Ballots, Bonfires and Battles

This past week has been momentous with the election of Obama as president.  I stayed up all night Tuesday to watch the returns.

Late that evening I made my way done this narrow alley, Frewin Court, off the Cornmarket Street.

And up to the Oxford Union Society.  They were hosting an all night election party.  CNN was being broadcast in the bar, but it was too crowded to find a place to sit, even  at 4:00 in the morning.

So, I made my way up to the McCormick Room where they were offering free food and drink. (I thought I might something to keep myself awake.) Besides, this was the only room where I could find an outlet for my laptop.  I spent the next several hours watching the New York Times map turn blue and listening to the commentary on WPR.  Most of the rest of the people in this room were students there for the all night party.

I ended the night in the library where the BBC was being broadcast on a large screen.  I joined a couple dozen other expats.  When Obama was announced the President-elect a cheer went up from the group.  We stayed for another hour to listen to the speeches.  I made my way to the bus stop to catch the 5:50, was home by 6:05 and promptly went to bed, sleeping until almost noon.

The next night the Brits were so gracious that they celebrated our election with bonfires,

Sparklers for the children,

And fireworks.

Actually, November 5 is Guy Fawkes Day, commemorating a foiled plot to blow up parliament five hundred years ago.

Sunday we observed the Day of Remembrance. In the US we call it Veterans Day.  They take it more seriously here, probably because both world wars were fought much closer to home and at least during WWI, they lost more men.  All over Great Britain, villages, towns and cities held parades and tributes to the fallen and those returned from war.  I did not attend any of the parades, but others did and have posted photos.

At eleven o'clock, the nation observed two minutes of silence.  The church leaders even arranged the church service so that we could join in this communal remembrance of soldiers who gave their lives for our freedom. A fitting ending for a week full of political and patriotic events.