Lerwick Up Helly Aa
Posted: Thursday, 31 January 2008 |
Perfect conditions for the Guizer Jarl on Tuesday brought out thousands to watch the Up Helly Aa spectacle.
Just a few of the crowds around the burning site.
Lighting Up
They're off!
The Galley Breckon
Guizers!
Hundreds of flaming torches on King Harald Street.
Jarl Kol Kalison just before the Galley is set alight. (Don't stress, he hops off just in time!)
The Burning
Jarl Kol Kalison, otherwise known as Roy Leask. (Or in Unst, Elaine's Dad.)
Well, that's your lot for now, although you may be interested to know that Muness Views and I met up with Stromness Dragon at the TA hall. We had a very enjoyable night.
Just a few of the crowds around the burning site.
Lighting Up
They're off!
The Galley Breckon
Guizers!
Hundreds of flaming torches on King Harald Street.
Jarl Kol Kalison just before the Galley is set alight. (Don't stress, he hops off just in time!)
The Burning
Jarl Kol Kalison, otherwise known as Roy Leask. (Or in Unst, Elaine's Dad.)
Well, that's your lot for now, although you may be interested to know that Muness Views and I met up with Stromness Dragon at the TA hall. We had a very enjoyable night.
Comments
Brilliant photos, Ruth! Really a glimpse into another world for us out here. But who are the hillbilly types in pic 7? Are they in the wrong event? The Deliverance festival, maybe ...
Jill from EK
brill photos ruthodanort. Every year I wish I had my camera when they light up da torches - pic 2 - its very moving... and the smell is out o this world!
scallowawife from shetland
jepp,the last Vikings are on the Ilands west O Norway, I see. Nice event looking forward 2 see the realy big one on Unst, next week..I heard it is the BEST.o all.
arne from x.viking land
VERY nice. As to Jarl Kalison, Elaine's Dad, he looks like a tolerant, fun loving softie. Nice gear. Impressive flames. A pyromania's delight.
mjc from NM,USA
Lovely photos! What a fab night - really nice to meet you and MV. My head's been reeling since. I've written a blog, but still waiting for the man to send me the pics to accompany it. Not half as good as yours, though.
Stromness Dragon from Back home
Great Pics Ruth!
CVBruce from CA, USA
Fpu would like me to tell you how much she admires your pics - particularly the one of the cuddly Guiser Jarl...with his pretty pink tongue just peeking out from his eminently huggable face fuzz... I would like to disassociate myself from this comment entirely.
Flying Cat from beardie-snuggles
Very nice as I would expect. Like the Jarl in the galley one.
Muness from Fetlar
Very good piccies. Wish we could have come up to see it, maybe next year when we are not chopping things to bits.
H from Out of the cold
FANTASTIC!!!!
Michelle Therese from Moo!
Do the Elf & Safety people no' want to stop all yer fun Ruthie? If it were doon sooth, they'd have stopped all this fire-raising years ago.
Tws from A Safe Distance
I've been down south now for 4 weeks. I can see some comment in the paper about the motorway of the seas. Is this about getting a car route to Norway? Does anybody know? I've missed not having the Norruna.
aquaerial from whalsay
Playing in the band under the torches is an experience. You have to watch you don't lose your eyebrows and your plastic mac starts to melt a bit. But at least you're warm. It was a bit scary the first time when the torches get lit up because you get this paraffin smell and the seary heat before it settles and then its Ok. Missed it this year so good to see the pictures.
aquaerial from whalsay
Aquaerial - I'm told by some folk that were in the bandstand that you would be lucky no being there this year, they had tried an experimental mix for the torches and most folk ended up a bit black!!
Ruthodanort from Unst
Tsk! So very un-PC! Whatever next? Men with balloons stuffed up their fronts?
Flying Cat from a wandering minstrel I
A cod-piece, FC, not a balloon, FC. As per the marriage scene in Pride and Prejudice. Napoleon had one: so Josephine wrote in her unexpurgated (now out of print) memoirs.
mjc from NM,USA
Aquaerial-Motorway of the Seas. That must be about the new route that they are trying to start. It's primarily for freight, but may include passengers. As far as I have been able to figure oot, it is supposed to link Norway, Shetland and UK mainland. However, it is all in such early stages that I'm not getting too excited. The good news is that this summer we'll be able to fly direct from Sumburgh to Bergen. YIPPEE!! I've already booked one o my trips, Shetland Bergen Race Here I Come!!
Ruthodanort from Unst
Be sure and tell all your friends and acquaintances in Norway about the Sumburgh Schedule. Previous attempts notably by BA and Loganair failed miserably in the publicity on the Norway side. Despite being in Bergen on holiday some years ago we found norskies who refused to believe we had flown direct and friends of ours could not persuade their travel agent that the flights existed because they had not been properly publicised. These links are important for cultural as well as economic reasons. ( Not forgetting social reasons of course.)
Hyper-Borean from The ticket office
I hope there's going to be a new blog soon Ruthodanort with you depicted in a squad (if appropriate).
Muness from Fetlar
...or even (and perhaps better) if innapropriate...
Flying Cat from the seven veils of Septicaemia
Blogs fae a thirty-something mum of 4 born in Fife, brought up in Orkney, and living in Unst.
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