Fire Jumping - Jack jumped over the...bonefire!!

Trip Start May 15, 2007

Trip End Aug 29, 2007

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Flag of Greece Alyki, Greece
Saturday, June 23, 2007

The class and I went to Alyki on the southern tip of Paros for the annual fire jumping ceremony on the eve of St. John the Baptist day. They were serving up free octopus and ouzo on the beach, so I tried both; the octopus was quite good but the ouzo was terrible (I guess I have not acquired I taste for it).

The village and neighbouring villages come out to participate in the festival. The little kids started jumping over the fire while it was still small. When it came time for us to jump over the fire, the fire had grown to a height that we could no longer jump over the fire but through the fire! It was exhilarating jumping through the blaze. The fire is hot jumping through it but does not burn... well, after jumping through the fire nine times, my hair was a little singed but all in all worth it.

After the fire jumping, we returned to Paroikia.

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