I have been watching on youtube about Americans delving into our history and traditions in the UK.
Things like last night of the proms or eurovision song contest to name a couple.
Obvious are our castles and stately homes they may be more aware of, but not what the UK is based on mainly the subject heading. Local events held in villages across the country,such as Morris dancing- local and county fairs. the Welsh renoun for singing, the Scottish for the Edinburgh Tattoo and the ritual involving the black pudding. Even the Irish Ceilidhis are amazing to see
The impression I get from watching on youtube is Americans think that London is England and nowhere else in our island exists.
Those the do venture over here have their eyes opened and make nice comments about our food -choice of alcholic beverages let alone our pubs that are so different from their bars. More so when they do get ouside london and tour the UK, It amazes many about how green our field are and the right to roam across them on public footpaths even where live stock" ie cows" areas well.
Bbeing able to cross roads anywhere is unfamiliar to Americans as J walking is banned, and having to cross on designated controlled places is alien to them so it seems.
To me it is fascinating watching Americans discovering more about the UK then they ever thought of, and learning more about us than they thought possible, or just didnât know about. Sso much more as well with our education system- transport- NHS does make them think more about the difference between out two countrie
Great observations to which the converse is likewise the absolutel truth. Itâs ever the disappointment that visitors from the UK too often limit their travels to tours or cities, by far and away missing the most incredible places in the U.S. - charming beachside towns, sitting in a cabin overlooking blue-misted mountains, hiking through forests that surround you in green so saturated that you lose your sense of whatâs up and whatâs down, rolling green hills as far as the eye can see peppered with Marine oaksâŠand the good people and towns that call these places home. If you ever go to the U.S. or have friends and family who do so, go beyond the ordinary - most especially New York City, or even the more disappointing cruise ship ports - to see what this country is really all about. There is likewise an aspect of our culture and history that has been disappointingly reduced to stereotypes and internet clips.
We are fortunate to live in a time in which the internet and relatively inexpensive travel has afforded us the extraordinary opportunity to travel outside of our own countries. It is a crime to spend all that money to unwrap the present but never look whatâs inside the box.
Realspeed, yours is the lesson that is probably true for most countries.
I suppose a number people in America do limit their travel within UK and maybe thatâs understandable. My wife, from USA, has lived here in UK for 25 years and even we have still a limited a fraction of it. My own travel has been extensive, mainly because of my job, but even then some places are still off the map.
A lot of the blame is the tourist industry itself. The trend is to highlight in the UK London and in the USA New York, or one of the gambling cities.
Having been to the USA twice Fishermans wharf and Alcatraz- Golden gate bridge- Muir woods and the space centre . Not forgetting places like Yosemite were strongly recommended where to visit. No mention of seeing the ârealâ USA where Americans work ,and play on vacation.
Same here in the UK, we have many âquerkyâ places never mentioned in brochures. In my area alone and just a small part of the UK . Places like Battle Abbey where our army went for gods guidance in the Battle of Hasings in 1066 AD.Or even Dover castle which Hitler ordered not to be bombed in WW2 as he wanted it for himself, and his HQ for the UK. All along the UK south cost is "littered "with castles as a defence against the French. Around me there are at least 5/6 now mainly destroyed in a civil war in our history.
Obviously not all in either country can be in a tourist guide so best to research before booking.
I only mention the UK and the USA as that was what I watched mainly on Youtube as American travellers get a surprise about the UK they have never been told about.
Having myself been to many countries as a tourist, on cruise ships mainly, one can only get a glimpse of the real country one goes to. Tourist guides do a remarkable job the short time a tour takes. Even then ones does get a better idea of places visited
I could talk about what I have found out about each visited but the internet would run out of space
We get a lot of them up here on the North Coast, they just rave about the Highland scenery and the Highland Culture. They donât understand our road system though, wee tiny single track roads, passing places, not field fences and sheep, cows out wandering free ect ect.
Something has gone wrong with the link to my video since my PC did a blasted update. To watch the vidoe click on âwatch on youtubeâ
Iâm happy with the solitary and wild places left as they areâŠWhy would I want a load of tourists tramping over the moors and fells, stick to the cities and tourist attractions with your clicking cameras and mobile phonesâŠ
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Marvellous the amount of money spent on towns and cities for human habitation and people would rather visit a deserted beach, or the mountains and valleysâŠ
Hi Mr Foxy. Yes, the wild places. Where we lived was was up in the hills on a farm six miles to the nearest town and that was pretty small, Kirriemuir. We also visited the Outer Hebrides where my father was brought up. Lochmady was the only town there.
(Gasp!) Not at all! The British Isles are at or near the top of most Amercansâ wish lists places, and in agreement with @realspeed, Iâve never met anyone who didnât have glowing things to say about the people or their adventures there.
Iâm still adding to the must see places . At some point I need to stop and get on with it.
Let me share this: so many of my friends have made multiple trips to see the UK, enjoying all of the differences, short area distances with so much to see and experience. Not one, not even one criticism or suggestion of a âput downâ, only admiration and envy for so much history in every corner!
Myself included for the several visits: first, to see my son at Lakenheath in the Air Force, second time I choose a tour, and lastly I made my own two-week accommodations in Manchester to visit 20 plus online friends! Fantastic time!
Actually I hate London, why? first of all too expensive it is a money ripoff part of the country out to fleece tourists. Next far too crowded and if you want to see a show or anything normally having to book well in advance. The trains ,especially the underground (tube) you are generally packed in like sardines. .
No for me there are a lot more places of intgerest to visit that donât cost so much. Near me there is still part of a defensive turreted house called Scotney Castle. Rare to find a place like this. Ticket price is per car and not per person. ÂŁ4.50
old video of mine I must redo sometime
So many places outside london like this well worth a visit but usually overlooked
The Minic theatre in cornwall is unbelievable built into the cliffs https://minack.com/" and watch a play sitting on stone terraces
As a courier I got lots of jobs delivering to various parts of London. If it was things that I could carry, like documents, I would park a few miles out and walk in to the centre. I was amazed at the things you would see while walking around what appeared to be just ordinary streets, things that you would never see while on official tours, or read in guides, and things that were not advertised. Mainly brass plaques on some famous persons house. Or some well known historical event long forgotten.
I have an American cousin who lives in Maine. I visited her a few years ago, it was wonderful. The local people were really friendly and more than one said they didnât hear English accents very oftenđș
I did visit New York on another trip. I was living in London at the time so it was natural to compare the 2. Lots of similarities and lots of differences. One little thing that made me smile was seeing âcomfort stationsâ. What a great name for public toilets.
I was brought up on Westerns ,my priority would be Black Hills/South Dakota ,for the scenery and the history.I may visit Mt Rushmore and Deadwood. Thatâs it.
Me too Mr Smith, and I loved the scenery almost as much as the film.
If you do visit, watch out for those pesky InjunsâŠ
Although I rather admire their wisdom and philosophy regarding nature and life.
Mt. Rushmore is beautiful, but farther away than expected. Yes to Deadwood! Go to the Grand Canyon (more vast and impressive than anything you saw on tv). Silverton, Colorado would be a great choice, but there are many Colorado towns with an old west feeling.
I suspect that most British people have not seen that much of their own country. Iâm pretty well travelled around Britain but there are large areas and many towns/cities that Iâve never been to - or only gone through. Devon & Cornwell - been a couple of times but do not know this area. Norfolk & Suffolk - been to maybe once, briefly. Liverpool - never been. Anywhere north of Inverness - not done. Northern Island - been to Belfast a long time ago and that is it. Cardiff - visited for the first time a couple of years ago.
Then if you think about European countries - the British tend to be very limited in where theyâve been in each country, if gone at all. A dozen holidays in the costas is not the same as knowing Spain.
Why would they Lincs?
Unless travel is their hobby and finances allow.
Not everyone wants to spend their lives or money just âgetting to knowâ their own country, or any other for that matter.
As a self employed courier I visited just about every town and city in England, and a few in Scotland. It was very nice to see all those places, but I probably wouldnât have visited most of them had it not been my job.
People mostly go abroad for the weather, the scenery is a bonus, unless you go on a cruise. In which case, you donât really see much of the places you visit, and most of the time, you are happy to return to the ship with endless free food and entertainment.
Iâve visited most of the Islands in the Med, the Canaries and Caribbean, but the only place we have been back to every year was Guernsey. It was the pace of life and yes, the scenery.
. At some point I need to stop and get on with it.
