In Reply to: ? Progress in Bali, last 40 years posted by AdrianS on Wednesday, 11. April 2012 at 08:27 Bali Time:
My first trip to Bali was in January 94 and it's changed - and hasn't changed in many ways since then.
The Matahari in Legian street was after 94, I know that. You had to go to Denpasar if you needed a dept store. It was only McDonalds there at that time.
There's still plenty of walls with broken glass on them. Wander down some of the gangs and you'll see it within minutes.
Sections of Jl Legian were disco central back then too - it's just expanded a lot more. Though there was always plenty of loud music coming from the tape shops to make up for not so many nightclubs and restaurants.
I also think that the phallic wooden object fixation has lessened a little with time. They used to be on everything, ashtrays, statues, etc - and everywhere. I remember a lifesized wooden statue outside one shop with a horrendously oversized 'addition'. Now there's loads of the bottle openers but not so obvious elsewhere.
The traffic is now horrific, there's no denying that, but I don't let it faze me. I'm on holiday and in no rush. I like that the wandering vendors with their cases of jewellery etc are gone - they were a hassle, but I miss the food vendors at night on Jl Legian. The corn and nasi goreng smelt amazing. Enjoyed finding them again on Jl Raya Kuta this past trip. Best meals ever.
Everything changes over time. The town I live in has gone from being quiet to busy over the last 20 years too. Places that used to take 5 minutes to drive through now take 10-15 minutes with increased traffic and lack of driver courtesy. Prices go up. People become less friendly to strangers. Years back people would smile and say hi as you passed on the street. If you smiled at a stranger on the street now, they'd assume you were up to no good.
The world's changed. From what I can see, Bali obviously hasn't been immune, but the changes seem less there than they are where I live.