Hell Yeah - Up Helly Aa! (I couldn't resist...)
In my mind... If 2020 was a Viking Ship bound for a fiery end, Up Helly Aa would be its doom. I would cathartically burn its losses in licks of flame. This is not the right festival for that. That is the energy fueling the procession of Burn The Clocks Festival in Brighton, UK. I digress...
Up Helly Aa is CELEBRATION! This is a glorious fire festival celebrated across Sheltand, Scotland. It is actually a night that culminates a holy season and is celebrated through, fire, post parties and performances.
Did I mention Viking garb? I think they must have a costume director employed at the bigger festivals. The attire is made for block busters destined cinema.
Much like Germany's Oberammergau, not just anyone can don their best Viking attire and participate in the larger Up Helly Ah festivals. There are birth right requirements, residency requirements - even some heavily contested gender requirements. Thankfully, you can spectate with little requirements or cost.
As of the date of this recording there are eleven Up Helly Aa festivals in Shetland, Scotland. you can read a historic origin account on the Wikki here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up_Helly_Aa
The adventurer and 2020 cathartic Megan is like, "Let's go burn this 'mother' down". Then the other part of me is like, wait, flaming torches being thrown to a center point from a circle of partially inebriated men!? This is a recipe for burned hair and singed beards or worse. What could go wrong? #letsdothis
Celebrate and light something on fire - it's time for this interview on Up Helly Aa!
Shetland webcams as promised in the interview: https://www.shetlandwebcams.com
Interview:
M: Hello and welcome to travel radio podcast. I am your host Megan Chapa and today I am privileged to have a new guest on the podcast. Welcome Zachary Burns!
Z: Hi Everyone!
M: Would you please take a minute to introduce yourself and how you got into travel.
Z: Absolutely! As Megan said my name is Zach and I am the owner and founder of Royal B Travel and I specialize in luxury travel in the UK. I have been in the travel industry for 9 years, however, the industry chose me, I did not choose it. Tell story.
M: How can people follow along and find you online?
Z: Absolutely! People can follow me on Instagram @royal_b_travel, Facebook www.facebook.com/royalbtrav, and my website is www.royalbtravel.com.
M: Now, I need to be honest that we lived in the UK for three years and visited Scotland several times but I have never heard of the festival we are going to talk about today. To paraphrase Jack Black's frequently used expression... this festival will literally "melt your face off." Zach, what is Up Helly Aa?
Z: Up Helly Aa or Up Holy Day is a 200 year old fire festival celebrating viking heritage. However, not everyone in the festival is dressed up as a viking. Additionally, the festival is celebrated in 12 communities throughout the Shetland Islands the largest and more well known being in Lerwick.
M: Have you actually been to one of these festivals?
Z: I went to Up Helly Aa when I was 7 with my family and it is crazy to think it was 21 years ago. How time flies. The festival is absolutely brilliant due to the flames and spectacular as to how many people are involved. My favourite part was the burning of the Viking ship.
M: How many eyebrows did you see burst into flames during this event? How about beards?
Z: Haha! No
