#3
Burning Man 2019 was amazing in so many ways. It was my third year and likely my favorite so far as each year you start to better understand the parameters and limitations of the experience. For example: which fabrics to choose for your Burning Man costume that repel dust and which attract it. Which foods reheat well and which do not. Can I wear heels while in drag or will I sink? The entire experience is not only a social experiment but also layered with smaller experiments of life in an alternate universe.
#4
The one consistently memorable moment we have had though is our Temple walk. The Temple is one of the only sites where there is no party. No loud music. Occasional singing and acoustic sounds like a guitar/sitar but nothing caustic. It is where people go to say goodbye to a marriage and leave their certificate after their divorce. One of the most heartbreaking items and reflections left this year was the hat of a man who had attended and died. There was a note accompanying it from his parents who had come to the festival just to leave it behind, say goodbye and then watch it burn to the ground along with everyone else’s heartaches and disappointment. It is honestly impossible to walk through that space and not tear up.