Girls’ Guide to Bali: Enjoy the Island like a Local
Shaping Cultural Experiences
Travel has been an integral part of my life since I was a young child. I grew up in a multicultural, bilingual home in the Netherlands with a Polish mother and a Dutch father. My
Update & BBC News Link
A brief update: One interview video will be uploaded tomorrow evening. I believe the BBC News One-Minute World News provides well-balanced reporting of news, hence why I wanted to share it. Top stories on May
From Nigeria to Boston
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VNkCazT_T4&feature=youtu.be
When you first meet Oluwagbeminiyi Osidipe, you encounter a very vibrant, friendly, and unique personality. Oluwagbeminiyi or Niyi – as she shortened her name for simplicity – was named by her mother, who had a “very personal experience” when she had her, Niyi explained. Niyi is a Yoruba Nigerian transplant who arrived in the U.S. in 2006. As one of the most densely populated (West) African countries, Nigeria derives its name from the river that spans its land. To the South, it borders the Gulf of Guinea to the Atlantic Ocean. Originally colonized by the British, Nigeria gained independence in 1960. Its main ethnic groups are the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba, who speak English and their own respective languages, while major religions include Islam, Christianity and indigenous beliefs. Niyi shares her story, her views on politics, cultural differences she’s embraced with humor, and what we can learn from each other by expressing curiosity. Her message is simple: travel enriches us through its exposure to new cultures, and enables us to grow.
Mark Twain on Travel
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” (American author Mark Twain, Innocents Abroad).
Have you had the opportunity to travel (extensively, within your country, or even once abroad)? Can you relate to Twain’s sentiments? How does travel enrich us?
Pleasing The Taste Palate
Food has the wonderful quality of uniting us no matter where we are. There is nothing partisan or narrow-minded about food. It simply invites us to indulge, create recipes, and share with others. Two of my favorite Polish dishes (included in collage) are pierogies and barszcz czerwony – a beetroot soup – served on Christmas Eve in Poland. How does food bring us together? What are some of your favorite dishes and why? Can food trigger memories?
Stereotypes: Truth or Fiction?
DEFINING STEREOTYPES: “An idea or statement about all of the members of a group or all the instances of a situation.” (Merriam-Webster). Stereotypes enable bias and preconceived notions to perpetuate, but can also reveal valid
Annual Human Rights Report
“The world changed immeasurably over the course of 2011. Across the Middle East, North Africa, and far beyond, citizens stood up to demand respect for human dignity, more promising economic opportunities, greater political liberties, and
Euro Crisis & Emerging Stereotypes
Brief Crisis Breakdown Since the onset of the global financial crisis, or Great Recession, in 2007, the Eurozone has feared impending growing global debt levels, as well as sovereign debt within European countries themselves. In
Remembering Tiananmen
Today marks the 23rd anniversary of Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests in Beijing, China. Inflation, a lack of career prospects, the fall of Eastern European communism, and political corruption, are all said to have fueled anger
Coffee's Uniting Power
A cup of coffee can bridge cultural gaps. At least, that’s what Gizem Salgicil White, founder of Turkayfe.org, believes. Her organization aims to create awareness of Turkish culture, particularly within America. Gizem is a Turkish native,
Bali – the island known for its dazzling shoreline, surf breaks and streets buzzing with travel highs is a sum of all its fabulous parts. Whether you are planning a trip with your friends, family or partner, Bali will never disappoint since it has everything from beaches to mountains to lakes and more. Adventure-lover or not, you will find something you love to do in Bali.
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The best kind of holidays are the ones taken with your closest friends – just a bunch of girls embarking on a journey of self-love, sisterhood and unconditional support. Bali is the perfect destination for a trip with your girls where you will be climbing a mountain one minute and the next you’ll find yourselves by the pool in your private villa sipping on some piña coladas. There are so many activities that one can do in Bali that even if you stay here for a week, a month or a year, you will have only scratched the surface.
Therefore, to make it easier for you, here are a few things you and your friends can enjoy while in Bali!
1. Cultural Awakening in unsuspecting Munduk
When you think of Bali, the first few places that pop in your mind are Seminyak, Canggu and Ubud. However, there is so much more to Bali than its southern end where you have dense foliage, natural and untamed forests, a luscious hillside and cooler climates instead of beaches and sunshine. The serene, mystical and untouched mountainside village of Munduk is one such pristine destination where you can enjoy a quieter and more relaxed holiday with your friends.
Visit the surreal beauty of Tamblingan Lake and get your award-winning shot in front of the famous golf gate. Smell the coffee – literally – at the coffee plantations that Munduk is so well-renowned for and relax in your private villa as the hills remain shrouded in a whimsical mist.
2. Eat at Nook – a restaurant with rice paddies in its backyard!
Seminyak is one of the hottest destinations in Bali, owing to its more developed streets, café scene and upcoming high-end boutique stores that are focussed on sustainable fashion. The streets are busy and the beaches busier however, in the midst of all this chaos lies the unsuspecting mirage of Nook – a café/restaurant serving up some local and fusion food with fresh flavours near Kerobokan.
The restaurant has sprawling fields of luscious, green rice paddies that stretch far and wide right at the back where you can grab a table to bask in the picturesque and charming setting.
3. Unplug with a dip in the Toya Devasya hot pools, Kintamani
A hike up Mt. Batur may already be on your bucket-list because who wants to miss that mesmerising sunrise over the island! However, there is one more thing you don’t want to miss in this part of Bali and it is the Toya Devasya hot springs in Central Batur, Kintamani. With a view that spans across the majestic sight of Mt. Batur and neighbouring scenery, the hot springs are a great way to unwind and unplug from your busy lives and take a moment to appreciate the company of your friends.
4. Shopping at Kumbasari Market
Whether you’re looking for home décor, scouting latest fashion trends or thinking of starting your private art collection, Kumbasari Market in Denpasar is the one-stop shop for all your needs and wants. Kumbasari is a cheaper alternative to the local markets in both Ubud and Seminyak with a lot more room for bargaining.
Selling wares produced locally, using only natural materials like rattan and reclaimed wood, the market is teeming with vendors showcasing their art. From the ‘Bali bag’ to eco-conscious bamboo straws, dreamcatchers to artwork, the market has everything under the sun.
5. Enjoy a cultural experience by relishing in a nasi padang meal
You can’t truly experience a country’s culture without a taste of its local cuisine. Indonesia is famous for its Padang-style restaurants, food and serving-style that hails from West Sumatra. Travellers often find themselves in a Padang-style eatery in Bali, as with other parts of Indonesia, where the food is eaten by hand and all you need to do is select what you want to eat from the colourful and abundant display of dishes in restaurant windows.
The tables are laden with a wide array of dishes and you only pay for what you eat. An experience from the moment you cleanse your hands in the lemon-bowl to the first bite of rendang– a slow-cooked meat curry – Padang meals are worth a try.
Hi! I'm the founder of Culture With Travel and #CultureTrav. Please chat with us on social media and contribute in the comments! Follow @Nicolette_O
