Like a muppet

All good things seem to come flying at you at once. All Hallow's Eve is barely done and dusted and here comes Guy Fawkes Night. As it fortuitously fell on a Friday I was able to go to the Roundhay Park bonfire and firework display.

I'd usually aim to get there after the bonfire is lit and in time to get a good spot for watching the fireworks, but as it was a clement evening I got there earlier and watched the whole caboodle.

The bonfire was beautifully constructed in a beehive shape from shipping pallets. It took a while to get properly lit, but once it did - wow!

A great column of roiling black cloud climbed into the air, lit from within by flame, twisting and curling into the sky. As the heat from the flames grew more intense the black cloud dissipated, and steam started rising from the ground all around. A steam twister developed off to one side, spinning and dancing. The flames rose in great fluid curtains, climbing far higher than the pallets, in an inverted parody of a waterfall.

As the crowds chanted the countdown for the fireworks I turned my back on the bonfire and looked directly up. I'd chosen a place at the top of Soldiers Field by Hill 60, knowing that was where the fireworks were likely to be set up.

My position was so good, it felt like the whole display was being laid on just for me, with all the low altitude fireworks directly in front of me, and the biggies going off overhead.

As usual the display was brilliant. Fifteen minutes flew by while I grinned like a muppet.

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