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| Kwetiau goreng |
Another variation on the spelling of kway teow of char kway teow fame in Malaysia, kwetiau comes from the Chinese, 粿条, literally meaning 'rice cake strips', and refers to broad flat rice noodles.
Bali has integrated such imports as Chinese cuisine, as well as an entire religion, and made them into their own cultural blend. Indeed, the Balinese practice of Hinduism, its myths and beliefs, are sufficiently distinct from that practised in India as to be almost a completely different faith - one that is tightly integrated into the fabric of society, even regulating the plantation of crops and the distribution of the island's limited irrigation water.
Bali is culturally and architecturally the most distinct and idiosyncratic place we have visited so far in SE Asia. The temple structure and carvings are the most unusual, the rituals ingrained in everyday life the most intricate, the beliefs the most mystical, and the people the most obviously devout. As testament to the latter, witness Nyepi, the annual day of absolute silence observed by every single soul on the island, even closing the airports to maintain an atmosphere of quiet contemplation.
Given this rich culture and (in places) stunning environment, you would be forgiven for thinking we spend each day drifting through endless temple ceremonies and lush rice fields, gazing beatifically at excited village children and peasant artisans, like the impossibly attractive couple from a polished tourism board video montage.
The truth, as I'm sure comes as a surprise to nobody, is far more prosaic. While we have engaged in many of the activities worthy of including in the scenes of a promotional video throughout our travels, these are interspersed with days of just living. As Alain de Botton advised us at the start of our journey through his book of the same name, the 'art of travel' is in enjoying the moments between the high points. We set out with this mindset, intending to live in one place at a time, rather than just holiday there.
So far, this approach seems to have worked and we have left countries feeling as though we have had some experience (albeit a tiny fraction) of what life there is like.
In Bali, however, it is fair to say that we are struggling. It seems ridiculous, churlish even, to struggle in such an ostensible idyll, but Bali, as we have been told, is complex. It's not just the sights that are distributed but also the island's character that changes over its length and breadth.
Although only 95 miles at the widest point and 69 miles north to south, it requires serious travelling to get the full flavour of Bali, from vibrant green stepped rice terraces to soaring volcanoes, busy cultural city life, to traditional temple-strewn villages. Many come for the surf and are content to stay around the best points to catch a wave. We have different requirements and ones that it seems are difficult and/or expensive to fulfil.
In the countries we have thus far visited, we have been mostly able to power ourselves around on foot, bicycle, bus or taxi and have been satisfied with our ability to get the measure of a place. During everyday activities, we felt as though we have soaked up 'local life' simply by a process of cultural osmosis. Bali has eluded us and trying to see all that it encompasses is an uphill struggle involving long and expensive taxi rides, private drivers, package tours, or braving the insane traffic on a scooter. Even if we were of a mind to hop on a moped, tackle the ridiculous traffic, and explore the island that way, it would mean hours spent in the seat.
And so, on the days when we cannot afford to venture farther afield, we feel trapped in the sticky heat. The humidity (while essentially no different to the tropical climate in which we have been immersed since last October) is making us listless. Without distraction or a sense of 'getting under the skin' of Bali, we are acutely aware of physical discomfort.
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| Black rice in a savoury context? Absurd |
Today, after I made a lunch of tempeh and red/green tomato salsa with black rice (typically reserved for sweet dishes), we repaired to the cool air conditioning of a local café. Most of the nearby establishments are in the 'warung' mould, which means they are open to the elements and noise of the traffic. However, a more modern-looking place offering the incongruous combination of doughnuts and dim sum, was a haven of cool.
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| Indulgence |
Our host spontaneously proposed an evening at the beach today. So far, we have shied away from one of Bali's feature attractions - its stunning coastline. Travelling in an archipelago, we have spent a lot of time on islands and, commensurately, a fair while staring out to sea. For us, Bali's treasures lay inland. However, we were curious to see what life is like at the nearest beach - the infamous Pantai Kuta.
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| Yo dawg! I heard you like hats. |
The beach was, as expected, crowded and a number of hawkers patrolled the sand, but the atmosphere was friendly and we pulled up a squidgy beach chair and settled in to watch the less-than-professional attempts at standing upright on a board out at sea.
For the price of a fresh coconut, we had the company of two special people and a front-seat view for the daily reminder of nature's resplendence. Perhaps this is how we should see Bali from now on.
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| The sky really was that colour |
As we returned home, a barong costume was prominently displayed outside the local temple, which was clearly gearing up for a ceremonial dance. Given how small this urban temple is, the performance took place entirely on the roadside and was viewed by us and other onlookers from across the traffic.
The dance may well have been the Calonarong, involving the defeat of Rangda by Barong, thus securing the local area. The performance descended into a frighteningly genuine display of the participants succumbing to ecstatic trance states and others stabbing themselves with their keris.
Art, culture, and nature is all around us. Sometimes I think we just aren't seeing it where it exists. Tomorrow, I'll get someone to point it out for us.
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