It is the season of celebration, and season of family gathering. It is Chinese New Year, the biggest celebration of all Chinese on the earth. As for me, this is the only time for all the family members to gather once a year.
As for this year, we had come out with a brilliant plan of family trip during CNY. Since, we are just a small family, not much relative in hometown, and CNY is the only time for people like us doing business to plan a getaway, to close the shop for few days without any customer complaint. So, my elders brother, Peter had decide to bring all of us to Bali for this CNY trip. However, only Cyron the second brother couldn't join us this time. This is the sad part. Anyway, It was so great to be in Bali for my very first time. Although I had been travel to quite some place, but this is my first time to step on the land of Great Indonesia. Bali island is a very famous tourist spot in the world, and it attract a lot of Australian and Japanese through out all the years. There are more than 50% of foreigner in the down town compare tot he local, and you can really felt the Baliness scent in the air.
One of the most attractive culture here, is the Hindu religion culture background over here. Bali is the only place in Indonesia where 90% of the local is Hindu. Not like others place in Indonesia, most of them are Muslim. What interesting is, they really kept a lot of historical site in a very original way. Although I am Christian, but i'm really attract with the heritage of their Hinduism culture, and it is so different from the Hinduism in Malaysia. Due the this cultural influence, you can found a lot of great temple in Bali, such as Bedegul and Tanah Lot. This 2 are the most amazing and pretty temple U had seen in Bali. the Holy Water Temple is something very different temple, where a lot of local people actually purposely went there to take a bath, pray, offering and receive blessing from their master.
Bali is also a volcano island, which make it so special. There are 2 main volcano on the island, and the last time where the volcano blow is just 2 years ago, but it was just a small one. These present of volcano, actually make the ground very rich of mineral, anything you plant you can get it, and is very good. unfortunately, my trip is too rush for me to hike up the to volcano, so I only manage to look at the volcano from far distance. Yet, this had capture me. And for this, I promise myself to come again next time to climb up the mountain.
The food here is very different from Malaysia. As said before, this is a Hindu island, so you can found a lot of pork on street. One of the most famous food here is Baby Guling, which is the roasted pork. Don't get it wrong, it doesn't serve like the pork chop, but rather it serve like the chicken rice in Malaysia. All different part of roasted pork fried until very crispy, and serve with rice together. Yum Yum yum~~~ and also Crispy Duck, which they called Bebek there. These 2 is the MUST TRY food when you are in Bali. If you miss it, you miss the great of Baliness food. Others bali food such as Besok (meat ball), roast corn, gado-gado, port ribs, bali satay........all are very delicious also. Not forgetting the fruit there, due to the rich land they have, all the fruit grown there is very delicious, juicy and sweet. I especially like the Bali durian..haha...
Since Bali is an island, it never disconnect from the beach and sea and water activities. Bali is a very famous surfing spot in South East Asia, and the wave is very strong. It can really goes up the 2 meter or higher, said the local there. During my 3rd day there, we went surfing for the whole day. it was great, and really fun. I manage to surf on the wave, fell like drift...hhaah...not forgetting, Bali is quite a famous place for diving as well. I had my 1st wreck diving experience in Bali, Tulamben. a 3 hours driving journey from Kuta beach, where i stay.
There are also a lot of place for people that like to shopping. There are lot and lot of shop over here. I had been walking around few days, still I felt that place I been is still too less, there are still many place with lot of different shop here to be explore.
Bali is an amazing place. you can really found anything you want here. Mountain hiking, safari exploration, temple and historical site, diving and surfing, shopping and food hunting, relaxing and spa, extreme game such as water rafting and jungle trekking.....anything you want it, there is here...it is really amazing, and it suit almost every stage of people.
In short, this bali trip is really amazing. not just because of the island itself with full of different activities to suit different people, but also the fellowship of family during this festival. We travel together, sharing together, and play together....it was really great. Although we only manage to gather once a year, but the trip bond us back together, connect as a family member again. When there is family, there is home.
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