PAELLA !!!

I recently met an enchanting woman who inspired me to make a Paella for her. I had never made a Paella before. Paella is a traditional Spanish dish that varies from region to region. The basics of this dish are garlic, shellfish, and saffron. This version I chose to use asparagus, peas, and no mussels...the market was out. But if you can get mussels...it totally makes the dish...mussels are the best for this dish.

The dish starts with olive oil, Spanish chorizo, chicken, garlic, onion, and saffron. There are close to two dozen ingredients in this dish and it is relatively simple to make. Here is the recipe. There are lots of ingredients. If you cannot find alcaparrado, you can use jarred olives with garlic and or pimentos, and capers. I like to slice the olives to spread the flavor. This dish is awesome and when made on medium low heat it takes about an hour...and if done properly there is a caramelization of of the rice on the bottom of the pan called "socarrat." It looks like it's burnt but it's not. It's delicious.

)'( )'( BURNING MAN )'( )'( THE TEMPLE )'( )'(

 The day after The Man burns is somber and lower energy. The citizens of Black Rock are introspective and considering the ride home and the world that awaits them.

 

  The glorious burn is catharsis. And like The Phoenix that emerges from the ashes, the citizens will leave this completely human-made city of human expression to go forth and live 51 weeks in a different world.

 The Temple is absolutely beautiful. Ornate and well-constructed, citizens find this the ideal place to meditate and pray.

  The pendulum is constructed to be aligned precisely over the centerpiece below.

Citizens gather at The Temple to hear a live symphony orchestra. It was divine.

 The Temple burns the evening after The Man burns. The mood is subdued and the energy much lower. This is a much more spiritual occasion than The Burning of The Man.

 

Fire dancers on The Playa after The Temple burn.

  The day after The Temple burn is clean-up. Grey water is not dumped directly on the ground. Instead, there is The Dance...the Water Dance.

The Water Dance.

)'( )'( BURNING MAN )'( THE WEDDING )'( )'(

 Deep in The Playa on Thursday evening...something amazing was about to happen. The day was in our favor and The Dust was minimal.

Two very good friends were about to get married.

The Groom...

The Bride...

A little nervous...

His vows...

Her vows...

The Rings were exchanged...

And then The Dance...

and dance...

and dance...

and dance...

Congratulations to the Lillyhausens!!!

)'( )'( THE BURNING MAN BURNS )'( )'(

Fireworks announce The Burn at the dead center of The Playa.

The Man starts on fire in an unlikely spot...his right leg.

More fireworks and the citizens of Black Rock City cheer as The Fire grows.

The Fire moves up The Man.

The Man burns...

And burns some more...

Another spectacular round of fireworks as fire has almost completely engulfed The Man.

More fireworks and The Man's arms have fallen.

What was recognizable as The Man has almost completely burned.

The skeleton burns now.

The skeleton and the fuel piles are all that burn. In moments, The Man will fall. The citizens will dissipate eventually, and within hours the cleanup will begin. The next morning, there will be no trace that this large wooden effigy was there or that it was burned there.

)'( )'( THE BURNING MAN )'( )'(

The Man in the daytime. Fortunately, there was no dust storm at The Man, but right behind him, and this turned out to be a pretty good shot. I could not find information on the size and height of The Man, but The Burning Man home page has a good aerial shot and these pics give a good indication that The Man may be about 100 feet tall.

 The night of the burn. The Man is illuminated and the residents of Black Rock City gather at his feet. Some people have left the city already. But tens of thousands remain for The Burn.

 Personal lasers paint The Man as he raises his arms.

 The Man raises his arms higher as more lasers paint him.

 I got a close look at The Man in the daytime and his skeleton is made of very large beams. I can only guess at how much the arms weigh. But they must be heavy.

Raised completely above his head, The Man stands ready.

 Fire dancers perform at the feet of The Man for the pre-burn ceremony.

 More fire dancers at the feet of The Man.

 

A closer shot of the fire dancers. The Burning Man will soon burn...

)'( BURNING MAN )'( Life on The Playa )'(

An occasional bath or "clean" is not only refreshing it's a boost to morale. Even if only for an hour, this wash in a bucket does make you feel really good.

F#cking around at Zombie Camp. During the hot hours of the day, usually between 11am and 3pm, the best thing to do is hang out in the shade somewhere.

Visitors bring tequila and good tidings.

A resident of Zombie Camp prepares a crystalline chalice for some tequila.

A Zombie Camp resident poses for the camera.

Other residents of Zombie Camp enjoy afternoon tea.

Bikes, art cars, and mutant vehicles are the best methods of transportation in the city and Playa.

If there are no dust storms, The Man is usually a landmark by which most can guide themselves in the city and on The Playa. Take note of the parachutist to the far right. They dropped in on several days and at dusk with fireworks. It was quite a visual experience.

These may look like abandoned bikes, and they probably are. Sometimes people put down their bikes and catch a ride on an art car. Other times....who knows. In the end, some of these bikes will find their owners, or will be collected and sold at the next festival.

This is an official post office run entirely by volunteers. Even the delivery of mail is done by volunteers. Stamps are not for sale and may have to be bartered for in creative ways...

Bars are everywhere and not regulated, but they do check identification to ensure proper age. Anyone can set up a bar. The festival is an adult-themed activity.

That is not an actual Kentucky Fried Chicken, but they did cook up some good grilled cheese sandwiches.

The wonderful whiskey bar Hiburnia.

The proprietor of Hiburnia.

Everything is pimped out at the city. Radical self-expression is a major theme.

Nudity is everywhere, but not everyone is nude. Parents who bring children to The Burning Man should probably accompany their children at all times so as to keep them from being exposed to age-inappropriate situations.