Once again we come around to celebrating the Fourth of July. I'm almost used to it now having been here for 28 years. It did feel funny however when we first arrived and almost treasonous for us to aknowledge it. But we're over that now.
The summer too is also a nice time to celebrate with fireworks.
The English have their fireworks at a unpleasant time of the year - November the 5th. Now this celebration is far more modest as it commemorates the occurence of a rather nasty event in British history - the Gunpowder Plot. On November the fifth, 1605, one Guido Fawkus (Guy Fawkes) was found sitting on a pile of gunpowder beneath the House of Lords. He was arrested and interrogated. I believe the method used was the rack. I bet old Guido would have opted for a good waterboarding if he'd been given the chance.
Anyway, the truth was stretched out of him and he and his five pals were executed for plotting to overthrow the government. Guido evaded the hanging, drawing and quartering he was due to receive by leaping from the scaffold and breaking his neck.
So 495 years later this event is still widely celebrated in the UK with lots of fires and fireworks. A generally happy time is had by all. And you thought we Brits were a genteel lot!
For all that, Happy Birthday, America!
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