Burning Man
Day 27 – Black Rock City / aka Burning Man – This past week was spent in the company of virgin burners and burners – and we were part of the virgin burners since it was our first time to Black Rock City. I have to say it was the best experience that either of us have ever had and can’t wait to go back again. Black Rock City starts to fill in with it’s inhabitants at midnight on Sunday and keeps filling up until Saturday night – the night of the burn – up to a total population of 37,500 people! The layout of the city is in a radial grid with “the man” in the center of the circle and streets shooting out from the base of the man oriented by the hours of a clock, and rings of streets rippling out starting with letter A and to letter H from the base of the man.
What is Burning Man I will give you my best brief description, plus you can visit there website for more info www.burningman.com . It is a festival where people come from all over the world and all different ages to create and celebrate an experiment in temporary culture, Black Rock City. The only transportation for going around the city is in either an art car (a decorated car or elaborate machine) or by bike. Also, there is no money exchanging – the point being to create a gift society. Though, the city does sell two things ice and coffee (plus coffee shop type beverages) at the center camp. There is a ‘man’ wooden sculpture clad with neon lights to glow and give orientation at night to the citizens, he stands on a wooden structure that is usually interactive, this year the base was a maze with art work that lead to a viewing platform at the foot of the man. During the week the city grows, you live in the dust, heat, art, and a giving culture. On Saturday the big event happens (though everyday seems so great that it is all one big event) and a performance of fire dancers entrance us as we gather around the man, than a display of fire works go off and the man goes up in brilliant white flames and is burned once again. Sunday also has another burning event where they burn a temple that has been built during the week for people to leave memories or messages to remember loved ones or let go of their past. That is just nuts and bolts of burning man… but we will describe our experience later.
Black Rock City, is populated with three different type of campers: Theme camps, they create a camp with a group of people based on a theme and they decorate their camp and create something either edible, an event, or service for the general community; Group camps, where smaller groups of people set up camp together and decorate; and just campers like we were that come by ourselves and set up a personal camp. Some people also come in RV’s and camper vans.
Tags: 03 - USA - Rocky Mountains, best, black rock city, burning man, experience, festival
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