Guy Fawkes and Bonfire Night

For those who have seen V for Vendetta, you will have some experience with Guy Fawkes and the 5th of November. It's also known as Bonfire night.

Remember, remember the 5th of November, the gunpowder, treason, and plot. I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot...

Basically they celebrate the almost blowing up of Parliament in 1605. They set off fireworks, have fairs, general merriment... oh! and they burn effigies of the Guy in bonfires. Good stuff. (Wikipedia gives a far better description of what it is and all the crazy customs than I could, so just check that out.)

On the actual 5th of November, we (Cristin, Keelia, Drew, Ruth, Tom, other Katie, and myself) all tried to go to Clapham to see the big fireworks celebration there. Apparently thousands of other people had the same idea, so we only saw the tail end as the trains were severely delayed. We attempted to avoid the crowds and managed to get back on the tube, after some wanderings, right before they closed it.

Then we stopped at Sainsbury's and got some things to drink and went back to the apartments for a night filled with games, merriment, and the odd stray firework exploding somewhere nearby in Mile End. Despite not seeing fireworks, a fair, or really any Guy Fawkes stuff at all, it was a great night.

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As the 5th was actually a Thursday this year... many areas decided that they would hold their fireworks ceremonies on the weekend. Which thankfully for me, as I LOVE fireworks, meant I got to try again to see everything.

This time I went with Emily, a girl from one of my classes, and some other natives (Emma, Chris and Maria) and headed to the local Tower Hamlets Bonfire Night Celebration in Victoria Park. It was like a 20 minute walk.

This time we got there with plenty of time before the show, so we decided to partake in some the carnival/amusement park rides they had set up. We got on one of those rides that is like a mini roller coaster that goes in a circle, but really, really fast. It is really fun, and having been on one before I should have known not to sit on the outside, but I did not. And the other girls did not brace themselves properly. So while I was whirling around and around laughing hysterically, I was also getting a bit skinnier being squished between the edge of our car and my friends. I still have a very nice, very large bruise on my ribs.

Then we headed towards the big crowd to watch the fireworks. We were pretty far back, but that isn't so much of an issue for fireworks. What I didn't realize is that it is a fire show as well as a fireworks show. They had huge fireballs and choreographed jets of flame shooting in the air set to music with fire themes. Even though we were almost at the back of the crowd, I could still feel the heat of the fire on my face. It was awesome. And then the fireworks started. And it was even more awesome.

I had a blast. I was bouncing along to the music with all the other 5 year old children. Although I didn't get to be on my Dad's shoulders (I might be a bit big for that now) and see over everyone's head. The whole atmosphere, lots of families, hot dogs, light up toys, crowds, fireworks, etc. reminded me of being home in Tahoe for the 4th of July. Slightly nostalgic.

The fireworks are far closer overhead than they are at home. Apparently they worry an inordinate amount about house and building fires (like having 15 alarms in our flat) but forest fires they don't care about so much. There is no way that the forest service or the fire dept. at home would ever let a 'fire show' happen. Especially not during the 4th of July.

It was November and not July, I get it. But the crisp air felt the same as a Tahoe night, that is until it started raining after we were headed back. Now I had my soft-shell, so I was fine. But it was the one time I have forgotten my umbrella since I got it, so of course it rained. (I am still sticking to my theory about the relativity of preparedness to what the weather is going to do.)

The group of us decided that some nice, warm curry would be just the thing to cure the dampness. It was also far enough away to not be crowded with people. So we hopped on the tube to Brick Lane (it's becoming a thing isn't it?) and got some food at restaurant. We managed to get a 4 course meal with 2 drinks for 10 pounds a person. I love haggling for meals.

Then we walked off all the curry, naan, popadoms and beer back to QM in the lapse between the first drizzle and the later downpour. Good work.