Fire Festival

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Konichiwa

Last weekend I went to the Fire Festival with Xander and our friend Chris who is also an ALT like Xander, teaching english here. It was about an hour drive away and the main road was closed so we took a somewhat scenic route which was really beautiful and reminded me a lot of Hawaii. We drove to a beach and camped out there for the next day. The spot was really beautiful with a view of an island with some houses on it and another island called monkey island which I was told had monkeys on it. Looking out at the ocean at night with the moonlight hitting the water and the islands in the background was one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen. Xander told me last year that they went there, there had been some photo plankton that lit up and it looked like Peter Pan, like stars in the water. I wasn't as lucky to catch a glimpse of them my time around though.

After setting up our tent we went to the Fire Festival which was a pretty small affair. With about 7 booths for food and drink and a stage set up for some music competition and announcers to announce announcable things. Out a ways in front of the stage there was a really tall cut tree that putt fire works on. After a little ceremony where they are all dressed up, ring bells, and swing there crazy outfits around. Some time later, men with flaming sticks on ropes come out and try and swing it around and let it loose upwards on top of the narrow tree. Everyone cheers louder as the flaming balls get closer and closer to its goal of landing on top. It looks really cool with all the fire going every which way. The whole event is supposed to be a reenactment of some story where a long time ago someone killed a snake by throwing fire into its mouth. After 45 or so minutes someone finally makes it on top, and it sets off the fireworks that were on top. They all get ropes and pull the huge tree down like they had just defeated the snake monster.

Tomorrow this next weekend i'm going to a costco, also a castle!! jaa ne (see ya)

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