Bali, Splendor, Grace, and Contrast

The time has come to move on from Doha, and with our luggage in tow, we head to the airport prepared from the lessons learned at our prior check-in. All the bags were adjusted without overages, and I was ready for the additional luggage charge. For the extra suitcase, the ticket agent was kind and informed me of the additional charge, but the fee was only $18 US this time. The flight was 4 hours shorter but still a 9-hour journey, and the added fee made no sense compared to the $255 I had just paid in Atlanta, but I smiled, paid the cost, and that drama was over.

We depart at 5:30 pm, right on time. The flight is nine hours long, and we move the time forward another five hours. Our internal time clocks are all afflux.

Entering Bali is a little different, as you must declare your customs information before you arrive and print out or save a QRC code for both Customs and Immigration officials. If you don’t register online before you arrive, you will have to apply at the airport using several kiosks that are provided. Be warned: The frustration is high among the many applicants, and the lines can be pretty long. Thankfully, all the QRC codes were stored on my phone, and entry was a breeze.

Upon arrival, we were presented with beautiful orange lei flower necklaces. Every person we see gives us a traditional welcome with their hands drawn together, pointing upward, and at the conclusion, again with hands in a prayer fashion and a slight head bow, saying thank you. You feel the difference as soon as you walk off the plane. The stress and pressure of Doha melt away with the beauty of the Balinese spirit.

Now, if there had ever been a time to have Bob Henley and Jerry Root traveling with me, this would have been it. I have to say that I have a well-grounded knowledge of the three monotheistic religions. Still, Hinduism, with its multiple deities, is the least of my understanding, and drawing comparisons can, sometimes, lead you down the wrong path of knowledge. But fear not, I was true to form, asking our guide, who spent three days with us, all sorts of spiritual and religious questions and debating philosophy and religious dogma, which were highlights of our time here. 

There are many Hindu deities, some great and others limited powers. Most Hindus focus their devotion on one of these, whom they regard as supreme. The most significant deities have complex natures and are shown in art in various forms and situations from narratives. Spouses or their particular animal mounts sometimes attend to them. They are often identified by physical characteristics and symbolic implements they hold or wear.

While there are many gods with myriad forms, those most popularly worshiped by Hindus here are Vishnu, Shiva, the Goddess in her various aspects, and Shiva’s sons Ganesha and Karttikeya. According to some interpretations, all divinities are, in fact, manifestations of a single godhead, divine force, or abstraction.

Most Hindus are principally devoted to the God Vishnu, the God Shiva, or the Goddess. These categorical practices are sometimes described as Vaishnavism (Vishnu), Shaivism (Shiva), and Shaktism (Shakti being another term for the female creative energy). The predominance of these three deities evolved over several centuries, crystallizing in the early part of the first millennium when a renewed Hinduism centering on devotion made them increasingly popular. Each of these divinities is believed to have incorporated elements of other or earlier deities that existed in the pre-Hindu context. That expresses beliefs and practices existing at high and low levels of culture. Thus, mainstream Hindu deities relate to figures appearing in Vedic literature and to worship practices involving nature spirits, fertility, local tutelary gods, shamanism, evil spirits, and ghosts. OK, Bob and Jerry, where are you when I need you?

Here are some fun facts about Bali: it is about the size of Delaware, just about 2,232 square miles. 

Over 4.4 million people live in Bali. Compare that to the just over one million people in Delaware, and you have an idea of how densely populated Bali is.

The capital of Bali is Denpasar, a crowded metropolis home to a quarter of the population. Denpasar is the provincial capital and by far the largest city in Bali. However, the more famous town of Ubud is considered the island’s cultural capital.

The main religion in Bali is Balinese Hinduism. However, this is one of the most surprising facts about Bali to most people, both because Indonesia is predominantly Muslim and because Hinduism is not the majority anywhere else outside India and Nepal. About 87 percent of Balinese people are Hindu.

There are two active volcanoes on Bali, and I hope they don’t erupt while we are here…

Mt. Batur and Mt. Agung are both active volcanoes in northeastern Bali. Mt. Batur most recently erupted in 2000, and a sunrise climb to its crater is one of the top things to do in Bali.

Mt. Agung is far more active: it erupted several times between 2017 and 2019, forcing evacuations of surrounding villages and shutting down the airport in late 2017. At nearly 10,000 feet, it is Bali’s highest point. The Balinese consider Mt. Agung sacred, and it is home to one of the island’s most important temples, Pura Besakih.

Balinese live by the philosophy of Tri Hita Karana. 

Hawaii has aloha, Costa Rica has pura vida, and Bali has Tri Hita Karana.” This Literally translates to “the three causes of well-being.” Translating Hita Karana means harmony with God, harmony with nature, and harmony with the community.

The Balinese make daily offerings.

One of the first things you will notice in Bali is the Canang Sari, or offerings that dot streets and adorn shrines across the island. Canang sari are tiny woven baskets made of coconut leaves and meticulously filled with flowers, snacks, and burning incense. Most businesses in Bali place a canang sari at the entrance every morning, and families might place a dozen or more around their compound. it is somewhat reassuring to see all the anang sari flowers everywhere you look; for some reason, it feels so right.

2024, 1946, or maybe both or no year at all

Ok, now you know what my brain is doing at 2:30 am. Believe me; I am not crazy. This is actually a valid question. The Gregorian calendar is widely used in Bali, but like many societies, it also has a lunar-based one called the Saka calendar. The lunar year begins on Nyepi and is 12 months long, but each month starts the day after the new moon. The Saka calendar is 78 years behind the Gregorian calendar, making it 1946 in Bali today.

But wait, Bali also uses a third calendar called the Pawukon calendar. It has just 210 days, so it doesn’t correspond to the Gregorian or lunar calendar, and it’s nearly impossible for outsiders to understand like me. Why? Well, the first day of the year is the first day of ten simultaneous weeks of differing lengths. The Pawukon calendar also doesn’t have a year – it’s just a cycle that repeats again and again. And this is perfect because, with our jet lag and time difference now at twelve hours from just seven hours yesterday, I can truthfully now give in to the fact that I don’t know what day or time it is, so what difference does the year make?

And saving my favorite fun fact for the last, Bali has the world’s most expensive coffee. And if that is not enough, it comes from animal dung. Yes, really!

In Bali and some other parts of Indonesia, a cat-like critter called the luwak eats coffee cherries and then (of course) excretes them. At that point, someone collects them and then roasts, grounds, and brews; you get the kopi luwak, a cup of this special (supposedly less acidic) coffee costing $35 or more.

Unfortunately, the kopi luwak industry has created an animal welfare nightmare. Plantations confine these once-wild animals to cages, forcing them against their instincts and overfeeding them with coffee beans instead of their regular diet. This has also created a counterfeit market, so it’s hard to say if you’re getting the real thing. I, however, graciously pass and will leave this delicacy for those who have never worked with infectious diseases.

Now for some not-so-fun facts:

6 million tourists visit Bali yearly, a number that has more than doubled since 2010 and shows no sign of slowing down. It’s hard to overstate the island’s reliance on tourism, the businesses it supports, and the jobs it has created.

But the sheer number of people on such a small island—and the sometimes less-than-conscientious tourists—creates an environmental disaster. Water is in short supply, heavily used land is eroding, and there is no way to dispose of all the trash. Tack on the horrible traffic of cars and scooters, and this tourist boom is destroying the fabric of the islands’ beauty and strength.

To combat this issue, the Indonesian government is working to create five new Bali-like islands to spread the tourism wealth around. The government has stated that it will develop the islands of Flores, Java, Lombok, Sulawesi, and Sumatra).

Infrastructure developments are making these “new Bali-like islands” more accessible, and targeted marketing campaigns are raising their profile—but I have to wonder if this will be enough to draw people away from the incredible allure of the original Bali and its unique spiritual culture. I posed this question to our guide and he expanded on it by says that the Hindu community of Bali is very concerned about the increase of their Muslim fellow Indonesian citizens moving here as they do not accept the Bali Hindu way of spirituality. He made a point to say that all are welcome, but the spirituality of Hindu Bali has to remain in order to preserve the tranquility and spiritual happiness found here. He may have a point, as the real beauty of Bali is not the water or landscape, it’s the people and their spiritual serenity.

Monkeys, Monkeys, and More Monkeys

Now, with all the beauty and serene nature of the people, I have to remind you that the monkeys that can be found all over can be aggressive (and they will steal from you!). 

A word of advice: While monkeys look friendly, in fact they are not fun and or friendly—they can be vicious and manipulative! So, beware whether you seek them out at Ubud’s sacred Monkey Forest or just come across them on the road (an everyday occurrence in some areas).

My quick tips for monkey etiquette, don’t approach monkeys quickly or try to pet them (for your safety), and resist the temptation to feed them (for their health). Keep your bags closed and your belongings close to your body, and be especially cautious if you’re carrying food—they will grab anything they get their alarmingly human-like hands on.

Bali stands out like a gemstone against the backdrop of the world’s most splendid and varied landscapes in the grand tapestry of global travel destinations. This island, pulsating with splendor and grace and a stark yet beautiful contrast to its predecessors in our travel diary, unfurls a narrative that blends the spiritual with the sensual, the sacred with the profane, and the ancient with the vibrantly modern.

Our journey to Bali commenced in a rather humdrum manner. We are seasoned travelers by now, navigating the labyrinth of airport procedures with a finesse borne of experience. The minor kerfuffle over an extra luggage charge was a blip on our radar, quickly smoothed over with a smile and an exchange of currency. A comparatively brief nine-hour flight from Doha catapulted us across time zones, leaving our internal clocks in whimsical disarray.

The gateway to Bali presented an immediate departure from the usual bureaucratic tedium of international travel. The online customs declaration and modern-day QR code pre-authorization whisked us through the arrival process with almost alarming ease. However, be warned that you must submit the application several days before you arrive, or you will have to do this at the airport at several kiosks. You can feel the stress of the incoming passengers who have not completed the online application process vs. those who have. I feel spiritually cleansed by having the QRC codes on my phone, allowing entry if only that feeling would stay with me.

Once through customs, we were ceremonially welcomed with vibrant lays of orange and yellow flowers, a notable gesture and our first taste of the island’s spiritual hospitality. This is a prelude to the countless thank-yous, prayerful gestures and courtesy that would punctuate our stay.

The spiritual landscape of Bali, with its rich tapestry of Hindu deities and traditions, provided a fascinating counterpoint to the monotheistic faiths I was more familiar with. Our guide, a wellspring of knowledge and insight, became our bridge to understanding the complex cosmology of Balinese Hinduism. The discussions on Vishnu, Shiva, and the Goddess, among others, were enlightening and spirited debates that enriched our understanding of a faith where the divine manifests in myriad forms and functions. Now, only if I had Bob Henley and Jerry Root with me (and a good bottle of scotch) that would have made for some lively conversations.

Bali, a land of contrasts and natural beauty, unfurled before us like a tapestry. The philosophical underpinning of Balinese life, Tri Hita Karana, revealed a society in harmony with the divine, nature, and one another, a balance echoed in the daily offerings and the intricate calendars that govern life’s rhythms here. The dual-year system, a curiosity to an outsider, perfectly encapsulated the island’s timeless essence, a fitting metaphor for our disoriented temporal bearings.

Yet, Bali’s peculiarities and paradoxes captivated me the most. The islands’ famed Kopi Luwak, a luxury borne from the bowels of the Luwak, was a fascinating, controversial delicacy that I chose to admire from afar, mindful of the ethical and health quagmires it presented.

However, tourism’s shadow cast a long pall over Bali’s paradise. Unchecked growth’s environmental and cultural impacts prompt a government initiative to replicate Bali’s progress across other Indonesian islands. This strategy, aimed at alleviating the strain on Bali, highlighted the delicate balance between preserving a place’s unique allure and sharing its beauty with the world.

Among the many lessons and experiences Bali bestowed upon us, perhaps the most poignant was a newfound respect for the natural world and its inhabitants, epitomized by our encounters with the island’s mischievous monkeys. These interactions served as a humbling reminder of the complexity of our relationship with nature, marked by a blend of fascination and caution.

Bali, in all its splendor, grace, and contrast, was not just a destination but a journey into the heart of what it means to live in harmony with the world around us. The island’s beauty, culture, and people left an indelible mark on our souls, a vivid tapestry of memories that would linger long after our departure. As we bid farewell to this island paradise, we carried with us not just souvenirs and snapshots but a piece of Bali’s spiritual serenity forever woven into the fabric of our lives, and yes, Maquie found a pink Ganesh ceremonial head for her growing collection.