After a 3 hour bus trip and a 13 hour ferry ride, we made it to Lerwick, Shetland. The North Sea was extremely rough, but we made it and the journey was worth it!
Lerwick was such a lovely sea town, with some of the nicest people I've ever met. Up Helly Aa was such an amazing event because it's truly focused on historic tradition and Norse roots. Everyone looks forward to this one day a year and all the children are involved, it's really a family event. Up Helly Aa is one of the most spectacular things I've ever witnessed.
Lerwick was such a lovely sea town, with some of the nicest people I've ever met. Up Helly Aa was such an amazing event because it's truly focused on historic tradition and Norse roots. Everyone looks forward to this one day a year and all the children are involved, it's really a family event. Up Helly Aa is one of the most spectacular things I've ever witnessed.
Here we are leaving the harbor and preparing to face the beautiful January Shetland weather.
Guizer Jarl Ivor.
We caught a glimpse of the junior viking squad marching with pipes and drums.
We scored tickets to a hall!
On our walk down to get a spot we spotted the galley! The vikings were going over the game plan.
All the streetlights were switched off, a flare went off at 7:30 and light started to fill the town.
The Guizer Jarl and his Jarl squad.
The Guizer Jarl preparing all of the squads for the Burning of the Galley.
1000 torches are thrown into the Galley.
A fireman throwing in a piece of the ship from my going away party!!!
The Guizer Jarl on the left. On the right, closest to camera, is his son, who will one day become the Guizer Jarl himself.
Shields from years past in the Hall.