Seminyak, Bali
The following video was taken in the coastal town of Seminyak, Bali during a religious procession through the streets. The Hindu take enormous pleasure and pride in their religious events.
Large Paper Mache Ogoh-Ogoh
Seminyak Hindu Celebration
We were lucky enough to stumble upon one of the many Hindu celebrations that occur regularly on Bali. This one was held on March 23th 1 day before the Nyepi celebration and 2 days before the Hari Raya Nyepi.
Hari Raya Nyepi (quiet day) is celebrated throughout Bali where all shops are closed and no one is permitted to even walk in the streets. Everyone must remain quiet and indoors for worship of Capur Tapa Brata. Many activities are prohibited such as entertainment (this is not the case within the confines of most resorts.)
Pawai Ogoh-Ogoh, the day before Nyepi, is when the people of Bali celebrate with music, food and drink with dancing and parades. With the loud noises and partying they believe they can scare the bad spirits away from the island. The next day is made to be silent so that the spirits believe that the inhabitants of Bali have left, so in turn, they will completely leave the area. Ogoh-Ogoh is the bad spirit beast represented in the photo above. At the end of the day, each family burns their Ogoh-Ogoh in the street to celebrate their gain of Dharma (good) and domination over Adharma (evil).
This photo is classic Bali. You'll often see entire families on a single moped. Mopeds are the primary transportation in Bali due their low cost and small size. Driving in Bali is truly an experience. We personally try to avoid it at all cost. Traffic laws are more like suggestions than strict rules. For example, a red light is really just a warning that traffic will be coming in from both sides as you fly between other vehicles. Kinda sketchy.
Seminyak/ Legian Hotels
One of the nicest hotles in Seminyak or Legian is the O-CE-N Bali Outrigger. This oceanfront hotel sits right in the heart of Seminyak with a great location for beach-going and shopping. The Hotel has a long river like pool that flows around the premisis. At the restaurant they serve fantastic cocktails with an ocean view.
