Things you rather like about this country

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Dec66

A gentlemanly pootler, these days
Location
West Wickham
Sorry, you've lost me?

ETA: ah, got you... Nothing to do with NACA. It's a statement of fact. Wrapping fish and chips in newspaper is not illegal, and never has been.

The Vote Leave people said the EU had made it illegal, but that wasn't true.

NACAs yard is thataway.
 
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The churches are just great to visit and look inside as well. A place of solitude and meditation whether you are religious or not. Plus such a variety of styles. Shame some aren’t open during the week.

This. I'm so very lucky to have Ely Cathedral on the doorstep - what a magnificent place to snatch a few moments of solitude.

Also churchyards. They can be lovely places just to stop and take stock. Only in the UK can you sit in the cool shade of a yew tree, turn your head one way and smell the hot oil and coal of a heritage railway, and then turn your head the other way and pick up the aroma of wild strawberries and a wildflower meadow... (St John's churchyard in Alresford FYI)
 
I seem to be somewhat homesick these days and after 25 years working around the globe I'm getting close to heading home.

Things I rather like and ergo miss

Pubs --- bars in the US just don't get it

Cornish Coastline --- The Texas coastline doesn't compare

Real countryside with bridal ways and foot paths --- Texas is 97% private land so forget exploring the back country.

NHS --- a healthcare systems that's not a couple grand a month

The Beeb --- local tv is terrible with ad's every 9 mins.

Public transportation --- Houston is all about the car, no tube or trains, bus system is a joke.
 

oldwheels

Legendary Member
Location
Isle of Mull
I like it that there are no wild animals or insects likely to kill me if I go wild camping or bivvying.
Not necessarily true. There are wild boar on the loose in parts which can be nasty apparently and if camping in the wrong place a herd of cattle can do nasty damage to you and your property. People have indeed been killed by cattle. You are not likely to be killed by adders or ticks but they can have serious consequences if bitten.
I always like to be cheerful.:laugh:
 
I like that the nation is comprised of multiple constituent countries, and one of those constituent countries is best friends with a separate country that is historically fierce rivals with another one of the constituent countries.

It allowed for encounters like the one I had with a French farmer who ran a campsite and was grumpy when he thought I was English, but he lit up when I said "non, je suis Ecossais" and we had a good laugh at the expense of les rosbifs ^_^
 
OP
OP
Blue Hills
Location
London
The language.

Not up itself - pretty happy to take on words from elsewhere - even if it mangles them.

and pretty easygoing.

I well remember a primary school teacher (from New Zealand I think) pointing out with interest that us kids would say "up castle" (as in "we're going up castle") omitting the definite article.

Had never occurred to me before that we were doing this.

Also love the way English can be so damn expressive using very few, and very simple, words - take a bow Orwell.
 
OP
OP
Blue Hills
Location
London
A certain je ne give a fark about dressing or whatever folk think about what you're wearing.
Which can of course produce interesting street styles.
(yep - even if I might be a bit non-plussed by some).
Little worse in my book than someone who has taken just a bit too much care, especially on the "smart supposedly casual" spectrum.
 
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