Alistair G. Speirs
Is Bali still the “Morning of The World”?
This was the question I was asked to address at the 2018 Ubud Writers and Readers Festival which took place in October. The UWRF is an amazing event which brought together 180 writers, some very famous, others just “emerging”, and thousands of readers from all over the world. In the esteemed company of Balinese intellectual
The Sound and The Fury
Last month we did a round-up of nightlife options across the island and wow what options there were! There were pubs and cafes, clubs and dance venues, rooftops and beach bars all competing for those determined to make the best of every evening. And I have to say the great majority of them are well
How the IMF-World Bank Conference Was Good for Bali
The Annual Meeting of the IMF-WB was really good for Bali and Indonesia. Despite the inevitable disruptions to the island’s traffic and airport access, the meetings meant that Rp3 trillion was invested in improving the infrastructure in Bali, especially the new airport-Nusa Dua underpass. It is claimed they also increased job opportunities by 1.26% across
Bali’s Nightlife Thrills
“When the night falls, my lonely heart calls” I bet only a few of you are old enough to remember the great old disco hit “I wanna dance with somebody” but I’m sure you understand the context all too well. You’ve been busy all day, you say goodbye to your friends and as the evening approaches you
Do You Know What an Authentic Experience Is?
Hello and welcome to Bali. I’m sorry about the technical question above but it will become relevant to you as you explore this marvellous island. There is a fascination – no, an obsession – of governments around the world to drive increasing numbers of tourists to their best destinations to increase their economic benefit and
Food, Glorious Food in Bali
“Hot sausage and mustard, cold jelly and custard, pease pudding and saveloys”, these were the dishes fantasised over by the workhouse boys in the Musical Oliver! Wow, that Victorian English fare doesn’t hold much magic for us nowadays. (And by the way, don’t know what a “Saveloy” is? Actually it’s a highly seasoned red sausage
Kids, and Making New Discoveries in Bali
“Little children should be seen and not heard” was an arrogant and misguided belief held in the Victorian era in UK and probably across the Western world. I don’t think it was much better in China or India where discipline for children was considered essential and freedom of expression strictly controlled. “Speak only when spoken
The Arts of Malang
The east Java town of Malang is soaked in history and surrounded by nature. With that being said, for this issue’s Archipelago Diaries, NOW! Bali’s Alistair Speirs indulged himself in a Malang establishment, where arts take centerstage. Imagine a hotel whose purpose is to preserve and glorify art. Imagine a hotel where every room is
Challenging The Kids Whilst They Are in Bali
The Asian Games were recently held in Jakarta, the Capital of Indonesia, and Palembang a city in South Sumatra. This is the second largest sporting event in the world after the Olympic Games and is something that Indonesia should be very proud to host. This reminds me of the ideals behind the Olympic games, and
Living in Harmony
Welcome to Bali where Mother Nature continues to breathe her blessings from the caldera of the active Mount Agung. The threat of disruption from volcanic ash (and of course there is a possibility of actual danger to aircraft if they are not 100% careful) caused great havoc with the tourism industry early in the year
Bali’s Sung and Unsung Heroes
I have been coming to Bali for 40 years and in that time seen heroes and villains, entrepreneurs and hustlers, artists and artisans, chefs and surfers, designers and dancers, all coming to Bali from all over the world and all over Indonesia to “find their fortune” to test their luck and often just to enjoy
The Importance of Space : Overdevelopment on the Island
In this Personal Perspective, Publisher Alistair Speirs discusses space and how the overdevelopment in Bali is making it more and more difficult to enjoy what space there is: When the voice of Captain James T Kirk of the Starship Enterprise said, “Space, The Final Frontier”, so many years ago, he was of course referring to
Bali’s Season of Festivals : More Than Just Parties
When is the right time to celebrate? Well since you are on holiday, it’s today. And you are in luck, Bali is a GREAT place to celebrate just about anything – birthdays, coming of age, engagements, weddings, perhaps even a divorce! Partying is easy in July and August in Bali when the clubs are in
