In Reply to: How much has changed?? posted by darkstar on Tuesday, 1. May 2007 at 05:20 Bali Time:
It is difficult to spot the changes when you are a regular visitor.
I believe that they are more obvious when you are away for a long time (as you have been)and can make better comparisons.
However, I believe that a few things have changed in the last few years.
Obviously, Bali has now lost some of its global naivety following the terrorist attacks.....this was inevitable.
Security is now far more obvious than it was before, although even now, sometimes the security takes on a characteristic "Bali" flavour, with a cursory wave of a mirror on a stick.
The visitor demographic has also changed, with different types of tourists, who also behave differently, and this affects the street feel and atmosphere (some will say for the better?)
The "built up" areas, Kuta, Legian, Tuban, Seminyak have become more sophisticated, with more boutiquey type shops and cafes, and quite frankly, if you didn't know where one started and the other ended, you will not know when you are in one or the other.
There is also a lot more choice now in buying every day consumables, including wines, spirits and other more westernised commodities.
There is also the perception among travellers that there is a desperation about the people now that wasn't there before.
Personally, I am not so sure about this, and there are conflicting stories about the number of people on the streets compared to the tourist numbers.
The Balinese (and others) will always talk up their need for more business, this is a natural reaction from anyone trying to make a quid or a rupe.
Also, there are a lot more domestic tourists now than before, and this impacts on traffic densities around the tourist areas.
The friendliness of the people is unchanged, although one feels that there is a new found maturity and awareness about them since the "damaging incidents".
These general comments only apply to the cosmetic facades of the tourist areas, the spiritual nature of the people is unchanged, as it has been for hundreds of years.
And as you move away from the tourist areas and into the more traditional Balinese areas, I am sure that life is pretty much as it was seven years ago, or for that matter seventy years ago.
The bottom line is, that even with a "growing up" that has been forced on Bali, it is still a wonderful place to visit, and I for one, intend to keep visiting for as long as I am physically able.