Up Helly Aa Fire Festival Scotland

“Thick paraffin fumes in the air were like a chopped onion to the eyes, and a shot of Sambuca to the throat. The wind couldn’t decide on a direction, and the relentless downpour of rain filled my boots with a penetrating pool of wet. There was nothing surprising about the weather; after all, it was January on a remote northern isle shared by the North Sea and the Atlantic. It was no standard winter’s eve though, I tell ye. A squad of bearded rebels marched through a residential area wielding fire-lit torches, bound for a children’s play park. The night sky was ablaze, and animalistic roars echoed through the streets. A tsunami of heat warmed the crowds, while sparks swirled through the air and landed on the spectators.”