Happy Indonesian Independence Day. Indonesia used to be a Dutch colony but was invaded by Japan during WWII. When Japan surrendered, Indonesia proclaimed independence on 17 August 1945. The streets are lined with the red and white Indonesian flag and I went to a local parade and celebration.
I totally understand why people think Bali in particular is a great place for a holiday. The people are beautiful, friendly and always smiling. The island is a tropical paradise with great beaches, palms and a very mountainous interior. The food is fabulous. I was very happy to say farewell to Australian petrol station pies and hello to yummy tropical fruits, noodles and rice.
On a serious note, one of the first places I visited in Bali was the memorial for the Bali Bombing in 2002. This was a tragic event with huge loss of young people. I had just finished university in Denmark and was on my way around the world. I was meant to have visited Bali in early 2003, but decided to change my flights and head to New Zealand early. There I fell in love with a country and its people and now call New Zealand home. It's good to be able to come here now.
I'm now cycling on Java, and will post some stories and photos from this part of Indonesia soon.