Lerwick, United Kingdom, January 29, 2008Fire is no friend to this "dragon."

Actually the prow of a 30-foot (9-meter) reconstruction of a Norse longship, the painted figurehead went up in flames in the climactic event of the Shetland Islands' Up-Helly-Aa festival.

In the Shetlands, Viking heritage remains strong. The annual celebration of feasting and bonfires hews close to its origin as a pagan Norse festival, complete with revelers in elaborate handcrafted warrior costumes.

Elsewhere, however, Christians have adopted the festival to mark the end of their winter holy period.

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