Yep, it’s becoming annoying … last night until around 00:30 and this morning some frigging moron thought it would be fun to light some fireworks at 05:30 …
I was wrenched out of a deep sleep at a quarter to one in the morning by what sounded like the outbreak of World War Three. I can’t think of strong enough cuss words to express what I think about that.
I was wrenched out of a deep sleep at a quarter to one in the morning by what sounded like the outbreak of World War Three. I can’t think of strong enough cuss words to express what I think about that.[/quote]…which my neighbors did efectively in the 30 seconds the fireworks blast lasted before they decorated the night with very colorful expresions which require no translation whatsoever…
I am told that the celebration takes place at midnight because today is Bai Tien Gong’s birthday, and you have to celebrate his birthday as soon as it starts and all is calm and it is an auspicious hour and …
i got woken up every day for a week at 6am in chiayi by firecrackers. the taiwanese women i was sharing a room with didn’t even open their eyes.
now, back in taichung, people are lighting fireworks in the park. highrises surround the park. and noone seems to mind the light shows going off yards away from their living room windows.
honestly, i’m loving the fireworks. they’re beautiful – the longer the better. :+)
I have been plagued by the happiness of others for the last week or two. They let these blasted things off at all hours of the day and night, seemingly oblivious to the fact that some of us have ‘important’ things to do: sleep, watch movies, write reports, post on forumosa, work, and so forth. What do they think they are doing, with their little celebrations and innocent pleasures? It’s really annoying.
Today, for the first time in as long as I can remember, I woke up to sunlight. It was actually warm outside and the excessive light made me squint. Me and the dogs walked far further than usual, basking in the joy, and then I had a great lunch. Now that NY is over, I’m more or less back to work so all the loafing around with nothing to do except sit around in the cold and grey being annoyed at local culture is over. This afternoon I had to spend a couple of hours being paid far more than I’m worth for very pleasant and engaging work, and to top it all off my weird friend has just returned from the real world after almost a year away.
So I’ve spent six hours trying to determine how much Bacardi can be safely consumed in the allotted time, and whether we can afford a new boat, and whether the voluptuous girl in the corner is just teasing, and other such weighty matters. All of which brings me to a point where I found myself wandering across the bridge at Bitan in no hurry at all and in a state of unaccustomed relaxation. (Rather like our hosts at CNY.) And some inconsiderate bastard was letting off fireworks.
Boom, whizz, flash! Big showers of red and gold, fountains of fire and huge shiny expanding clouds of glowy things in different colours. Noise and sparkle and great gouts of unashamed happiness, all disturbing my reverie. Bastards! When it was over I found myself standing on the bridge, leaning on the rail, with my mouth open and a silly expression on my face. Fireworks, being fireworks, do what fireworks do, which is to brighten the world up for a moment.
I realised that if I can’t deal with a slightly brighter more happy world then the fault probably lies with me than with the people who are letting off fireworks on the one chance they get every year to relax and do silly things. It’s like the neighbours’ party. You’re either there and enjoying it, or else complaining about other people having a good time. There’s nothing objectively wrong with parties or fireworks, you just have to be willing to enjoy them when they happen around you. If I didn’t hate CNY so much I probably would have really enjoyed the last couple of weeks, which is a pity really.
They are still cracking outside at this ungodly hour …
Last night I woke up from extremely loud artillery fire and green signal grenades from the trenches at the nearby factory. I had been sending the cavalry to root them out, with success 
(read: wife called the cops)
WARNING ! DANGER! TOMORROW IS YUEN XIAO JIE!!
Guys, tomorrow wil be the zenith, the climax, the conclusion of the festivities once the 15 days of the New Lunar Year are completed. Hence, the worst part of the firecracker/fireworks noise level. 
:help: :loco:
Those of you who live close to temples may want to rent a room in a hotel, far , far away… 
Otherwise, prepare some fire extinguishers and water buckets… 
Great post, Loretta.
[quote=“Icon”]WARNING ! DANGER! TOMORROW IS YUEN XIAO JIE!!
Guys, tomorrow wil be the zenith, the climax, the conclusion of the festivities once the 15 days of the New Lunar Year are completed. Hence, the worst part of the firecracker/fireworks noise level. :help: :loco:
Those of you who live close to temples may want to rent a room in a hotel, far , far away…
Otherwise, prepare some fire extinguishers and water buckets… :p[/quote]
I call the cops again! These goddamn Taiwanese! Who do they think they are? Think they can practice their own religion in their own country? I will teach them!
P.S.: I am presently inventing a very QUIET religion. Not sure about the name yet.
Tranquillicism or so. Hasn’t got much rituals, no chanting, no bells, all too noisy.
Would be a real benefit for humankind. Because religious wars are way to noisy for us…
Last Thursday Neihu closed off key roads downtown for a procession of fireworks through town. Seems they do this every year. While the noise is overwhelming I know fireworks is too engrained in the locals to hope for change. What I always hope for and am always disappointed about is safety.
On one closed off street they placed firework stands about 3 meters apart. As the fireworks are blasting upwards small children are running among the stands. Even most of the adults kept to one end of the street as it was so loud and smokey…and just plain dangerous to walk next to just serious fireworks. But no one stopped the children playing among the blasts.
Bad enough…but the some of the fireworks explode at levels lower than some of the buildings on the street. These are heavily populated streets which blocks off traffic from 7:30 - 10:30.
On the other street it was my first time to see some blocks of fireworks which all blast together for pure noise (no shooting into sky). Once lit a one meter square block of fireworks turns into a large ball of fire. Of course, only a few meters from cars, bystanders and passerbys some of which are just trying their best to get home including me.
That is the Neihu government sanctioned fireworks. Let’s not hope that the illegal guys using WenDe road as their fireworks launching area could be stopped. Interesting to watch buses and cars passing within one foot of a large box of fireworks screaming skyward.
Well, I should be used to such antics…like the moving caravans of politicians firing off fireworks from their trucks with some landing on apartment balconies and roofs…as well as an errant shot every now and then which pops down to street level…only because the guy in the truck is launching the fireworks while holding in his hand.
I guess no need to mention streets and cars absolutely covered in firework debris.
OK, if there is a safe way of doing something, you can be sure Taiwanese find twelve other ways. Confucius said, safety is f***ing boring (unless it’s for relatives and friends). And Laotse said “who cares anyway?”…
I wish cities would designate a certain time for fireworks. People do have kids and babies that need to sleep.
There have been firecrackers going off in my neighborhood nonstop for 2 and a half hours now. Enough already!
In theory, it is forbidden in Taipei at least to set off fireworks.
11pm and teenagers near my building still setting off tons of fireworks. Called the cops. They were there within 5 minutes, 2 on scooter and one patrol car. Teens saw the coming and ran away. Cops did nothing and drove past. 5 minutes later the teenagers came back and continued setting off fireworks. Called cops again, they came back and this time told the kids to stop. Finally quiet now, but as the kids left, one shouted “fuck you” in the direction of my building. Nice.
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Neighbors set up two cameras because of this. Printed their mugs. Posted. Noise no mo.
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i’ve barely noticed them. seems like maybe 5% more noise than the standard noisey shite happening on a day to day basis.
Taiwan mothers only get worked up when it comes to their kids education. The rest, they’re very whatever about it…put em on dangerous scooters no problem, allow dangerous traffic conditions in neighborhoods no problem, let idiots pop off firecrackers all day and night outside baby’s window no problem
More or less. Seems people are becoming more antagonistic towards silly youths cracking crackers. News have several bits where cops have been called, especially when the kids are dumb enough to fire the stuff into people’s homes…barely missing the gas tanks
That is exactly what happened last night. They were aiming them at our building and laughing when they hit it.
This morning, the area they were lighting them was full of trash and discarded firecracker boxes, paper, shells etc.
Im fine with it being tradition. But do it safely and show courtesy to the people who live around you. Dont set them off in the middle of the night.