{"id":1166,"date":"2018-07-29T18:08:33","date_gmt":"2018-07-29T18:08:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jessiorozco.wordpress.com\/?p=1166"},"modified":"2020-08-17T22:24:34","modified_gmt":"2020-08-17T22:24:34","slug":"bali-a-travelers-myth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/findingmyroad.com\/en\/bali-a-travelers-myth\/","title":{"rendered":"BALI: A TRAVELERS MYTH"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Last year I immersed myself in the waters of the largest archipelago on the planet. Flying through the aerospace of the nearly 17,500 islands that make up Indonesia, I finally arrived in Bali. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ll admit it. I added Bali to my list when I was returning from Ko Phi Phi island in Thailand. After reading the book ‘Eat, pray and love’, and being captivated by the photos of a friend posing on a swing while watching a spectacular sunset, I couldn\u2019t resist the FOMO from the social media bombardment  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the book, the writer Elizabeth Gilbert recreated a quiet island with ancient traditions, where tourists come looking for that elusive spiritual “peace”. Its landscape, a tapestry of green rice fields and turquoise beaches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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But the daily life in Bali is full of contradictions. Although it is known for its pristine and paradisiacal beaches, unless you stay in the luxurious hotels, you may find yourself in beaches where you dive into the midst of floating plastic debris and visible pollution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The island is a Hindu sanctuary, the only one within a predominantly Muslim country. The main nearby cities of Kuta and Ubud, on the other hand, have chaotic traffic and a permanent surge of tourists. When I say traffic, I mean hour and a half parked on the road for a distance of 10 km. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Downtown Ubud, Bali<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Unlike Thailand, there are no temples with golden buddhas, but houses with shrines. Every morning the Balinese offer flowers, rice, food and incense to the gods and the spirits of their ancestors. They ask for protection against demons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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And, in the afternoon, the women make new offerings with leaves and flowers to leave on the sidewalks for the next day. These colorful squares do not last more than a couple of hours. Many offerings die under motorcycles, others are crushed by pedestrians, fall into the river, or are left in the trash. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bali creates expectations. It is a giant island, and to know it in depth, you need more than a week.  I suggest you include at least 6 places to visit if you dare to experience the famed Balinese adventure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.-Tirta Empul<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This temple was built in the year 926 A.D, during the Warmadewa dynasty. It is a place of pilgrimage for the Balinese, as legend has it that its 12 fountains have healing powers. The entry fee is 1 USD and you can even bathe among the fish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n