BALI’S SIREN CALL
It’s about karma, spirituality and monkeys – lots of monkeys By Alain Lajoie
Alain Lajoie is a Montrealer who taught for Cree School Board in Nothern Quebec before retiring in 2020.
Strangely enough, especially for this agnostic/atheist,
Asia. It’s volcano, Mount Agung, is an active one that
the spirituality of the Balinese is one of the things
erupts regularly. The island is also on the Ring of Fire
that makes me love Bali. Coming from a society that
and often gets stirred by earthquakes. On a personal
compartmentalizes so many things, it is refreshing
note, few things put as much bounce in your step as
to visit a world where spirituality is part of the
being woken up by your room shaking.
ecosystem, derived from it and where it reinforces the protection of natural elements.
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Any conversation about Bali has to acknowledge that it is very dependent on tourism and the
A volcanic island in the Java Sea, Bali is eight degrees
commercialism that accompanies it. However, once
south of the equator. It is a breezy island, more
off the main streets, the natural Bali surfaces quickly
comfortable than many other locations in southeast
with all its beauty. Driving around the narrow roads,
SIDEONE APRIL 2021
