Bali Bombing Memorial Site - WW

Bali Bombing Memorial site

On the second evening of our trip in Bali, we stayed around Kuta Beach. After checking into our hotel, we walked to the Bali Bombing Memorial Site to take a look. Many tourists were there, some took pictures, others said a word of prayers for the unfortunate victims.

names of the victims in the 2002 Bali bombing

"At about 11 p.m. on the evening of Saturday, October 12th, 2002, three bombs exploded in Kuta in Bali. The first occurred in Paddy's Bar and sent drinkers and dancers fleeing into the street. The second was a massive explosion in front of Sari's Club, across the street. This, a car bomb, was a huge explosion whch devastated about 100 metres of Kuta's main street, created a huge crater, and killed over 180 people, most of them Australians. The third was a comparatively small explosion in the vicinity of the American consulate in a suburb of Denpasar."

I stood in front of the memorial site and surveyed the surrounding. There is only a one-way street for vehicles coming into this area. The area is surrounded by shops, jammed with traffic and pedestrians, including children.

I can imagine the chaos when the bombs went off as a waiter in a restaurant near the blast site recounted that fateful day to us when we asked him.

"People were running for their lives. The dead who were blown to pieces had their remains scattered all over. Many foreign tourists laid wounded. Beautiful Kuta turned into Hell. All of us were so scared. But many locals went into action, helping to divert traffic and ferry the wounded to the hospitals."

One minute a scene of raucous dancing, drinking and merriment was changed to a scene of burning buildings and bloody carnage, burnt corpses and people horribly wounded. Life is so unpredictable.

Initially I was horrified when Win said we would be staying in Kuta Beach for two nights. For those who love surfing in the lovely waters of Kuta Beach; making merry, dancing and drinking in the many bars on Kuta's main street, they would love this area.

For me, it's over-commercialized. I prefer the other side of Bali where the tranquil villages offer a relaxed atmosphere; the fine beaches and wonderful sunsets providing my hubby and I with beautiful, lasting memories of our trip.






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