Re: What makes Britain Great?
 

Been back just on 2 years now and still pretty awesome :D Enjoy Polly.

Re: What makes Britain Great?
 

I hope the irony of using words like 'awesome' to describe the British experience isn't lost on everyone ;)

Re: What makes Britain Great?
 

Strange isn't it? The words Nice and cup of tea just go together.

On a slight diversion, I have a (vinyl) copy of "The Unfortunate Cup of Tea" by a Gaelic folk rock band called Horslips. Worth a fortune as I think I was the only person who bought their albums,

Re: What makes Britain Great?
 

I hate tea and coffee to be honest. I do like iced tea though for some reason.

Re: What makes Britain Great?
 

Heathen!

Re: What makes Britain Great?
 

:goodpost:

Re: What makes Britain Great?
 

The Horslips? Got news for you, I'm currently supping a nice pint of cider with someone who has a vinyl copy at his Mum's place :ohmy:
He introduced me to their music via a cd and youtube about 5 years back!

Re: What makes Britain Great?
 

Cruel.

At his mums? AT HIS MUMS!!!!!!

Harsh indeed. I got hammered in Hammersmith listening to them in the 70s. They really were a fabulous band.

But ask him if he also has Dancehall Sweethearts. The Book of Invasions and the Man who Built America are better known, more mainstream, but Dancehall Sweethearts is a truly great album. Much of their stuff I think you may have to be Irish to love, but Dancehall .....

The Tain is quite folky, and Drive the Cold Winter away also. But really worth listening to.

Aaah memories,

But really


AT HIS MUMS!!!!!!!

Re: What makes Britain Great?
 

I'm quite glad its there - otherwise it would be cluttering up my spare room with most of his other belongings!!

Man who built America is amazing he says - he's Irish so he would definitely 'get' their stuff. I've not listened that much, but like what I've heard :)

Re: What makes Britain Great?
 

I'm Irish too so I love it,

Dancehall is absolutely magic.

Re: What makes Britain Great?
 

:D

Re: What makes Britain Great?
 

I am in process of moving back to uk after 43 years in usa. my American husband died 9 years ago and I miss my family, and also miss England I now find. I didn't go back home from 1997 until 2012 because of caring for my sick husband and then after he died becoming frozen. I found uk so very different and have just returned from visiting my family there, but I also see how far ahead they are of florida where I now live. I spent many years working/living in ny, and am a Londoner, but I see so much that is very good there now, despite what others might say...I enjoy the cool weather....I was able to go to a doctor for hives while there and yes I had to pay, but far less than usa....I love all the history there and hadn't realized quite how much I've missed it??....the people are polite and helpful. I am waiting for a senior flat to become available, and its a huge move for me now older, selling my hse and clearing it out, but worth it to be around family.

Re: What makes Britain Great?
 

Hi Sadie :) It sure is a huge move you're making, especially after 43 years in the US. Don't be shy about taking any help that's offered from friends! I hope a flat becomes available for you soon, and that your return home goes smoothly :starsmile:

Re: What makes Britain Great?
 

What makes Britain Great. I suppose I should wait until I'm living there permanently to comment, but I've had quite a few visits of up to 3 months a time, so I'll say what I loved about it. To be precise, about Liverpool because I was only a tourist in other parts :)

I love how people interact with their neighbours. They're not in each other's pockets all the time, but everyone on one street seems to know everyone else and there's always a 'good morning' or a bit of banter as you're walking by. That's not so common in Australia, the suburbs are still mostly fully detached houses, people seem to move frequently.

Public transport - love the buses. You're never far from a bus stop.

The climate! I realize that this is very much a personal preference, but I'm well and truly over the sweltering, burning summers here. Scouse's family think I'm mad when I say I prefer a cooler climate to the Oz sun, but I do. To my mind, it's far more pleasant to rug up and go out than be stuck indoors in the airconditioning to avoid the furnace outside.

The travel opportunities, both within the UK and further afield. That's important to me because we love to travel and have done the nearby Asian countries to death. We take lots of short trips here but you need to drive a long way if you're holidaying in WA. For example, we visit friends in Albany a lot, which is a 5 hour drive each way. A flight to Melbourne or Sydney is 4-5 hours and hellishly expensive. For what we pay for a week in Melbourne, we could probably have a 4 week B&B driving holiday around the UK or a 5 star, 2 week all inclusive holiday in any European capital.

History, old buildings etc. Europeans have only been in Oz for around 230 years. The history of indigenous Australians is of course far, far longer. But Aboriginal history, in the sense of seeing and touching, isn't very accessible to wajelas (white fellas). It's primarily an oral history, although there are of course some amazing artifacts and early rock paintings.

Whenever I'm travelling in the UK and see old buildings, preserved or ruins, I like to put my hands on them and imagine the lives of all the people who've lived there. Which makes me a pretty embarrassing travel companion ;) 3 of my grandparents were born in England and Scotland, that's where most of my family history is.

And - um - bacon and sausages :o

Re: What makes Britain Great?
 

I am going back after 37 years in the USA. ;)

It sounds as if you have a senior flat lined up. How were you able to do that while living in the USA?