Kuta, Bali

So I was in Bali in April but am only updating it now.  I really suck at writing about my travels, don't I?

I present in this entry, Kuta.  I must say I didn't like it very much.  I wasn't there during the tourist season, but the beaches were dirty and there were so many peddlers.  I preferred Langkawi --  It had the right mix, touristy so that I get all my needs (i.e Internet) but not so touristy that everything is super inflated. See, touristy to the point of ridiculous.  A horse carriage?!

So that's me and my adventure buddy, Karri!  Initially I was a bit worried about how things are going to be so much more expensive when I'm travelling with an angmoh, as well as the possibly SPGs that are going to throw themselves at him.  I told him before we left, that I'm just going to stand in one corner and laugh at him if SPGs hit on him.  :-D But all those fears were unfounded anyway.  It's not like a woman dressed in a bikini and shorts can ever pass for a Balinese/Indonesian.  I read that Balinese actually don't like the water so much and they only started working there because of tourism. 

The entrance to the beach.  I thought it was pretty but a bit out of place. 

 We took this picture because there were Russian words!  We thought it was really strange that this place is far out from Russia but I guess there must be a lot of Russian tourists.. It made Karri homesick.  :-P

 These offerings were placed sporadically along the beach and outside any business.  Balinese are Hindus, btw. 

 Ooo kites for sale!  I thought the kites were so pretty and unique!  And this man below was very game to let us take a picture of him when he saw the camera pointing at him.  Of course we had to then make it clear that we weren't interested in buying anything.

We spent one full day in Kuta (thankfully it wasn't longer) and we walked the entire stretch the whole day.  I was subsequently burnt, super burnt in fact and spent the entire time in Ubud recuperating.  But anyway, this beach we were at.. Seminyak or Legian, who knows, had black sand!  It was really fascinating.  And the water was really clear!  Can't say the same about Kuta though.

 The famous waves.

 Oh and a picture to end this entry: penises!  These are ash trays.. There were so many phalli around, the Hindu word, if I'm using this correctly, is Lingam.  It always annoys me when the phallus is being worshipped.  Pfft

I'll have a separate entry on food and rooms, so read on!