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Francesco Lastrucci

A new moon ceremony at a private house near Ubud, in central Bali, involves a Topeng dance drama performed by a masked dancer accompanied by gamelan music.

Ida Bagus Anom Suryawan holds a mask he made depicting the Rangda White, a demon queen from Balinese Hindu mythology. It’s believed that every mask used for performance has a spirit.

Masks are generally crafted from the pule tree (Alstonia scholaris) using tools like the pangot (knife).

Maskmaker Ida Bagus Anom Suryawan, and his wife, Ayu, sit in the courtyard of their house and workshop in the Balinese village of Mas, known for its wood carving. The traditional wooden mask he's holding is a work in progress.

This mask of the character Patih Manis was carved from lightweight pule wood by Ida Bagus Anom Suryawan, a sixth-generation artisan in Bali. Masks like these are integral to sacred dance dramas performed on the Indonesian island.

Raketa Rakia Bar offers a range of fruity rakia liquor.

Locals play chess in the City Garden opposite the National Theatre, a popular spot for the game.

The Korali Pancharevo spring-fed mineral pool, on the shore of Pancharevo lake, where water temperatures average 37C.

Warm mineral water flows from one of the restored marble fountains at Sofia’s Central Mineral Baths.

Traditional wedding costumes in Sofia Regional History Museum.