Guy Fawkes Day

Last Saturday evening was Guy Fawkes Night here in merrie olde England. This is the night where Britons (and a couple of other nations, including Australia until the crackers were banned when too many yahoos blew themselves up and/or caused bushfires) commemorate the faiure of the Gunpowder plot to blow up the British Houses of Parliament, and King James I in 1605.

Guy Fawkes and his mates filled up a wood store under the House of Lords with gunpowder, and intended to ignite it during the opening of parliament, where James would have been present.

According to Wikipedia, the houses of parliament are still searched by the Yeoman of the Guard before the State Opening of Parliament to make sure no modern day Guy is in the cellars with 36 barrels of gunpowder.

Do it twice around here, and it's tradition.

Anyway, on this Guy Fawkes night we headed to the next little village from ours to the east, Toft. In their little recreation ground the villagers had set up a Fireworks display. Loads of people turned up, and there was a bonfire, games, toffee apples, and a fireworks display that lasted a good 20 minutes or so. The display was downright awesome, especially for a wee village, and extra especially when the fireworks were launched only 10 metres or so from where we were standing.

Cool.

Here are a couple of pictures I managed to get during the display. The magnitude of the display was well beyond what I was expecting. Great work chaps wot?





I also won a can of Grolsch and two cans of Red Salmon at the little lucky dip stall. Rockin'