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terraces of Bali<\/p><\/div>\n

I am sitting in a little cyber caf\u00e9 in the village of Kintamani on my final wrap-up in Bali. Tomorrow I go to the airport and fly out just after midnight for Winnipeg. Today as I rode my motorbike across the island for the last time I tried to place my different thoughts into perspective. I decided that this might also be a good day to write one last \u201cAsia blog\u201d before I left Bali.<\/p>\n

Today I purchased and ate one last durian before leaving \u2013 one<\/p>\n

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the infamous durian - banned in public places<\/p><\/div>\n

last, lingering treat. Even here in Southeast Asia where durians grow they are expensive, and are a major treat. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the durian, it has been compared to eating rancid, foul-smelling custard in a putrid outhouse. Personally I think that comparison is a bit harsh, and I do not find the smell to be offensive in the least, and I find the taste to be divine.<\/p>\n

I am pasting a couple of excerpts from the internet just to give you \u201cthe flavor\u201d:<\/p>\n

\u201cWidely known and revered in Southeast Asia as the “king of fruits”, the durian is distinctive for its large size, unique odor and formidable thorn-covered husk. The edible flesh emits a distinctive odor, strong and penetrating even when the husk is intact. Some people regard the durian as fragrant; others find the aroma overpowering and offensive. The smell evokes reactions from deep appreciation to intense disgust, and has been described variously as almonds, rotten onions, turpentine, and gym socks. The odor has led to the fruit’s banishment from certain hotels and public transportation in Southeast Asia\u201d<\/p>\n

Here are some of the ways that the smell of durian has been described:<\/p>\n