginseng coffee.

Tegenungan waterfall is a definite must see, nestled inside a tropical rainforest and resembling something straight out of a dream. Shops and restaurants saturate the top of the long stairs that lead you down to the waterfall below.

Our next stop was a beautiful valley covered with rice paddies. The view was spectacular and there were a lot of adventurous visitors zip lining across the valley to the opposite side.

The food was simply scrumptious, as we had lunch at the Padi restaurant not far from the valley. If we haven't been pressed for time I suspect I might have easily indulged in a second and even third portion of this delicious Balinese dish.

The secret ingredient in Nasi Goreng is kecap manis, a sweet soy sauce that stains the rice dark brown and caramelizes it when it cooks. Topped with a soft egg and some chicken on the side, it is also accompanied by some crunchy vegetables such as carrots and cucumbers.

Would I come back to Bali? In a heartbeat! An incredible destination rich in history and culture where people welcome you with open arms.