The world's most populous Muslim majority country,
reality eats and prays in Jakarta but loves in Bali
"I told my mom it was probably a good thing I visited Bali when I was thirty-two. I was mature enough to see it for what it was and to be mindful of its limitations. It was a society curated for the enjoyment of visitors. Most every area had a dozen Instagramable spots. Locals cashed in on it, often at the behest of foreign investment dollars. “Real Bali” was tough to distinguish. Where did it start and where did it end? Was it the local woman pouring gasoline into old liquor bottles by the side of the rode to be sold to motorbikers? The six-foot-tall blonde athletic Australian surfer girl? The French guy running a string of beachside hostels who broke a half dozen hearts a week? The yogis on interior retreats? Had I been twenty-two there’s a good chance I wouldn’t have left. The allure of a constant pipeline of people down to party and the sincere belief that I was living some sort of noble hedonistic life amongst appreciative locals could have sustained me for a decade. I met a lot of those kids on my trip and to be frank I liked them. Most always I’d ask a simple question, 'You spend any time in Jakarta?' The answer would be, 'Nah. maybe flew through a few times.' I liked Jakarta for its hard truths, those long lost in Bali."
--Luke's Journal
CITIES VISITED:
MUST DO:
FAVORITE MEMORY:
Jakarta
Kuta
Uluwatu
Ubud
See the Istiqlal Mosque and Jakarta Cathedral, built next to each other to encourage unity.
See live music at the Jaya Pub.
Visit the Uluwatu Temple.
Paying a local $5 for a banana so a monkey would give me my sunglasses back. (This is a true story.)
