We’ve anchored in Jakarta and took a plane to Bali, a city that breathes spirituality and culture.

At first sight, one can already notice how the locals are involved in their beliefs. In the island, the predominant religion is Balinese Hinduism – different from Indian Hinduism, that has also features of Bhuddism and local original religions.

As most of eastern cultures, Balinese also show great respect for gods and demons. And that is evident in the Balinese New Year (they don’t follow the western calendar). A day before the New Year, there is an “ogoh ogoh” parade, in which giant figures go through the city in order to scare the evil spirits away.

The following day, Nyepi happens. This is the day of silence. Who would say a city with such vibrant colors could be quiet, huh? But this day is widely respected, even by the tourists.

The city gets completely quiets and no one leaves their houses. There is no one at the beach or in any restaurants. The objective is to show the demons the city is empty, so they will think there is no reason to visit.

Maybe you’re not superstitious, but it is extremely important that you keep your mind open to other points of view, especially when it comes to different cultures.