steviedeluxe

Seems to be fading in the UK too, judging by the lack of fireworks going off Not helped by the Fire Brigade threatening to go on strike. Although I'm sure I'll see plenty of fireworks come the 5th.

Dick Dasterdly

Big shame.
It's now little more than a damp squib, ruined by "we know whats best for you" authorities.
I used to be able to buy fireworks from almost every little village shop, even back in junior school days.
They put the kibosh on that, then more recently have been going around destroying any local attempts to fix bonfires.
Virtually every street had its own bonfire when I was a kid, plus it was great fun collecting the material and also trying to raid each others fires before the big night.
I could look out from my fairly high location and see hundreds of bonfires and firework displays in all directions on the big night, back then.
Now outside of the very boring organised displays, there is very little to see.
Beaurocracy gone mad.
I appreciate why it was done, but there are many more greater risks in life, and mostly the only ones that ever got hurt were the stupid ones.
I doubt if it would have happened in Spain, had an identical tradition ever existed.

Rosemary

Things are changing here too. When we first moved over we were very nervous when the girls in their falla dresses danced around the burning monumentos and how close everyone stood during the whole thing. But for the last couple of year they have had to follow EU rules and keep people at a distance and they have to dance around a set distance away from the burning.

Rosemary

Elle1971

There are fireworks going off on the seafront by us every night of the week (joys of living in a resort). But to my knowledge there is only one place on the Island that has a formal display on November 5th, and that's a restaurant near us (fab food... am heading there in a couple of weeks for my birthday www.labocainarestaurant.com) and they've only done it for the last 3 years.
Our Spanish friends find it hilarious when we tell them the Guy Fawkes story. "Oh those silly English!"
There's only one day of the year when a bonfire is legal here because of fire hazard... and Nov 5th isn't it - so it's just fireworks.
Elle xx
PS: I don't go anywhere near bonfires and fireworks... I'm terrified!

bil

That I find quite funny. Bonfires no, but fireworks, which presumably include rockets are OK? Speaking as one who nearly managed to hit a thatched cottage with one....

Elle1971

I know... but to be fair, the powers that be here aren't particularly known for their brainpower... or making of sensible rules

bil

It's like when I see people letting off those hot air balloons with the flame underneath. I keep thinking that if one of those drops on something flammable it could get very interesting very quickly.

Elle1971

Yes, they have those here too... but they tend to be only on New Year's Eve... or Chinese New Year.

A friend was letting those of at her wedding in UK a couple of months back - I was cringing as they got so close to some tall poplars!

Elle xx

bil

One year some silly little ponce complained to the council in the UK that our display was too loud. They sent round some pompous little snotnose to tell me off.

Soooo, next year I created a special display in their honour. The centre was one of those pretty volcano fireworks, no noise but lots of hot sparks. Around it in tight circles were packed a couple of hundred loud airburst bombs, so that the volcano would set them all off. I lit the volcano and ran for my life. I tell you, for what seemed like an eternity, it was like being on the Somme in the middle of a barrage.

Oddly, we got no complaints.

Dick Dasterdly

Presume you mean those Chinese lanterns.

I was outside one very dark night a couple of months back, when I saw this strange orangish light approaching from the South.
It was too dark to make anything else out,what it was part of, or even at what height it was flying.
After watching it approach, then fly steadily over the house before suddenly and mysteriously disappearing into thin air, I was just starting to think in terms of UFOs and Aliens, when my daughter happened along and told me what it was.

bil

So you weren't abducted and probed? I have always wondered about that.....

Elle1971

Not wondered too intensely I hope!

bil

Well, such deep questions merit pondering.