Impressions of a first-time burner
Text & photos by Nick Hamblen
September 12, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

Several years ago a friend asked me with shocked incredulity, "You've never heard of the Burning Man, man?"

He then began a tale as improbable as it was fantastic of an annual gathering of upward of 50,000 people in an ancient lakebed in Nevada known as the Black Rock Desert. I was hooked.

Some 10 years later, I can at last say that I am a “Burner.” I survived the dusty, hot days and windy, cold nights of the last week of August 2008 at The Burn.

The deeply spiritual, even magical, sense I took away from this environment so informed by love, by glorious, massively scaled, world-class art (much of which is ceremoniously burned on the final evenings) and the ethereal sense of well-being and belief in possibility makes me question whether it is too personal and sacred to be openly shared, but rather should be kept (selfishly?) close to the heart, or whether it is too potentially valuable to someone out there to not be shouted to the heavens. My choice, obviously, has been the latter. My hope is that in sharing these photos and thoughts some of the beauty and joy I've gained from this experience will be transferred to some who see them.

As anyone who has burned will rightly tell you, attendance is not for the faint of heart or body. The conditions are rigid on a good day and brutal on a day such as we experienced during which 30-mph winds stirred up the dust to the degree that a campmate one foot away was not visible. A two-inch accumulation of sand on the tent floor made for gritty sleeping conditions for the rest of the week.

Food and water, indeed all provisions, must be brought in, and all waste (including human waste), down to the fibers of a rug and the feather or sequin from a costume, must be taken out because the event is 100% green.

Perhaps the best way I could convey the spirit of the Burn to most readers of Atención is to suggest that you imagine that moment in a day, not uncommon here in the ever-present magic of beautiful Mexico, that manages, over and over, to take your breath away.

Imagine living that moment 24/7 for a week with a population of souls sharing that bliss in their own way. It is nothing if not intense.

Burning Man encourages art and potential
Information compiled from www.burningman.com  and  http://blog.burningman.com/?p=2336 

As explained on the official website, Burning Man is an annual experiment in temporary community dedicated to radical self-expression and radical self-reliance held in the Black Rock Desert, 120 miles north of Reno, Nevada. Burning Man is always held the week prior to and including Labor Day weekend.

This year's theme was "American Dream."

Whether you’re an artist, or want to be one, The Burning Man School of Art – as it were – is accepting enrollment by all who wish to apply.

The Burning Man community is a place that naturally encourages creative voices, and offers a cultural context in which the potential in every participant might flourish. New groups of prolific and talented Burning Man artists are constantly emerging, and it’s exciting to contemplate the impact their creative offerings will have on the world.

For complete information on art installation guidelines and grants, see www.burningman.com/installations/. 

The Burning Man School of Art: 2008 Art Preview Civic installations of Burning Man art have brought off-playa exposure to some of our community’s most beloved artists. Peter Hudson’s “Homoroborous” delights visitors in downtown San Jose, Michael Christian’s “Koilos” straddles San Francisco’s Hayes Green, and Kate Raudenbush’s “Guardian of Eden” stands proudly outside the Reno Museum of Art.

Still other Burning Man artists have “graduated” from the school when pieces they created for Black Rock City were commissioned to appear at other large-scale public events, such as the Coachella (CA), Bonnaroo (TN) and Rothbury (MI) music festivals. Traipsing through the exhibition spaces of these enormous events, one encounters a veritable museum of art from Black Rock City’s past.

In 2008, many of those “graduates” and many “newly enrolled” students will bring new creations to share in Black Rock City. Among them are Michael Christian (“I.T.,”,“Hypha”), who returns with a new piece entitled “Elevation”, a 54-foot tall, climbable mountain constructed of intricately winding steel ladders, and the Flaming Lotus Girls

(“The Serpent Monther,” “Angel of the Apocalypse”), who are developing an altogether new form of fire art construction with their sculpture “Mutopia,” which will use propane not only to create flame, but also to drive its hydraulic mechanisms. 

New York’s Kate Raudenbush (“Guardian of Eden”) will construct a resplendent replica of the United States Capitol building entitled “Altered State” incorporating a mirage of mythical creatures and Native American imagery in a skeletally etched white “birdcage,” complete with swings.

 Artist-cum-magician Peter Hudson (“Homoroborous,” “Sisyphus”) will create another of his astonishing interactive zoetropes, this one entitled “Tantalus” – the details of which remain firmly under wraps, true to Hudson’s tradition.

Still more Burning Man artists from previous years will return in 2008, including Taos, New Mexico’s Christian Ristow (“Cat’s Cradle”), who will be creating a giant hydraulically actuated hand entitled “Hand of Man.”

Laura Kimpton, Bob Hoffman and Jeff Schomberg will return with the flaming sculptures of the “Celtic Forest”; “Shiva Vista,” the giant rhythmically sequenced fire stage by Reno artist Dave King will also be reprised. The Department of Spontaneous Combustion will again roam the playa on their six hand-built pedal-powered fire machines called “Pswarm,” each shooting 40-foot plumes of flame into the air.

Passport cards simplify travel
By Ambassador Antonio O. Garza

Today I received one of the first new passport cards being issued by the US Department of State to help make crossing the border easier for citizens. Now, when I visit family along the border where I grew up, with the passport card in my wallet I can have lunch in Mexico and head back to the US for dinner. 

These new passport cards will simplify travel for the millions of US citizens who live along the border by giving them an easily portable, secure and less expensive alternative to the traditional passport book for use when crossing from one side to the other. 

The passport card may be used to enter the US via land and sea at ports of entry when arriving from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. It may not be used for air travel. US citizens will still need their traditional passport books to travel by air or to travel to other countries.

US citizens can apply for a passport card at the Embassy in Mexico City or any US Consulate in Mexico. The wallet-sized cards will be mailed to applicants three to four weeks after the application is filed. The card will carry the same rights and privileges as the US passport book and will have the same validity period: 10 years for adults; 5 for children 15 years of age and younger. 

Adults (ages 16 and over) who already have a passport book may apply for the card for only US$20; first-time adult applicants may apply for $45. The fee for minors is $35. 

For more information on applying for a US passport card or passport, visit travel.state.gov. 

Travel News You Can Use
By Judy Newell

Mexico Travel News

Border tourism promoted 

The Mexican Tourism Ministry is promoting travel to areas just beyond the northern border, emphasizing tours of the Baja California wine country, excursions to Monterrey (the third largest city in Mexico) and hunting in Tamaulipas.

Border tourism has suffered as a result of bloody wars between drug-smuggling gangs, although thus far no tourists have been caught in the crossfire. Earnings by the tourism industry in border states have dropped from US$15 million in 2006 to $9 million last year. 

The biggest draw for Mexican border towns at the moment is cheap gasoline, available for about US$3 a gallon at Pemex service stations.


International News

An old bridge’s bankrupt tale

Ponte Vecchio is Florence’s oldest bridge. Dating back to 50 BCE, it was the only one to cross the Arno River until 1218 and was the only Florentine bridge to be spared during World War II.

It is notable for its many merchants who supposedly set up shop here due to a tax exemption. According to legend, when a merchant could not meet his debts, soldiers literally broke his table, giving rise to the term bancorotto (banco = table, rotto = broken), and ultimately today’s concept of bankruptcy.

Top wildlife safaris worldwide

The Top Ten World Safari Experiences have been announced by the iExplore team of world travel experts. They include: 

Kruger National Park, South Africa 

Mountain gorillas, Uganda 

Wildebeest migration, Serengeti, Tanzania & Kenya 

Emperor penguins, Snow Hill Island, Antarctica 

Giant grizzlies, Knight Fjord, British Columbia  Sailing safari, Greenland  Musk-ox safari, Greenland  Kakadu National Park, Australia  Panda safaris, China Royal Chitwan National Park, Nepal

US to add new visa requirements; Europe to follow

Beginning January 12, 2009, visitors to the US from visa-waiver countries, most of which are in Europe, will be required to register online and to be screened and authorized for entry. The European Commission is considering a similar system later for visitors from the US and other countries. 

The new Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) was ordered by the Department of Homeland Security to identify visitors who might be a threat. Authorization is good for two years or until one’s current passport expires. The initial registration can take place any time before the first trip to the US after the system goes into effect. 



Airline News

Don’t get caught napping

JetBlue Airways is now charging for a pillow and blanket kit, rationalizing it as eco-friendly, high-altitude gear for health-conscious travelers.

The carrier offers its “eco-friendly” travel blanket and pillow for purchase at US$7 on flights longer than two hours. They come with a $5 coupon for home furnishings retailer Bed Bath & Beyond. The take-home kit includes a 10” x 12” pillow, a 39” x 51” fleece blanket and a carrying case for use on future trips.

This is the latest in a string of a la carte items the company says are providing a revenue boost to help offset the soaring price of jet fuel. Measures include selling seats with extra legroom, a $15 fee for a second checked bag, and a $100 ticket-change fee.


Sources: Travel Pulse Daily, Mexican Tourism News, Travel Agent Central, Modern Agent, Modern Agent, Associated Press


Judy Newell, a writer and travel industry executive, heads the custom tour company Perfect Journeys that specializes in luxury and adventure travel. Contact her with comments or suggestions at JudyNewell_03@msn.com  or go to her website www.PerfectJourneys.net.  

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