Day 3: Nyepi - Day of Introspection

The morning after the O-goh O-goh parade is the actual New Year (Nyepi). According to a pamphlet I picked up at the hotel, this was actually the Caka New Year 1929. It is celebrated with a "day of introspection". In other words, no one is allowed to work, to turn on the lights, or to travel, which means no flights, no buses, no one on the street. Our hotel told us we were not allowed to go out. We obeyed, but had to walk out to the sidewalk to believe it. There was not a single person on the street! It was like watching a zombie movie (before the corpses reanimate) or those post-apocalypse films. People are also not supposed to work or turn on lights.

Well . . . I don't know how much introspection took place, but Jayde and I did have a good time hanging out by the pool. We also explored the hotel grounds. It was amazing to me that even this really inexpensive hotel had such beautiful grounds and a shrine where they make offerings. This illustrates the one thing that really sets Bali apart from other developing countries that I've visited: the people here seem really content with there position in life and give thanks regularly for it. Even the people selling goods on the street make little offerings throughout the day.



This was the first time in a long time that I really relaxed. Whether at home or on vacation, I always wake up with a list of things I need to accomplish. It was nice to have nothing to do.