Every November 5th, England lights up bonfires, lets off fireworks, and burns a man in effigy. How could we resist?
It had been a full day at Kew Gardens but surprise, surprise, The Geologist had figured out we could stand on the riverbank with a few thousand of our closest new friends and watch fireworks.
We wandered from Sloane Square into darkest Chelsea and out the other side.
Paintbox colours spilled from the bridge.
Colours reflected in the River Thames at night
The place filled up even though it was a coldish evening.
Over the wall beside us there appeared a frogman, minus breathing apparatus. Turned out to be a kayaker, one of a pod of night paddlers who go out on the Thames every Bonfire Night it seems. Crazy, yes.
Tourist river cruise boats took up watching positions in the channel, anyone who could find a parking spot along the road behind us did so, and traffic generally froze for about an hour.
When would it start?
Not at 7.
Not at 7:30.
But then, at 8: Wow.
Guy Fawkes night in London. Check.
Disclosure
This is my standard form of disclosure that I am retroactively adding to all blog posts done before April 1, 2018, and will add to all new posts.
1. Is this experience open to the public?
Yes.
2. Who paid the cost of me doing this?
I did.
3. Did I get any compensation or special consideration for writing this blog post?
No.
4. Would I be as positive about this place if I had gone as a regular visitor?
Yes. I did go as a regular visitor.
No Comments