Fire on the Water

I thought I’d tell you about the way we spent Bonfire Night.
I know, I know, it was nearly two weeks ago, but it made a good impression and I wanted to share it with you.
There is - as some, but not all of you, will know – a seaside town on the East Coast of England called Great Yarmouth. It is simultaneously one of the most deprived areas in East Anglia and one of its most popular tourist spots. There is a nicely spruced-up, well-maintained seafront area with several attractions and a multitude of gaudy amusement arcades, but travel less than half-a-mile inland and you encounter overcrowded, outdated housing, teenage pregnancies and drug problems. (Apologies to anyone who lives there, but I believe I am not doing it a disservice).
Anyway – every September they put on a simply brilliant international festival of circus acts and street performers, and this year the team behind that festival created something different for the end of October. In an already-pleasant venue called The Venetian Waterways they set-up a series of sculptures and installations, all incorporating fire, so you could have a nice after-dark walk through the ornamental gardens and around the boating lake, while seeing steel heads with flames in their eyes and brass band instruments shooting fire into the sky. There were arches of fire over bridges, twirling and twisting metallic creations that reflected the dance of the flames, and all manner of weird artistic projections that cast shadows over sheets and portrayed images such as dancing couples and mermaids.
We went on November 5^th because it was the only night we could get tickets for, so we got to experience it while seeing fireworks exploding at a big display slightly further up the coast. It was absolutely packed – (I think someone told me they’d had 30,000 visitors in total) – but you were let in at the set time you had booked, groups were encouraged to keep away from each other, and a one-way system was enforced, so it all felt fluid, well-organised and safe. Staff members (or volunteers?) were stationed every 50 yards or so and they did a grand job of keeping things moving and keeping everyone entertained and informed. I hate to sound like an online reviewer, but all in all it was a great evening out and a unique experience. Mathew was absolutely captivated by it all, and it gave me a lovely feeling of nostalgic connection to the past. It reminded me of old Victorian street fayres you see in old books and on Christmas cards, with folk gathering outside round a lit brazier to enjoy the warm and sing songs and tell tales.
The walk took over an hour and almost every step of it involved something to do with fire.
God knows what their gas bill must have been, but I have to say it was brilliant.

RC 16-11-21
2135 GMT