An American badger in England

[Badger]

Cheerio! Your favorite mustelid here describing his holiday trip to England. I'm traveling with a party of 8 Kama of whom 7 are either employed at or married to someone employed at my Law Firm. It's much better than it sounds, as we work together because we're good friends rather than the other way around.:-)

England is an absolute gem for history Geeks like us. We got here late 22nd, and left London on the morning of the 27th, and won't be back until the 3rd. My globe-trotting sister always said that London was among the most Christmassy cities in the world ranking up there with New York, and she was right. :-) walking along the Strand Christmas evening and seeing all the lights was beyond enchanting. Midnight mass in Westminster Abbey, st. Stephen's - - that is Boxing Day - - evensong Mass at st. Paul's, the British Museum, and so on and so on comma I'm seriously ready to overdose on the wow factor.

We are currently at a B&B in Gloucester Shire just this side of the Southeastern Welsh border. We spent today looking at various Roman ruins that my one friend is particularly enthralled with. To walk among the foundations of buildings over 1800 years old was.... Indescribable. Next we head up to tintern Abbey and then Leeds today. I would say it's a fair bit of driving, but we crossed the entire country which lies in about 3 hours yesterday, and only about about 5 hours today

British  food has a much worse rap than it is deserved, even if dishes like chicken tikka masala are considered British now. Seriously though, pub food beat the living bejesus out of damn near any American Sports Bar or other similar Level Restaurant both in terms of food quality and comma Dear God Almighty, beer quality. I knew there'd be a bit of a difference, but I didn't expect it to be this Grand. Even eating at the little chef, which is apparently the British equivalent of dennys - - but with beer on the menu you incredibly classy Brits, seriously, so cool - - was so so much better. We feel well fed, sated, and not like we just injected a pound of lard in our bloodstream.

One big beef though. Especially For You London - - what the f*** is with a so-called World Metropolis rolling up its streets at 11 p.m.??!? Seriously!!? I know the country pretty much shuts down between Christmas and New Year's, but even when we arrived late on the 22nd everything closed by 11 down here, and by the time we were trying to find the last holdouts a little before midnight online they were closing as well. What the f***!? This is not a matter of American fat diet, but it is insane to me that my wife's home town in nowheresville Ohio with less than 9000 people  has at least 4 or 5 places I can think of to grab a bite to eat after midnight on a weekday, and the City of mother freaking London - - London!!!! Dash dash does not exclamation point you can tell me all about pop culture mass transit early schedules, and Americans bad eating habits inventing the term fourth meal all you want, that is f****** sad.

In all. an awesome place. People have been very friendly, though we're still trying to get used to the whole go and order yourself up at the bar at pubs rather than wait to be served at the table comma when a place will bring your mail to you vs. When you have to pick it up at the bar, how much to tip, etcetera. We really are ugly American tourists. :-)

Feel free to chime in! I warn you that our trip is very structured and regimented for the rest away so we are in all likelihood not going to be able to do any suggestions to add to the itinerary. After a full day at leeds tomorrow at the national armory museum we are heading to Hadrian's Wall the following day. I can't honestly remember what's on the schedule after that.

Again, chime in and as time permits I will try to update things for your edification and enjoyment.

PS it was one of the few plays open on boxing day which was one of our only free ish days, but we are so so so glad we saw kinky boots. If you haven't already, do so. End of story.

[Badger]

1 another thing. I realize England does at least theoretically have summer and warm weather, but my friends and I have discovered from the constant cold damp air exactly why the English are so addicted to T. :-) I picked up a real taste for it myself while being over here and fighting a constant cold. Can't quite put our finger on why it's just plain more suitable here than coffee, but Lord knows it is.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Have a pint for me, my friend! 

[Phony Moderate]

We are currently at a B&B in Gloucester Shire just this side of the Southeastern Welsh border.

I hope no one in Gloucestershire reads that.

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Yeah that's a major difference that Americans no doubt notice when they visit. I'm from the Midlands and it took us just a few hours to drive up to Inverness, which in U.S. terms is like going from Ohio to Arizona or something.

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I know that a lot of our 'Indian' dishes originated around Birmingham so really it's accurate to say that they are British. As for the perceptions, some of the goofy names (toad in the hole, spotted dick, f****ts, bubble and squeak etc) contribute greatly to it. Most Americans would love fish and chips though I bet.

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If by 'beer' you mean real ale, then I totally agree...though tbh even the likes of Carling, Guinness etc are probably superior to what you can commonly find in U.S. bars, no offense.

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From my somewhat limited experience I've found that the U.S. is the place to go if you want quantity, but our quality is a tad better (though it varies - Washington D.C. has some excellent places). As for Little Chef, it isn't highly regarded here as a. the prices are a bit on the high side and b. the quality is a bit hit-and-miss. I haven't been to one for years. Wetherspoon's pubs are the 'to-go' places nowadays for decently priced and good quality food and booze.

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Yeah your best bet for a bite to eat during the early hours is McDonald's or a big Tesco supermarket. This coming Saturday night might be okay though.

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Tips are an interesting thing here yes. If we go out for a big family meal (like ten of us) then every one will put in one quid as a tip. The general rule with being served, I think, is that chain places (Wetherspoon's, Harvester and of course fast food places) have a counter that you need to go up to, whereas non-chain places have waiters than come to you. Not always the case though.

Glad you enjoyed it.

[Figueira]

We do have fish and chips in the US, although we generally think of it as a British thing.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

We do have fish and chips in the US, although we generally think of it as a British thing.

Well yeah, but American fish and chips basically comprise of imitation Arthur Treacher sold at places like the Miami Subs I used to work at.

[Badger]

Tintern Abbey. Ludlow Castle! The Royal Arms Museum in Leeds! I'm blown away. I'm literally going to OD on History!

[Blair]

The royal Arms Museum in Leeds is brilliant; if you want a quite expensive lunch/beer option I'd check out Brewdog, which is a craft beer pub chain of about 10-15 pubs across the UK which do great food and beer

[Badger]

Sorry,  the pub tour didn't have enough time . Did have a surprisingly good traditional English tea though. Now on our way to Hadrian's Wall. 

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Badger, be sure to avoid Polish forrests if you ever go east. Our hunters are now going berserk with the strong government support.

[IceAgeComing]

Now on our way to Hadrian's Wall. 

thanks for the warning, i'll be on the wall with my sharp stick

[Badger]

Now on our way to Hadrian's Wall. 

thanks for the warning, i'll be on the wall with my sharp stick

See you with a full lorica sevmentata, scutum, gladius, and pilae.

(Cor, they learn slow up here)

(

[Badger]

Now on our way to Hadrian's Wall. 

thanks for the warning, i'll be on the wall with my sharp stick

Thanks for the warning, old friend.  Ive been alerted by my Polish mustelid brothers that the resistana organizing has begun. The Badger Underground if you will. 

[Badger]

OK,  don't take this as American tourist whining: Other than my distaste for public accommodations ha in the same bedtime as a 9 year old on holiday, the place has been awesome in almost everyway. But on behalf of my decidedly Undainty party of fellow travelers: Why is every single public toilet in this land disgusting,  even by public toI let standards? 

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

OK,  don't take this as American tourist whining: Other than my distaste for public accommodations ha in the same bedtime as a 9 year old on holiday, the place has been awesome in almost everyway. But on behalf of my decidedly Undainty party of fellow travelers: Why is every single public toilet in this land disgusting,  even by public toI let standards? 

Maybe you owe us classless, white trash nation of deplorables an apology. At least the lew is clean here! (Is that how it's spelled?)

[Cassius]

OK,  don't take this as American tourist whining: Other than my distaste for public accommodations ha in the same bedtime as a 9 year old on holiday, the place has been awesome in almost everyway. But on behalf of my decidedly Undainty party of fellow travelers: Why is every single public toilet in this land disgusting,  even by public toI let standards? 

Maybe you owe us classless, white trash nation of deplorables an apology. At least the lew is clean here! (Is that how it's spelled?)

*loo (although loo's a bit posh tbh anyway)

This is an absolute disgrace though, British toilets are one of this country's few remaining glories.

Also, as I'm posting in here, I highly recommend that if you do return to Britain that you visit Monmouthshire again, it really is a lovely part of the world and there's just so much to see - the three castles, Raglan castle, Monmouth and Chepstow, and it's only a (comparatively) short drive from there on the A40 to Powys, which also has plenty to do and see.

[Badger]

We actually saw Chepstow Castle the other day. Amazing!