A relaxing trip to Bali, Indonesia

Just returned back from a short but very relaxing trip to the island of Bali in Indonesia. With my earlier trip tour getting cancelled, I badly wanted to atleast go on a short break and finally managed to get that.

The island of Bali is very famous among Australians and Europeans. The tourism in Bali got badly hit because of the Bali terrorist bombings. But it is slowly recovering.

I stayed at a luxury resort in front of one of the most famous beaches in Bali at Kuta (where the bombings happened and were targetted at the Western tourists).

So all the evenings were reserved for walks on the beach watching the sun go down or just sitting on the beach.

Hard to do that because you are surrounded by bikini clad European women and beer drinking men with hunky bodies and all sorts of things happening on the beach among men and women. But neverthless it was very very relaxing. It's hard being single in such places and walking around as you get approached by prostitutes, pimps, women wanting to give you massages...

Lot of amateur surfers trying their hands at surfing. The tidal wave was not very strong and hence even amateurs were comfortable surfing.

Bali is strongly Hindu. It follows all the customs of Hindu culture. So there are lots of old temples spread in every corner of Bali dedicated to Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva
I saw statues of Ganesh, stories from Mahabharat and more

Visited some of the famous temples including Tanah lot. My Indonesian guide was explaining all about Bali culture, the belief in Trimurti, Ramayana, Mahabharat. Hindus went to the island around 7th century and Hindu culture spread rapidly

Bali continues to be a romantic place. My guide kept on reminding me that I need to get myself a girlfriend again and bring her to Bali next year OR Marry someone and take her to Bali....

I enjoyed the hotel where I stayed. It was the Hard Rock hotel with plenty of facilities for relaxing(spas, bars, many fine restaurants, largest swimming pool in Bali, sports facilities) and more importantly bang in front of the most popular beach in Bali called Kuta beach. The town of Kuta was commericial with the famous fashion brand shops around, restaurants, bars and more. It was safe...and great to walk around. Out of nowhere suddenly I would bump into an old temple.

So my impressions of Bali (beach, sunsets, beer, honeymooners, bikinis, a lot of sex, Hindu temples, rice fields, culture and simple local people)

Since I have turned vegeterian, there is very little choice. Pork is a stable diet along with rice. So naturally ended up eating mostly continental vegeterian stuff. Ofcourse the popular Indonesian fried rice (Nasi goreng) was enjoyed

Had a lot of beer. Just a lovely time with a glass of Bintang (Indonesia beer) pilsener.

Best moments in Bali...Probably when I was sitting in the Starbucks coffee house in the open air, enjoying coffee and watching women...who were out there to show their bodies and those many moments when I just watched the vast ocean especially when the sun went down creating beautiful coloured sunsets in Bali.