I didn’t bother to photoshop because they were all taken with a cellphone camera and I think they capture the essence of the evening, which was blurry and chaotic and super crowded.

This past Saturday was Guy Fawkes Day.  Guy Fawkes was a traitor involved in a plot to restore a Catholic monarch to the throne of England in 1605, and committed suicide before his assassination in 1606.  He was captured on November 5, and is commemorated every year with a bonfire.  When I studied at Oxford, we also ran around with some sparklers on the Worcester lawn.  But Cambridge does something a bit more lavish: the town sponsors an elaborate fireworks display on Midsummer Common (next to the River Cam), followed by a large bonfire (sadly with an even larger riot-gate around it).  AND, in a turn of events I did not anticipate, there was a giant carnival.  Ian and I did the Tilt-a-Whirl (I freaking LOVE the Tilt-a-Whirl), and, in an homage to Mike Birbiglia, we did the Scrambler, turning to each other and saying “And we’re scrambling!” the periodically throughout.

As you may have guessed, one of those links takes you to This American Life.  Start around minute 9 and enjoy.