Fireworks

Guy Fawkes Night is a favourite celebration of mine.  I love the warmth of the bonfire on a cold night and the sound of the bangs and whistles as Rockets, Catherine Wheels and other fireworks explode in the black night sky.

Working with and having a lot of international friends, I often get asked what this celebration is about.  "It's about a fella named Guy Fawkes who got caught in a gunpowder plot to blow up the House of Lords" I tell them.

And then I get a weird look, a laugh of disbelief and a comment that is usually along the lines of, "that's a weird thing to celebrate".

In the past it was a celebration of King James I survival, but these days it's more about oohing and aahing over the spectacular firework display.

In Birmingham it was a week of celebration.  There were firework displays in all of the major open spaces.  We went to 2; Pype Hayes Park and to the Vale.

Pype Hayes Park was a nightmare to get to.  We ended up seeing three quarters of the display on our walk to the venue, as traffic was a nightmare.  Luckily there was a fun fair and shows of people twizzling flaming batons, so our journey up was not wasted.

The Vale was also rammed, but in walking distance.  So much easier to get to, but a nightmare to meet others there.  It's a bit like the Bermuda Triangle.  As soon as you enter the campus all mobile phone reception disappears and there is no hope of trying to meet up with others.

Another year of fantastic displays of fireworks.  Happy Bonfire Night.