a day of silence

tomorrow, 12 march 2013, is nyepi in bali.  new year's day. everything closes, even the airport.  we stayed in bali once for nyepi and it was interesting.  no-one is allowed on the streets.  lights are not lit, no cooking.  if you stay at a hotel only minimum services are available. on nyepi eve parades featuring ogoh ogoh occur in every district.  it's such fun to watch.  kids carry along huge papier mache statues of demons on huge bamboo frames.  very colourful.  they turn them around and around to confuse the evil spirits. afterwards they are burnt or hotels buy them for decoration. lots of work goes into making them. everyone is involved. the next afternoon there are lots of celebrations and markets.  kids run around with balloons and toys.  it's a real party atmosphere.  so selamat hari raya nyepi 2013

a short video of a parade 


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