widnes & bonfire night

Guy Fawkes Day, aka Bonfire Night, is the UK's annual celebration that the Gunpowder Plot to blow up the House of Parliament in 1605 was foiled. And yet they celebrate by reenacting what it would look like had the Plot succeeded. Hmm.

Basically, it's the British 4th of July including fireworks and get-togethers and burning effigies. You know, all the normal celebratory rituals. 

Since I've never had a proper Bonfire Night, Becca's family invited me over for the weekend to celebrate with them because they are wonderfully nice, welcoming, and accommodating people. Seriously, I love them all.

Even though Bonfire Night is on the 5th of November, Becca's crew was celebrating on the weekend after. So the following Saturday, Becca and I took the short trek to Oxford Station and hopped on a twenty minute train to Widnes. 

Widnes is a cute little English town, ripe with pubs and narrow streets, old churches and brick walls, and one massive park. It's the most stereotypically English town -- I could seriously imagine "Hot Fuzz" taking place there.* On the walk from the station to her house, Becca pointed out all the areas of interest like her schools and the dog park she and her friend accidentally let loose one day. 

We finally got to her house and just hung around a bit since no one was home. After Becca gave me a tour of her house, we played Wii! I'd never played Wii before. It's awesome. But it seriously tires you out, especially if you're playing Mario & Sonic Olympics which includes much waving of arms and waddling of butts. And apparently, I'm ace at the long jump. Absolutely terrible at hurdles though. And swimming is just a pain in the arms.

In the evening, with a pot of beans in hand, we set out in the ridiculously freezing cold towards Becca's family friend's house, where the bonfire was taking place. There was already a good handful of people there who were all so so sweet and fun. I was just excited to be there since it was the first time I'd been anywhere resembling home for the last couple months. There were little kids running around and their parents were hanging out talking and the teenagers were lounging on the couches. Everyone reminded me of family get-togethers back in LA so I felt at home too. 

They had a potluck going in the kitchen, a bonfire set outside, and the TV buzzing in the background. (We were waiting for the X-Factor to come on.) After a bit of eating, we all went outside to bonfire & sparkler it up.

Then, in true UK fashion, someone pulled out an "effigy" of Guy Fawkes and we set him aflame.

Then Becca and I, being the mature, dignified university students that we are, squealed and danced around with the sparklers, trying to spell out our names and catch it on camera.

We failed quite miserably.

Then, in even MORE UK Fashion, it started to pour. Within seconds, we were drenched in freezing rain. I don't think I've ever been colder than I was that night. But we still pushed onward, setting off all the fireworks whenever there was a short non-pouring spell. I even got to set off my own first Bonfire Night firecracker.

(I don't look too attractive from this angle...)

And we set off all the rest of the fireworks, some of which were duds and others (like that Catherine Wheel) were pretty sweet.

After a while, Becca and I walked back to her house to eat more beans on toast, drape ourselves over the heaters, and watch Heroes. Yum. I heart Bonfire Night.

* If you haven't seen "Hot Fuzz," go see it now. It's amazing.