Moscovites Standing Out

So, on Friday night, me and a another BYU student, Nathan, (he's in the internshipgroup, served his mission in Siberia) went to a park that he's been to about 3 times. We were almost the only people in town from our group of 20, so we decided to have some fun, and boy did we ever!

As we were walking there, he told me that this is where all the crazy people of Moscow go to hang out. The closer we got, the more interesting the people got.

Their appearances at least.

Lots of girls with green, black or pink what-looks-like-rope in their hair.

Extensions? maybe, Dreads? YES

So, we got to the park about 10pm or so, and of course it's still really light out. There were some people playing on hand drums of all sizes and a girl dancing in the middle. It was pretty chill. After a while of watching that, and it had started to get darker, we went to look around because he had told me about all sorts of people who breath fire and such. We could already see some from a short distance away, so we went to check it out. In the park there is a fountain, and from the fountain to the beginning of a flower bed is about 20 meters I think. Maybe 15, but not too far, but a good little distance. Right as we approached the beginning of the flower bed, I looked up and said to Nate, "oh look, that man's bike is on fire." And it was.

This guy had soaked somesort of cloth in kerosine or something, and put it around his bike tires, then lit it on fire and was riding toward us.

He OBVIOUSLY hadn't thought the whole thing through.

Not more than half really.

He rode it, jumped and cleared the 8 stairs or so with ease.

At the flower bed, he dropped the bike, naturally, since it was hot.

He looked down for about 2 whole seconds before realizing,

"Hey, my bike is STILL on fire..."

So in a panick, he picked it back up and while sprinting, pushed his bike along.

Back up the stairs.

Through the crowd of people watching.

and hurled it into the pond.

It was the funniest thing I've seen in a LONG time.

The rest of the night was pretty entertaining as well, although no one could compete with the man and his bike.

We saw lots of people blowing fire, juggling fire, dancing with fire, twirling a sword that was on fire, fireworks, sword fighters, knife fighters, and lots more drums and dancing. The drums just put me in a blissful mood and I wanted to join them so bad. Of course, I had no drum.

I got lots of video shots of some of the firedancing and drumming, and pictures too.

Best Friday night in Moscow.

Hanging out with the crazy Moscovites.