First, dinner with friends at the DaDong Roast Duck Restaurant, where I ate.... guess.... YES! tofu with sundried tomatoes and a Caesar salad that tasted like mustard.
Afterwards we went to Gulou. This is the Bell Tower.
In front of the Bell Tower is a plaza area / parking lot. It was perfect for fireworks.
That's a cool shot, no? Yes, it is.
Those fireworks were on the other side of the trees.
Another cool shot, imho, thank you. That was a fun night, really.
Anything goes in China for 15 days.
Smart people standing back. If you've seen me mention Jiangjinjiu Bar in another folder or on the "My Beijing" map, those two orange lights and the doorway to the right of them are(is?) it.
This guy looks like Sting. And the alley to the left houses the public smelly bathrooms with no stalls (just tiny walls, even in the ladies room; everyone can see you pee! I used to have bad dreams like that and now it's real).
The Drum Tower (that's what Gulou actually means). The next few pictures are from up in it.
Walking up into the Drum Tower. The steps were really steep.
John (also from NJ) trying to take pictures of fireworks.
Of course real life was better.
I had to crop off the huge light at the bottom right. You see 6 big fireworks, right? Well, there were more little ones you don't see. Imagine seeing them along the whole cityscape, in all directions, for hours, every night. And it happens all over the whole huge country at the same time. It's really something.
I think this is an ancient alarm clock. Or something. I really don't remember, but I remember thinking it was really neat when I figured it out at the time. Water is involved.
Terrible picture, I know, but it's such an OLD drum I had to put it here, it is the DRUM Tower.
John looking at stuff.
Someone was making some kind of show. We asked them about it but I forgot what they said. This is what happens when I don't deal with pictures right away.
Walking home. Two things to note. #1. The cab going so close to the fireworks on the right. #2. The approaching car also about to pass the fireworks on the left. The cars only care or stop if the fireworks are in the MIDDLE of the road. Then they stop, watch, and drive over the empty smoking box.
Not kidding - ANYONE can set off ANYTHING, ANYWHERE. I even saw a 5yr old shoving firecrackers into a Coke can with a huge grin on and no parents around. I would've loved a picture of that.
Cool, eh? I can't claim to have used any skill, it was all my camera's doing.
Just walk around anywhere and you will see fireworks. No effort, no special places... anywhere. It's really fun, I loved it. Yes, you have to watch where you're going. Yes, people get hurt. But I wouldn't change a thing. It's awesome, really.
Entrance to Temple Fair at Ditan Park
They closed up like 5pm... didn't know that, no sense going in at 4:45. :(
Fairgoers leaving with armfuls of goodies
I like the blurry thing going on here, but I wish that cowboy hat girl was clearer, that should be the focus, and if she had a pinwheel too it'd be perfect.
Now it's OUR TURN to set off fireworks!! Shall we?...
For 15 days the streets of every city in China are covered in bits of red firework paper.
One of our neighborhood firework stands. Note the protective strand of yellow, protecting things. You can walk anywhere and find fireworks within 10 minutes. No ID required, no age limit, no limit on how much you can buy... land of the free, home of the brave (oh, sorry, wrong country{?}). Surprising more people don't get hurt. For the most part, I think people aren't THAT dumb when it comes to things that could hurt them.
We are now on my roof with two bags of fireworks; the ones you see here are across the street. Ours will be the highest in the neighborhood! yeeha
We'll start with something small.
My first time holding anything bigger than sparklers. I was a little nervous, but after seeing little kids doing it, I figured if I don't I'll feel like a dope later.
My son being wicked scary.
Now he is being something else, not sure what.
Ok, time for the big ones, he can go first, the kid is experienced.
That's OURS. Yeah baby. See part of the building? I was partly hiding.
Across the street again. We paused when other people did good ones, and the night before, the people across the way did a bunch from their roof too. We went out just to watch and wave and hoot and holler.
Ok, back to ours. My turn. See my scared expression through the blur?
That's mine. That's MINE! THAT IS MY FIREWORK BABY! YES!!! I chose it (even though I didn't understand the chinese on the package), I bought it, I lit it off. I am a real man now.
A teepee of flammable sticks. He thought they were "lighting sticks" to help you light fireworks without getting too close. They came free with the fireworks. But they smelled SO good I wondered if they were incense. Oh well. They're gone now.
See the giant shadow? Didn't take long for me to run in & grab the flashlight to do a better job. We made 6ft handshadows of birds and crocodiles, and I called my friend 4 buildings over to look out his window. He said he saw. Teehee.
