Ahappy new year

摘要

What: Europe's biggest-and wildest-fire festival, which sees around 1,000 'Vikings'take to the streets on a series of marches, culminating in a torch lit procession and the burning of a specially constructed Viking galley.The Up Helly Aa dates back to the 1880s and is believed by some to have begun as an ancient Viking practice of offering a galley as a sacrifice to the sun, while others maintain it marks the start of spring.The procession is led by the'jarl', dressed up as a Viking warrior, who is followed by'guizers', which are divided into different squads, each one with a distinct theme for their costumes. Celebrations then carry on till the early hours, with songs and dances and a tipple or two.