Bali beautiful beckons a year after tragedy<\/p>\n
Merlene Michael, The Straits Times, Asia News Network,
\nSingapore<\/p>\n
\"Thank you for coming to Bali.\"<\/p>\n
That was the greeting I got everywhere during a recent trip.
\nFrom the artists and woodcarvers in the villages, to the bell
\nboys and masseuses at the spas, the Balinese people welcomed me
\nwith such warmth and sincerity that it had me giddy with delight.<\/p>\n
It has been a year since the Bali bombing and the island,
\nwhich relies heavily on tourist trade to stay afloat, is eager to
\nplease.<\/p>\n
The Oct. 12 bombings have not doused its flames nor tanished
\nits natural beauty. The island of the gods still has everything
\nto make a perfect holiday.<\/p>\n
There is a bargain to be found every few steps along Jl.
\nLegian in the Kuta Beach area as vendors call out to you,
\nslashing prices by almost half when you hint at walking away.<\/p>\n
At the upscale Seminyak area, new restaurants have sprouted,
\ntouting exotic flavours from Greece and Morocco.<\/p>\n
More importantly, security has been stepped up. Hotels and
\nresorts have erected several guard posts and metal detectors scan
\nall vehicles that come and go.<\/p>\n
A new beach patrol, aptly named Baywatch, lends a sense of
\nsecurity to the golden sands of Kuta and Sanur.<\/p>\n
Are travellers taking the bait?<\/p>\n
By the looks of it, they are -- small groups of Australians,
\ntypically dressed in their surf shorts and singlets, are still
\nflocking to the shed-like bars in the Kuta area to down cans of
\ncheap Bintang beer.<\/p>\n
In Ubud, local expats zip around on motorcycles, making stops
\nat small stores and art galleries. And in Seminyak, sleekly-
\ndressed Europeans puff on cigars and sip martinis while the beach
\nin front serves as a playground for the body beautiful.<\/p>\n
The attitude of the visitors is still as carefree. British
\nbusinessman John Duffield and his Danish wife Marianne, who live
\nin Hong Kong, have been frequent visitors to Bali since 1992.<\/p>\n
He says candidly: \"If my number is up, so be it. But in the
\nmeantime, why let a minority group of terrorists rule us? We must
\nrally together as a region to fight them and help the Balinese
\npeople rebuild their lives.\"<\/p>",
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