Bali

Bali, “positively dreamy,” as my friend Glen once put it. I remember those words from him long before I had ever set foot in this paradise. Now I know what he means. Dreamy . . .a connotation of the far-away, reflective, pensive and distant. Bali IS what it is - not only due to it’s immense beauty, but also because of its inhabitants. The Balinese define “island-time.” It is what Bali is about. Even the crackberry addicted ipod toting techie cannot help but be taken over by the persona of this little jewel of the South Pacific. They are a people like none other, hardworking and intentional, quiet and peaceful, giving and honorable. I found myself tempted to call it quits, buy a villa in Ubud, become a mango farmer and live out “dreamy” faster than I could give away my laptop.

The cuisine is all that you would expect . . fusions of Thai, Indian & Malay, appealing to even the toughest of critics. The diving is truly unparalleled, crystal blue water and densely populated marine life. The land is picturesque as any other, from the terraced rice fields, to the palm laden beachfronts and the traditional architecture. These influences on the mind of the visitor all contribute to how every guest feels about setting foot in this island paradise.

Eight days were certainly not enough, but urban life calls the city girl home. Taking home bits of Bali was absolutely crucial to me and even now, when I catch a glimpse of the dancing faces of my wooden masks, my bowl of black volcanic beach rocks, my sculpted silver butterflies or even the amazing art and jewelry I brought home with me, I take a little “dreamy” vacation in my mind and remember the fondness for the far-away, the reflective, the pensive, the distant home I have in that little nation that all crackberries should see as a pilgrimage.