Bali Dec08

Anna joined us for a two week vacation in Bali over the Christmas vacation.  We spent time on the south shore so Evan could surf and we could all unwind on the beach.  I was surprized by how dirty the beaches were, and was unimpressed with the scene, until we went further west to Seminyak, where the billowy shores and lovely cafes suited us better.   But definitely the beauty of Bali resides in her countryside.  When we stayed and celebrated Christmas with Christina, Craig's brother's mother at her gorgeous home outside Ubud, we really experienced the charms of this island.  Art was literally everywhere: even the sidewalks, the doorways, the way a banana leaf is folded, are all artful.  We rented bicycles and mopeds and explored the rice paddies and volcanic terrain.  It happened that in the center of Ubud one weekend there was a Vespa Rally - and we had a blast interacting with the harley-like dudes from all over Indonesia and their pimped out 125cc rides.  









Memorial for victims of the Bali Bombings 2004.

Although we loved exploring by moped, Evan had a pretty bad fall with some superficial but painful wounds. He recovered quickly and I'm hoping the experience will reside with him whenever he gets on two wheels again. 

We traversed the island to visit a national park on the northwest coast where the snorkeling was spectacular.  We ended up staying in some pretty luxurious accommodations with private pools and such.  But those are not necessary to enjoy this place.  The people are wonderful, the culture's emphasis on beauty and soul is everywhere apparent.   It was a wonderfully memorable time - a great way to celebrate our 20th anniversary.

You have remarked on why there's an image of the Petronas twin towers: we had a layover in Kuala Lumpur and took a tour of the city.  Malaysia is now on our list of places to spend time.