Parkour

According to founder David Belle, the spirit of parkour is guided in part by the notions of "escape" and "reach", that is, the idea of using physical agility and quick thinking to get out of difficult situations, and to be able to go anywhere that one desires. Free running, a closely related art emphasizing aesthetics, is most concerned with fluidity and beauty. For example, Sebastien Foucan, a free runner who trained with David Belle during the infancy of the art, speaks of being "fluid like water," a frequently used simile for the smooth passage of barriers through the use of parkour.
The journey of parkour from the Parisian suburbs to its current status as a widely practised activity outside of France created splits among the originators. The founders of parkour started out in a group named the Yamakasi, but later separated due to disagreements over what David Belle referred to as "prostitution of the art," the production of a feature film starring the Yamakasi in 2001. Sebastian Foucan, David Belle, were amongst those who split at this point. The name 'Yamakasi' is taken from Lingala, a language spoken in the Congo, and means strong spirit, strong body, strong man.
The philosophy of Parkour is as much as a part of truly learning the discipline well as being able to master the movements, it gives you the ability to “over come your fears and pains and reapply this to life” as you must be able to control your mind in order to master the art of Parkour.

Epiphany in Kalofer, Bulgaria

Bulgarians sing and round dance in the river of Tundzha, as they celebrate St. Jordan's day (Epiphany) in the town of Kalofer. On St. Jordan's day, the Eastern Orthodox priests throw a cross in the river and the men take it out. It is believed that those who dance in the river will be healthy throughout the year.

On Epiphany (St. Joprdan's day) the banks of the Tundzha River in the small town of Kalofer are overcrowded with people. The sanctification of the Tundzha River starts with an Orthodox liturgy. More than hundred men, dressed in national costumes wade into the ice-cold river. The men`s procession makes its way through the waters led by a small music orchestra of two bagpipe players and a drummer. Waving Bulgarian flag and singing patriotic songs they break the ice covering the river and make the waters steam. More than an hour the men perform their religious ritual, after a long night of warming up with wine and «rakia» (Bulgarian brandy).

"There`s no case that we are aware of somebody getting sick after Epiphany ritual the river" says the mayor of the town, which hosts this unique festival almost two hundred years now.

After the cross was town and brought out of the river by the smallest performer - the 12 years old Tihomir Angelov, the dances continue out of the river, as every one tries to get the blessing with sanctified water by the Orthodox priests for health and success throughout the coming year.