Remember, Remember the Fifth of November

The gunpowder, treason and plot; I know of no reason that gunpodwer treason should ever be forgot.

So goes the famous poem condeming Guy Fawkes' ill-fated attempt to blow of the British Parlaiment in 1605. Today, in celebration of his capture (or perhaps for the Scottish, his attempt to start a violent revolution), people all over Great Britain build bonfires, light candles and burn effigies of Guy Fawkes (whose face, for anyone who doesn't know, is seen as a mask in "V for Vandetta"). I had forgotten all about this holiday - in light of my weekend in the Highlands - until walking home from class today. I had heard the fireworks going on all day, but assumed that it was in similar manner to the fireworks I've been hearing for days. However, it began to sound as if we were, in fact, being invaded, and I didn't remember that today was November 5 until We reached the Holyrood area, where fireworks were going off left and right. Jonmikel and I slowed our pace to watch them all, and to watch the numerous people crowding Arthur's Seat playing with sparklers. Having lived in Montana for a year, I cringed at first, thinking about forest fires; then I remembered that it rains here just about every day, so the threat from fires is, more or less, nill. It's so humid, I'm surprised the fireworks even light at all. But the whole sky was lit up with them tonight, with what looked like an official set coming from the old athletic stadium close by. As we crossed Holyrood Park, in our normal short-cut route, we realized very quickly that we had to create a detour: people were setting off fireworks from the grass, and with most lights out to accomodate for the mood of the evening, you couldn't see them until a firework went wizzing by your head. So we played it safe and went around, pausing every once in a while to appreciate the celebrations. It was quite a site, over the old buildings of the city, and quitea sound, also, as especially the booming fireworks liked to echo off of the sides of the Queen's palace.

I do, however, think England may be the only country in the world to celebrate a failed revolution.

Stay tuned for a description of Jonmikel and my trip to the Highlands this past weekend!