I LOVE the UK
it wasn't the content but just the timing of the thread. I too love both places its just that the UK offers us more.
Aug 9th 2012, 9:09 pm
#17
Banned
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: The REAL Utopia.
Posts: 9,910
Re: I LOVE the UK
I have heard it all now Pomster, 'generally UK pub food is reasonably good' 
As far as a pub ripping you off for a meal why not just go somewhere that charged a quarter of the price ? Who in their right mind would pay £60 each for a meal when you definitely don't need to ?
As far as a pub ripping you off for a meal why not just go somewhere that charged a quarter of the price ? Who in their right mind would pay £60 each for a meal when you definitely don't need to ?
Aug 9th 2012, 9:16 pm
#18
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: I LOVE the UK
I love England and always will. I also love it here.
Aug 9th 2012, 9:22 pm
#19
Banned
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: The REAL Utopia.
Posts: 9,910
Re: I LOVE the UK
I love a UK Christmas, sat around in sweltering heat really isn't the same. Apparently the village we are in really goes to town at Christmas and we have already been asked to have one of the big trees they put up. Hopefully it will snow.
Aug 10th 2012, 12:36 am
#21
FREE TIBET
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 18,840
Re: I LOVE the UK
Sadly I cannot remember the last time I experienced that. Christmas in the UK for me is dank, chillier than mild but not cold, grey low clouds and thus central heating ticking over but the house being hotter and stuffier because there were 15 people in the house. Escaping for a crisp winter walk and finding grey drizzle. Yes I know it's been good the last few christmases but that's extremely rare, well it is in Hertfordshire.
I love England and always will. I also love it here.
I love England and always will. I also love it here.
Aug 10th 2012, 1:17 am
#25
Banned
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,300
Re: I LOVE the UK
I heard they do too - something about building a giant wicker man or something.
Aug 10th 2012, 9:06 am
#27
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2005
Location: Western burbs, Melbourne
Posts: 2,260
Re: I LOVE the UK
I have heard it all now Pomster, 'generally UK pub food is reasonably good'
As far as a pub ripping you off for a meal why not just go somewhere that charged a quarter of the price ? Who in their right mind would pay £60 each for a meal when you definitely don't need to ?
As far as a pub ripping you off for a meal why not just go somewhere that charged a quarter of the price ? Who in their right mind would pay £60 each for a meal when you definitely don't need to ?
Pub food is generally good but some of it is also shit....except in fairy land where you have settle where food is ambrosia and nectar and the publicans Cordon Bleu trained wife whips home cooked food from her oven.
And we did not pay £240 quid for Christmas dinner- we ate at home and went to a pub on Boxing Day when prices went down. It was MY experience of the Christmas that lots of expats yearn for from afar.
I know your first Christmas will have light dusting of snow and cheery rosy cheeked children singing carols at your door....not like the one we had in London.
Aug 10th 2012, 4:31 pm
#28
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 404
Re: I LOVE the UK
Just for the record
I'm happy here... Especially since the Grey Nomads arrived... Honest... 7 of us, 3 generations, all living in the same household is working remarkably well...
However I DO love my homeland (just for the record)
I love the villages and lanes and the 1001 shadees of green, I love the raindrops on roses and whiskas on kittens... Or even the Homebrand supermeat on kittens..
I have wonderful memories of S&M (sorry.... M&S?) and Debenhams and Boots the chemist with the glass decanter filled with purple liquid in the window
I loved London ... And seeing the great buildings where history that I know so well happened... I loved the grimey towns and the dreary industrial landscapes..
I loved the political system, because I grew up with it and understand it... I dont understand the australian one... I dont know it intimately...
I loved the NHS and its values and I loved working for it... Even if Our relationship had soured somewhat toward the end... I am certainly grateful that when I was desparately ill I was under their care... Fond memories...
The sense of belonging and of community... Walking into any one of a dozen pubs and the staff knowing my name (damn... That doesnt sound good)
I miss walking into town with my mate of 35 years and having coffee
I love the feeling that christmas is co ing, when the nights close in, the air smells of winter and Thursday nights in town become chaotic due to late night christmas shopping...
I miss our church... And our church family.... The ancient building that was so central to our lives... Its magnificant ceilings and alter... And the friendships we had....
It will all still be there when I DO eventually go back for a visit...
But I'm here and life is good
I'm happy here... Especially since the Grey Nomads arrived... Honest... 7 of us, 3 generations, all living in the same household is working remarkably well...
However I DO love my homeland (just for the record)
I love the villages and lanes and the 1001 shadees of green, I love the raindrops on roses and whiskas on kittens... Or even the Homebrand supermeat on kittens..
I have wonderful memories of S&M (sorry.... M&S?) and Debenhams and Boots the chemist with the glass decanter filled with purple liquid in the window
I loved London ... And seeing the great buildings where history that I know so well happened... I loved the grimey towns and the dreary industrial landscapes..
I loved the political system, because I grew up with it and understand it... I dont understand the australian one... I dont know it intimately...
I loved the NHS and its values and I loved working for it... Even if Our relationship had soured somewhat toward the end... I am certainly grateful that when I was desparately ill I was under their care... Fond memories...
The sense of belonging and of community... Walking into any one of a dozen pubs and the staff knowing my name (damn... That doesnt sound good)
I miss walking into town with my mate of 35 years and having coffee
I love the feeling that christmas is co ing, when the nights close in, the air smells of winter and Thursday nights in town become chaotic due to late night christmas shopping...
I miss our church... And our church family.... The ancient building that was so central to our lives... Its magnificant ceilings and alter... And the friendships we had....
It will all still be there when I DO eventually go back for a visit...
But I'm here and life is good
Aug 10th 2012, 5:19 pm
#29
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Somewhere South... Not Telling YOU
Posts: 10,959
Re: I LOVE the UK
TBH .... If I rationalise things ... I think I prefer christmas in Australia....
Back at home preparations began so early.... The tensions about family commitments over the holiday period... Being forced by a sense of duty to "do the rounds" of extended family... Old traditions.... Massive feasts to prepare... Rituals ....like the mince pies for santa, bucket of water and carrots for rudolf, making footprints in the "snow all around the house with a sieve and some flour and a pair of wellies... One year we had finished santas drambuie AND SOME and the kids pointed out santa had two left feet... Like finding time to drive a 100 miles or so to put a holly cross on the grandparents grave and pick up a few kilos of schweppestones sausages and visit the cousins, pick up/drop off pressies.... (thats a good point, why did they never drive to us? probably didnt crave suffolk sausages as much as we craved lincolnshire ones).... The Essex cousins... The MOTHER IN LAW
christmas eve service, midnight mass, christmas day communion... 
having kids in the choir meant there were carol services and visits to old folks home and carol singing In the town centre left right and centre...
Lets face it.. Christmas was bloody hard work... Getting all the elements together, co ordinating the campaign... All the preparations and cooking
Christmas here is "shorter" and less intense... And less stressful... Once you get over the stress of it not being christmas... If you get what I mean... Chilled lazy day ...
But I still miss the idealised vision of christmas
Back at home preparations began so early.... The tensions about family commitments over the holiday period... Being forced by a sense of duty to "do the rounds" of extended family... Old traditions.... Massive feasts to prepare... Rituals ....like the mince pies for santa, bucket of water and carrots for rudolf, making footprints in the "snow all around the house with a sieve and some flour and a pair of wellies... One year we had finished santas drambuie AND SOME and the kids pointed out santa had two left feet... Like finding time to drive a 100 miles or so to put a holly cross on the grandparents grave and pick up a few kilos of schweppestones sausages and visit the cousins, pick up/drop off pressies.... (thats a good point, why did they never drive to us? probably didnt crave suffolk sausages as much as we craved lincolnshire ones).... The Essex cousins... The MOTHER IN LAW
christmas eve service, midnight mass, christmas day communion... having kids in the choir meant there were carol services and visits to old folks home and carol singing In the town centre left right and centre...Lets face it.. Christmas was bloody hard work... Getting all the elements together, co ordinating the campaign... All the preparations and cooking
Christmas here is "shorter" and less intense... And less stressful... Once you get over the stress of it not being christmas... If you get what I mean... Chilled lazy day ...
But I still miss the idealised vision of christmas
Aug 10th 2012, 8:36 pm
#30
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2012
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 524
Re: I LOVE the UK
This will be our first hot Christmas, after a few years of heavy snow and real trees, wood burner and dark early. I do love Christmas, but must embrace my new home and see how it goes...
Maybe I can go and stay with chris in his village!!!!
Maybe I can go and stay with chris in his village!!!!
