scrubbedexpat097

I remember when we were there in the early '80's going on a day tour on a bus. The driver decided to stop halfway up a windy hilly road so we could have our picnic lunch. He jumped off the bus and put bricks behind the back wheels to stop it rolling back down

He also told us he liked to drive in the shade, no-matter what side of the road it was....(package holidays, yer can't beat them!)

cindyabs

The proximity to Sicily and the fact that there were many Italians/Sicilians who came there certainly was a big factor, as well as it becoming part of Great Britain.


However, there's this- "Jiġi żmien li fil-Wardija [l-Għolja Sciberras] kull xiber raba’ jiswa uqija," which is "There will come a time when every piece of land on Sciberras Hill will be worth its weight in gold" in English.

I LOVED the history there!!

zargof

My Mum spent a few years there when she was a kid, and some ofthe buses they have now are the exact same buses that they had back then, pretty impressive that they're still running.

I remember the joke about driving in the shade as well, but then when you get on the roads I'm not sure how much of a joke it was.

Mdina is pretty impressive I agree.

Also, I loved snorkling off Comino. The water is probably the clearest I've ever seen.

Bob

There is, and it isn't using the ex-change rate and your home country currency.

Englishtart

Hubby did a tour there, just after we got engaged, that was the one that paid for our wedding

goldenstate31

I'm a bit late with this one, ive only just noticed this thread
my view, is that yes the majority of the folks in the UK (or at least it seems that way) are rude, unhelpful and Little Britain couldn't sum it up any better than....'the computer says no'
I think it really is a lot deeper than Brits being unhelpful in the work place and Americans being helpful and friendly in the work place.
The reason for this is because, If I was to work for somebody (which I dont) but I know if I was rude and unhelpful, there's not a lot really that can be done about it! and the average UK worker knows this.
They cannot just get fired, like they can in the US, if they dont do their jobs properly, they have to have, verbal then written warnings etc. Then theres a tribunal if the worker feels they was sacked unfairly.....the list goes on....
Where as if the UK worker was 'kept on their toes' like an american worker, i think that things may be a little different??

Sally Redux

Oh dear oh dear you're going to love it here.

Lothianlad

Well, after thirteen years of a Labour Government which deliberately lowered social standards in the UK what else would you expect? Manners in the sense you mean is now considered "old fashioned" -only the other day an official report on the current British social scene stated that the simple words "thank you" have now become obsolete in many cases - they have also been declared "old fashioned" and have been replaced by "cheers" "ta" "there you go!" "wicked!" - or just a complete silence, nothing at all. Any American visiting 21st century Britain had better wise up beforehand if s/he expects to find the kind of customer service they are used to back in the UK. Very often the attitude among many (mostly younger) people who are at the "service" of the general public in the UK is that they are doing you a favour as a customer availing themselves of this so called "service" and not the other way round. This is now a very "stressed out" country, over populated, and all the ridiculous policies of the previous Labour Government foisted on this country, everything from the extension of licensing hours and therefore the facilitation of binge drinking, unrestrained immigration, and stupid and unwarranted targets in much of the public sector, have all contributed to the decline of "manners" and basic standards of everyday behaviour. This is now basically a very selfish and self obsessed society, and one obsessed with the culture of "celebrity".

It will take a long time to repair.

Sally Redux

robin1234

You could have written the same post in 1997 with the word "Conservative" substituted for the word "Labour." (Apart from your specific reference to the extension of licensing hours.)

More specifically, I remember the words "cheers" and "ta" were accepted informal synonyms for "thank you" in 1960, 1970, 1980 etc. Nothing particularly modern about them.

Jerseygirl

Sometimes when I read posts...especially from Brits that have never lived outside the UK...it makes me wonder if I really do fly into Manchester Airport. Perhaps there's some parallel universe that my plane lands in.

Englishtart

It's the twilight zone!

scrubbedexpat097

I think there is someone somewhere that is making a very good living out of selling Rose-Tinted Glasses.......

Englishtart

Yes, but are they selling them here or there?

zargof

So, in summary Britain has gone to the dogs...