Things The English Got Right

So we have been here 6 weeks and I have done my share of complaining about the British. I must say that the longer we are here the less the culture shock and the more we are adapting to some of the differences. Over this time we have also come to appreciate some things and would like to suggest the US of A adopt some of them.

FIRST and foremost . . . I Love English/British/European public toilets ! (Not enough to want to spend too much time in them but they have got it RIGHT!) Consider the toilet stalls in US public bathrooms. All over the country it is the same. They give the illusion of privacy when it fact you are doing "your thing" for all the world to see thanks to the HUGE GAPS in the walls and doors of the stalls. I have been in some public toilets in the US where the gap between the wall and the door is large enough for a small child to squeeze through. We are supposed to be so technologically advanced that we can split an atom and yet we can't build a bathroom stall where the door and the wall actually meet? In England (and other European countries) you go into a ROOM. The door closes and you are in a private room with no spectator viewing ports. (Not that I want to watch some one peeing but there are people who stand outside your stall to wait and actually stare at the door/gap.) I like my privacy and these toilets are great for providing just that.

SECOND . . . even though I have been complaining about the grocery stores I have to give credit where credit is due. The check-out isles are double sided and there are ALWAYS many many checkouts open. All stores provide plastic bags but almost all customers bring their own bags. Part of the check out procedure is to ask how many bags you brought and you get some sort of credit for each one.

THIRD . . . I hate to admit to this one but I must confess I LOVE the round-a bouts ! OMG did I just say that ? It is true. After driving here for 6 weeks I finally GET IT! The traffic keeps flowing and when you don't know where you are going you just keep going around and around until you figure out which exit you want! So simple and no idiots coming to screeching halts and backing up because they have missed their turn. It's a great way to see the country but you do tend to get a bit dizzy by the 6th time around.

FOURTH . . . THE PARKS ! OH MY, the parks are wonderful and they are everywhere. Within walking distance to Abby's house are 3 parks with the most amazing play equipment. I guess the English are not "law suit happy" like the Americans because I cannot imagine some of the play equipment making it in the US. One park has a ZIP LINE, another has a simulation of a skate board on a rail, all sorts of climbing things, and best of all a swing that looks like a birds nest.

I guess they don't have to worry about insurance coverage because the play grounds are FUN!

Remember being a kid and having FUN on a playground? Well, the English playgrounds are plentiful and FUN! I wish I was a kid again. But even besides play grounds there are PARKS. Just lots of green, grassy open areas where people bring their lawn chairs and picnic. There are toilets and often a snack bar but little else, depending on where you are. Today after church we stopped at a restaurant across from the River Thames and then went a bit further down to river to a community park in Runnymede. (I love that name, Runnymede) The park was a huge open area, a wading pool, 2 snack bars, a play ground and a small amusement area with a bouncy house and a carousel. The rides cost a pound but entrance into the park and parking was free. There were hundreds of people there with their children and their dogs and everyone was having a good time. The river had ducks, swans and geese to feed and house boats to wave at.

It was a wonderful day and we had a grand time, especially when we ended the day with a delicious soft serve ice cream cone with a "chocolate" in it.

Which brings me to the last thing that the English got right . . . Clotted cream and tea cakes. Unfortunately I have been enjoying the English pastry and dairy products a bit too much. They may not be able to make a decent pizza or anything that resembles a bagel but they sure did get the pastry and the dairy products right.