Burning Man 2015

My 2015 Burning Man recap is coming to an end.....So how did I spend my last moments on the Playa? DANCING......I spent hours dancing this year and that is exactly what I wanted upon arriving there and what I wanted I got. It was perfect! I think this was my best Burn so far actually, every year it gets better somehow even though it seems like it can't get any better from the time before. Since I did not attend the burning of the Temple this year because it makes me sad I decided to take a freezing nap instead. Then I forced myself to get up at around 10 PM or so and got dressed to go and enjoy the last night of fun. I biked past the Medusa Madness and saw that it was turned into a dance area! The dj was inside the Medusa head and people were dancing underneath the snake heads that were spewing out flames of fire. Of course I joined in! It was great. Amazing energy. After about two hours or so I went to Center Camp to warm up with a hot chai before continuing my night.



Some nice people stopped me as I was on my way out and we started talking. They asked me where I was going and I told them that I was heading for Planet Earth to dance and they came with me. They had never been there before.....



I stayed at Planet Earth until closing, they actually stayed open a bit longer because people did not want it to end. I LOVE that place......OK!? Here I am until I could not be there any longer because it was over. OVER!!! NOOOOOOOO!!!



It must had been like 4 or 5 AM by that point but I was craving more music so I decided to head over to my other favorite place, White Ocean. Across the whole Playa. Well, then I discovered that my back tire was flat. That was my second flat on the Playa this year. A few days prior I had a tack stuck in my front tire but I quickly got it fixed at a bike fixing station. Well, there were no more bike fixing stations around the last night. So I walked. (And I got followed, my first creepy experience on the Playa but I will write about that another time). Only to discover that White Ocean was closed......!



But there was another dance area still open close by. And it was bad ass. Great sound and great beats. I danced non stop for a long time and watched the sun come up. It was beautiful and magical.





Hello sun!



The next day I helped clean and make order. Got my own stuff packed up, dusted off and ready to go. I collected MOOP (a perfect occupation for me actually, I should become a trash collector).



I watched the sun set behind the mountains......with a sinking feeling in my body.



Driving out I was sad. Actually the sadness started creeping on the last Saturday because you just KNOW that the end is near. I have been talking so much about being sad that Burning Man is over and having Playa depression that some people might wonder if I live a miserable life outside of Burning Man. Just to clarify, no I don't. I am extremely grateful for my life and think that I am a happy individual in general but it is AWFUL when Burning Man comes to an end. At least for me. I feel like that's where I belong. For me and many others, although it may sound like a cliché - Burning Man is HOME.



A couple of days ago I made a Burning Man memento and filled it with Playa dust that I collected by the Man after he burned down. I also sent a few out to people that I spent time with on the Playa this year.



Well, that was it my friends. Until next time......because the Man burns in 347 days!

OF COURSE I had to get my picture taken in the Playa Barbie box. I love that pink box.
So this is Playa Barbie 2015 BRC Limited Edition. Very rare collectors item, only one very desirable and exquisite object exist known to man.
Couldn't decide on which pic to choose, so here are a few. Sorry to make you suffer through this......but I love my Playa Barbie pics!

Here is a collection of more from the Playa......
I talked to God. THANK YOU God!



Danced at the Distrikt with new friends.




One more in front of the Man.



A nice person gave me a bracelet. Thank You!



I got the official Burning Man stamp.



The person that gave me the bracelet showed me his new art. Branded into his skin.
That's dedication!



Biking home one day I passed this dog and had to have a pic.



I went to the Orgy Dome. But only because I was curious and wanted to see what was going on in there. Once inside, after a long wait, I couldn't stop giggling. It was a short but fun visit.



I watched my friend and camp mate Sarah Jane aka wonderhussy put on her genius show where she served refreshing Vagina Coladas mixed by pussy power. We all know that there is no force stronger than pussy power, right?





A library. I didn't bring a book and I craved reading. Of course I got to read, the beautiful phenomenon with the Playa is that it somehow delivers everything you need to you. Amazing.



I ate well.



I locked and unlocked my bike so many times that my fingers got kind of raw. But I miss biking there so much.



In fact I still miss Burning Man terribly. I miss everything about it. Well, perhaps not the porta potties.....but everything else!



❤





I so hope that I get to go again next year......!

It's been two weeks today since the Man burned down to the ground at the Playa. Two weeks went by already! That means I am two weeks closer to next Burning Man, the countdown started in my head as soon as I left the Playa. All I can do now is live a good year until the next time. Here are pictures from the burn. The Man was 60 feet tall this year. He lit up neon green and pink after dark. So pretty. It's really something......you have to be there to feel the experience. Here I am with the Man the night before the burn.



And the night of the burn.





My new friend from Brasil.





The next day there were pieces of the Man burning still.

I start out every day at the Playa with my precious Center Camp time. I love going there and sit down with an iced latte or chai that I savor every sip of, relax alone or with a friend.....think, reflect, plan the rest of my day, talk, read, watch people. I love that place. ❤ This year Center Camp celebrated 20 years on the Playa!





So yes, you can actually buy some stuff in Black Rock City. Beverages at Center Camp and also ice at the ice stations.



I think my little Fjällräven backpack is my official Burning Man tote now. It's the second year for it on the Playa now. The first year I used my Deery Lou backpack. But Fjällräven is Swedish like me and has many useful compartments for my stuff plus is CUTE!



I love the flags flying at Center Camp, they flap nicely in the wind and the colors are so pretty. The whole place is just NICE. Next year I want to take a long nap there. Many people sleep there, very calm and soothing energy over the whole place.



This is me on my last visit to Center Camp this year, I was so sad that this was the last time for a whole year. Nooooooo!





So I'm subscribed to a Burning Man newsletter that is called The Jackrabbit Speaks . Here is some of the latest......this is the first newsletter since the Burn.

"Welcome back to... some semblance of reality and normality (whatever that means to you)! Don't worry, the feelings you're feeling are okay, no matter what they are.
That Burn was something else, huh? A week in Black Rock City's no breezy vacation. Last year's torrential rains were replaced by this year's cold temperatures and major dust storms like we haven't seen in a while. Also, there was an overwhelming infestation of non-bugs all over the place. It was unbelievable how many bugs there weren't.
So yeah, what you made happen this time... wow! From the Totem of Confessions to R-Evolution, Dream to Love, it was absolutely incredible! And of course The Midway around the Man! There was such an artistic abundance. These pieces drew people together, provoking discussion, participation, even impromptu performance.
And while the media loves to fawn over who was on a Segway at Burning Man, we know full well that the real celebrity is YOU, the people who make Black Rock City the world's most incredible crucible of creativity and wonder. Thank you for bringing what you brought, and doing what you do, and being who you are."

There is even a link to an article about how to cope with post Playa depression. I'm not the only one feeling super sad that Burning Man is over and that I'm back in reality. Post Playa depression is real and I suspect that majority of the people attending Burning Man feel it to some extent. Here is the link but I am crying reading it here at Coffee Roasters. Good I can hide behind my hair!

http://antranik.org/dealing-with-post-playa-depression-burning-man-i-love-you/

There is plenty of art at Black Rock City, art installations (a whole 260 this year) paintings and other stuff. You can immerse yourself in the art for days. Here are some paintings that I liked.
Playa Romance, I l❤ve this one. CUTE!



Beautiful.....











This collection of items was called Tribute To The Feminine.



I think painting is a beautiful way of expression. Nothing that I have taken up, yet at least.
My absolute favorite (famous) painting that speaks to my soul is The Scream by Edvard Munch. It's haunting, I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels that way about it. And I also love the work of Dali. A long time ago I almost bought a small sketch of his. Actually being at Burning Man is a bit like stepping inside a Dali painting. And then I have collected some Olivia over the years. Feeding my mermaid obsession.