Thursday 5 July 2012

My first July 4th

Everyone knows that in America July 4th is a big deal, but what's it like experiencing these celebrations for the first time? Well Americans get all into it. In historical terms the date marks the point in 1776 when the 13 waring colonies declared themselves as independent from the British Empire [isn't Wiki great for learning all this?!]. We, the British were basically taxing the life out of the American colony - while the British thought America was and should pay its fair share the Americans started to disagree - the tax measures were a push too far in the political control coming from London. Now it's celebrated with fireworks and a fist full of patriotism.

So many toffee apples 

Food stuffs

Corn Dogs - random American food whereby you get a hotdog wrapped in a corn bread served on a stick.

Snow Cones - literally crushed ice with syrup flavorings poured on. Mine was lime and grape

I managed to do something I always wanted to do as a child - sand art! I may have been the oldest "kid" partaking but my that was that fun.

Our city had their July 4th celebrations the Sunday before hand in the Civic Park - filled with the typical festival greasy food. Luckily I got to try some new American food [well new to me] in a corn dog and a snow cone. There was bouncy castles and live music and plenty of people were sitting out having a BBQ before the fireworks started. We actually had a great view from our apartment so we headed back and saw the display from our doorstep but you'll have to excuse the light from the other apartment block in the photographs.

fireworks

The last image is totally Photoshopped [I'm rather pleased with myself that I managed to edit it like that using this guide] but you could see it has capturing many of the fireworks that they had for the celebrations all thrown into one image.  My camera struggled with capturing the end of the display because of the imense light being thrown off - so this is my huge ending via editing. I wish the UK would get over their health and safety line and get back to doing displays for bonfire night. The way they bring a community together in celebrations can only be a good thing.

46 comments:

  1. Oh, it's great to see this post! Being over in the UK this year made me miss 4th of July celebrations. There's just no way to make it remotely the same here so thanks for a little taste of home for me! xx

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    1. :D they certainly know how to celebrate it!

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  2. Oh what fun!!! The fireworks are so beautiful..
    The toffee apples look yummy.
    Love v

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    1. They do don't they? It was a tough choice between those toffee apples and the candy floss!

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  3. Happy 4th of July. I'd love to try a corn dog, they look delicious! X

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    1. I'm not a huge hot dog fan so they weren't a big hit with me - but certainly worth trying.

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  4. We have still have public firework displays for Guy Fawkes and Diwali & loads of the festivals I attend culminate in a firework spectacular, too. Maybe it's to do with the area in the UK you lived in?
    Great sand art and fab fireworks. Those food stalls (and that ice you're holding) look so gaudy and scary, I think I'd starve to death! xxx

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    1. See in York/East Yorkshire they just pretty much died out - which is odd when you think that Guy Fwakes was a Yorkshire lad. They use to do HUGE displays around Cliffords Tower every 5th July and they just don't any more. York also use to have great Christmas lighting but that stopped too. York council is tight it seems!

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  5. Sounds like a massive celebration! Love the sand art and your photoshop abilities. xx

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    1. Thank you - I find photoshop a totally confusing whirl wind so it was nice to actually achieve something on it!

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  6. I'd love to be in America for Independence Day! xx

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    1. It was a great experience although it actually spent most of yesterday having thunderstorms and nearly having power cuts!

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  7. Looks like a lot of fun! I always wondered what corn dogs taste like & never understood why Americans eat massive pickles!

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    1. Aw see since moving i've come to really like pickles! But yeah the supermarkets are full of all kind of different pickles! Kinda funny.

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  8. Oh it looks so exciting, glad you got to celebrate in true American style. I've always wondered what a corn dog tastes like haha

    Love, Elizabeth xx

    http://butterflyboo.blogspot.co.uk/

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    1. Certainly worth a try but the corn bread is the "funny" tasting part! Probably needed some ketchup with it!

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  9. never tasted toffee but I have to do that,one day :)

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  10. Ah this looks amazing, I'm so jealous! Although with the Jubilee everyone kinda came together over here, I like the fact that Americans do this every year and it seems like a great celebration! (: And I would never have known the final picture was photoshopped if you hadn't said! (: xx

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    1. Aw thanks! The powers of photoshopping stuff haha!

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  11. 4th of July celebrations always sound like so much fun, any excuse for a party is good enough for me! I've always wanted to try a corn dog, they sounds so weird but good at the same time!
    Your firework photos look brilliant, I love going to see firework displays.

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    1. Makes a change seeing firework displays when it's not on a cold November night or at New Years and not freezing watching them!

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  12. Nice pictures of the fire works! I missed out on the celebration, because I live in Europe.

    http://www.onthegoeurope.com

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    1. That's a shame, was certainly a fun thing to experience.

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  13. Why is america so much fun :D The apples look so yum! I haven't had a toffee apple in years.

    Lucy
    http://lucyywrites01.blogspot.com
    x

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    1. I use to always get a toffee apple from Hull Fair but I haven't had one for years - i'm more of a sucker for candy floss!

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  14. What a brilliant post! I have lots of American friends who promise to have me over one year to 'educate' me- I hope it's like this!!

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    1. You should certainly try and pay a visit, although it seems pretty similar to the UK at first glance there's so many differences!

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  15. I agree with Lucy, America always look so freaking fun! x

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  16. I love the 4th of July. All of the fireworks, carnivals, cookouts, family get-togethers. It looks like you had a great holiday too.

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    1. We never got chance to have the cook out - the weather kind of ruined that but it was great to experience everything else!

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  17. Oh wow, I'd love to be in the US for 4th July one year. It all looks so colourful and fun. The snow cone looks delicious too :-) x

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    1. It was although it was getting a bit tiring of just eating ice by the end of it! Certainly a good thing to have in this heat.

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  18. Those toffee apples look amazing! Hope you had fun celebrating, I was over in NY for it a couple of years ago.. wish I was back there now!

    Caroline x
    Caroline's Catwalk

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    1. I wish i'd brought a toffee apple when I see that photograph! I can imagine 4th July would be epic in NYC

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  19. Looks like great fun and I love your photos!

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  20. Wooho! Looks like your first 4th of July was a good one :]

    xoox Mama Wolf.

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  21. i love the 4th. yours looks amazing- i'm totally jealous. this community fair looks perfect. i love that you wiki-pediad and learned the history - while we all learn it in school and have songs about it, many americans forget or never really learn that (some schools just...don't really teach i guess). anyhow, this looks like a perfect way to celebrate - snow cones are my fave!

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    1. Ah Wiki is my life saver - my guy leaves the History channel on so I learn things too. I was a bit of a history geek at school but we never really did much American history in the UK so it's all new to me! Love learning it though because it's such a contrast to the UK because of how "young" America is!

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  22. Thats really cool. I've only been to america once, and I'd love to go and experience the 4th of July sometime.

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