Fireworks Season
Posted by Cottontimer on 21 Oct 2006 | Tagged as: London
Bang! Crack! Pop pop pop!
It’s fireworks season in the UK and tonight has been really noisy. Starting at around 9 pm, we began to hear the snap crackle and pop of fireworks being set off. It’s now 10:10 pm and it’s noisier than ever. Good thing Stephen was still able to sleep despite the racket even though he did mutter something about the noise before closing his eyes.
This is the run-up to Bonfire Night, a celebration of some infamous Gunpowder Plot in 1605 when Catholics planned to blow up the English parliament and King James I. One guy (har har), Guy Fawkes, was caught with 36 kegs of gunpowder in the basement of the parliament. Blah blah blah.
So much for history. Fast forward 400 years and Bonfire Night has become an excuse for “anti-social behavior.” But at least there are regulations in place that make it illegal to set off fireworks between 11 pm and 7 am (in fact, it’s already quieting down at 10:25 pm). Fines and jail time for anyone who gets caught but no torture or execution like it was for Guy Fawkes!
Learn more from Welephant, the Fire Services mascot, who has a nice story about safe firework fun.
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The whole Guy Fawkes thing becomes a lot more interesting when you put it into perspective with modern terrorism, and with how winners write history — if the Catholics had been the ones who won, as opposed to the Protestants, then Guy Fawkes would have been a martyr to the cause, and his execution would have become a memorial day instead of a celebration.
Incidentally, have you seen V for Vendetta? I honestly cannot recommend it enough, it’s a brilliant film. And its plot revolves around Guy Fawkes.
I’ve tried to comment but was told I’d already commented?? I’ll comment on your LJ instead.
Oh, it did work after all
hehehe…Diwali is a festival of lights. India must be exploding with fireworks/firecrackers! The Indians (ah heck, everyone joins in) play with them even though they are illegal! But most go back to their hometowns to do it. KL this year has been relatively quiet!
But really… diwali is no fun without a bit of firecrackers! :-S
ops…meant the Indians here…
Rosie: I am so terrible about getting to comments nowadays. So sorry! I will be sure to rent V for Vendetta sometime perhaps when fireworks are popping just like they are right this minute. They’re irresistible viewing.
Smitha: I’m hoping to get some sparklers this weekend! Bonfire Night is Sunday.