If They are Not Gone by Now....

Sydney and I returned to Shanghai yesterday, and apparently, we returned one day too early. People were setting off firecrackers and fireworks continuously from 6pm until 1am!! They were so loud that it sounded like they were being set off right outside our window. Of course, it woke Sydney up several times and I didn't get to sleep until after 2am -- I needed an hour to calm down enough to sleep. It is a Chinese custom to set off fireworks around the lunar new year to scare off evil spirits. The lunar new year was on Thursday, February 7th -- 4 days ago -- and they are still setting off fireworks. FYI, if the evil spirits are not scared away by now, they are not going anywhere. Don't they realize that children and frustrated expats are trying to sleep?! And if they are going to keep us up, then the least that they can do is make the fireworks interesting to watch. Even Sydney yawned at them. If I am up at 1am, I want to see fireworks in the shape of red dragons screaming through the sky, or in the shape of a rat chasing a golden pig (the zodiac sign for last year), or even one with multiple colored lights. But shooting up red fireworks, one after another is a waste of fireworks and a good night sleep. This city really bugs me.