BALI |#TravelFriday
A short introduction from Ani: It all started with our trip to Bali, 3 years ago. We made our first real collection there. That's how the continuous work on Vintage Summer began...
Stani didn't want us to go to Bali, it was too commercial, too popular, it would be too boring, there was no activity, but of course I prevailed and we went. His idea of Bali was radically changed, as long as you don't stay in a five-star hotel and don't just walk on the beaten path.
This year Tina and Pavka went to Bali, again because of her, and he was a little skeptical. A few things you probably don't know about them. They have been a couple for at least ten years, and have been married for 4 years, and I, Ani, am their best man. The three of us and Milencheto studied in the same class 
A story from Tina and Pavka: BALI DREAM
Traveling is not just about sightseeing, it opens new horizons, enriches the soul, gives a new perspective, brings you closer to the world, makes you feel part of it.
After five months of planning the Pavka, booking tickets, places to sleep, mapping out routes, and a 20-page detailed plan of what to see and when, so that I could relax and enjoy the, as we joked, excursion organized by Pavel Tours (you may know that I like everything to be organized or thought out, otherwise I can't), we landed in Bali with a big smile and my favorite Home bag, full of everything. A dream come true, dreamed of for so long, proved to be realizable after the visit and advice of Ani and Stani.
Bali is a unique place that combines religion, beautiful places, rich history and good people. The people there are some of the most positive and compassionate human beings, possessing an extremely rich spirituality, interwoven with the roots of Buddhism, Hinduism and animism. Contact with them is an unforgettable and energizing experience. There, when you thank someone for helping you, they reply: “I am Balinese! This is inherent in me”, and with a smile they exhaust the topic. Even people's homes are built with such attention and care for religion that at first we thought they were temples, we even entered the yard of a family to take pictures. The Balinese have a wonderful tradition of decorating the front door with a wreath of flowers every morning, praying for the well-being of the home and the people living in it pray and decorate their cars as well, we even saw small wreaths on the streets that protect drivers.
As soon as we arrived and settled in, in a small house with an amazing banana garden (which we found and booked on airbnb), they welcomed us so warmly and with immense gratitude that we had given them Bulgarian muskrats. Our driver Kadek tirelessly accompanied us on our 10-12 hour trips to different points on the island, running with us for the sunset, eating with us on foot, just so we didn't miss anything.
By the way, with Pavka, who is burning with curiosity and asks thousands of questions, we managed to completely immerse ourselves in the local life, language and customs. Of course, our conversations with Kadek were mixed with a lot of laughter and sincere fun, while we struggled to understand his English, in which the letters "p" and "F" were constantly replaced. So we had to tell him that we wanted Bali copi, not Bali coffee, and that we wanted to go to a copi plantation.
Incredible sunsets, views, and emotions followed. One of the most memorable places for me was the Uluwatu Temple, an elegant and at the same time very fragile building located on the southernmost point of the island, as if hanging over the water itself.
The temple is particularly important to Hindus in Bali, and it was there at sunset that we watched the so-called Kecak dance.
Kecak is a dance-tale that tells the story of a Hindu love story between a prince and a princess separated by an evil sorcerer. In addition to the lavish costumes and the measured movements of the dancers, Kecak is also known for its music. The only instruments are the voices of a hundred men, whose chants merge into one.
The magic of the island was also complemented by the Tanah Lot temple, which is located 20 km from Denpasar. The temple is located on a small rock that is very close to the coast and has been shaped over the years by the ocean tide. Its name means "Land in the middle of the sea". According to legends, it is a sacred place that is guarded by water snakes that inhabit the cave below it. It was precisely for this temple that we raced with our driver Kadek to catch the sunset, which I must admit was really worth it.
The beaches are absolutely pristine, a paradise where you can completely relax... except for the moments when a Balinese comes with a big smile to offer you a massage, a kite, show you what bracelets he has made, or simply asks you where you are from, can he take a picture with you, what your country is famous for, what your name means.
Countless places, each one getting better and better. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face and every day I woke up with a huge desire to wear my "business clothes" that Ani and I had picked out together before we left.
If you're planning such a trip, consider your luggage carefully. My suitcase was full of comfortable and light clothes. And the long Sea Flower dress and long jumpsuit were a constant choice when we visited temples where you can't enter in shorts or with bare legs.
My next surefire choices for the trip were:
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the fringe sandals , which withstood all the tests of the numerous waterfalls, volcanoes, temples we visited. Light, cool shoes that look great and can be combined with most of the clothes you plan to take;
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the Home bag , in which I really fit my whole world – water, a scarf for my shoulders, sunscreen, documents, camera equipment, a swimsuit and everything I needed for the day.
Every day was so dynamic and the scenery changed so often that the Home bag and the things I had put in it helped me be prepared for anything.
To immerse yourself in our experience, watch the Pavkata video here:
He develops the Active8 platform, which is for an active lifestyle, shoots videos and photos with which he wants to inspire more and more people to live actively, travel boldly and do the things they love, not stopping at anything #beactive #active8 #activateyourself . You can follow him on FB, IG & YouTube.
I'm sharing one of my favorite photos from the place I've always dreamed of visiting.
Here are some tips on how to feel the true spirit of Bali:
by Ani and Stani
As you know, every place that becomes very popular becomes more and more difficult to immerse yourself in its spirit, but in Bali it is still possible. The island is magical, as long as you know what you can do outside the routine. Don't stay in the famous hotels, find houses or homestays, we slept with amazing people. In general, we divided the island into three parts and if someone asked me what is the coolest thing about Bali, then this would be exactly the division between the individual places and that each one carries its own spirit:
1. Surfers Paradise – Bali is a top destination for all surfers. Why? The first important thing is that the ocean is not cold, on the contrary, the water is super warm. Accordingly, all the surfers have a chocolate tan and golden hair (just a parallel to Portugal, they are all white, because no one can enter the ocean without a wetsuit). The second important thing is that there are no sharks, which is why Bali is one of the top places in the world for surfing. Each place on the island has quite different features, i.e. what you will see with the surfers will not be what is in the middle of the island. The southernmost peninsula is Uluwatu, there are the most famous surfing beaches and you will be amazed at how great they are. We stayed there for 5 days, rented a scooter and went from beach to beach (the craziest thing), surfed and lived carefree. Most foreigners go and live there for months to surf and relax, their hair turns blonde, and time is timeless. So stop one is Padang Padang Beach, Uluwatu Temple + Beach (this is the most amazing place we've been to), Balangan Beach (we surfed there, yay). DO NOT GO to Kuta unless you want Sunny Beach. Tip: whatever you see down there and like, buy it. Then you won't find it anywhere else - surf hats, surf shirts, backpacks, magnets, bracelets or hand-painted things, don't hesitate. This is one face of the island: beaches, ocean and surf.
2. Culture Paradice – the next few days we were in the center of the island, this is Ubud. Everything is around it, so we chose it as the starting point for the tours in the middle of the island. We climbed the Batur volcano at night, it leaves at 2 am and you are at the top at sunrise, the climb is only with a guide, which you will very kindly find from your landlord or from somewhere, don't worry, it is super easy to find a driver or a tour, just do it on the spot, don't reserve anything through expensive sites. Climbing the volcano is not difficult, so don't hesitate to do it. The next day we saw the rice fields, visited many temples (mark them on the map and you can tour them very easily in a day, they are all very beautiful, we didn't overdo it with them), we also went to the Lemukih Waterfalls. Ubud itself is a great city, there is the palace, there are cultural events, there is also the biggest market and all the art shops, oh yes, a market! Stan hated me for spending half a day there.
3. Diving Paradice – Bali is a super famous place for diving, it is full of centers and places, we chose Amed. There is a sunken Japanese ship, which is a top destination for diving, but we didn’t see it. We stayed there for 4 days with a plan to dive, but in the end I ruined it because of fear and we started touring the region. Water Palace, Amed Beaches- there are great beaches there, but if you are not going to dive, better invest your time in other places
I'll also share a few things about the food, because Tina isn't thrilled with it, as she doesn't eat a lot of things, but it's worth a try: Nasi Goreng, this is their rice, the most delicious I've ever had, I still dream about it
This is, in short, how to immerse yourself in the true atmosphere of Bali, an unforgettable place to which we will definitely return one day, we hope you enjoyed it too.
#travelfriday #explore #dream #vintagesummer
Love,
Ani and Stani, Tina and Pavkata
