I'm new here, and I thought I'd give you all a heads up about the UK

S

Sir Lancelot

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GREETINGS kind people.

I'm new here, and since this forum is set up to help you when visiting Europe, I thought you might like a little info that is not to be found in the guide books.

#1. This I consider to be the MOST important item. Make VERY SURE that your bank balance is VERY HEALTHY , thanks to the strong pound, right now the exchange rate is about $2 to ??1 so things are a tad expensive over there, how expensive I hear you ask, well if you smoke expect to pay $17 a PACK, not a carton a PACK. Gasoline is roughly $17 a gallon yes you read that right $17 a gallon. Clothing can be cheap but can also be VERY expensive how expensive, try $1000 for a jacket, and $500 for a pair of jeans NOT designer, but if you befriend a friendly Brit, they can show you where to get things a whole lot cheaper.

As with most places it not a case of WHAT you know but WHO you know that is the key to getting bargains.

When it comes to FOOD, the UK has some of the finest cuisine in the world, but hardly anybody knows about it.

I STRONGLY recommend that you try a "FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST" aka a fry up, this is bacon, eggs, fried bread, tomatoes, baked beans, mushrooms and black pudding, dont ask what is in black pudding, just sit back tuck in and ENJOY it, you wont be disappointed.

If you're down in the south west of England then I STRONGLY suggest that you try a TRUE Cornish pasty, there are so many recipes for this dish that it;s almost impossible to tell you what's in it. There's an old joke that goes why is the devil afraid to go to Cornwall ?. Because he's afraid they'll put him in a pasty. Seriously though, the usual ingredients are potatoes, suede, (turnip) onions, lamb/beef, all inside a pastry case. Elsewhere in the UK, you will see cornish pastys for sale, but take my advice avoid them like the plague, they are NOTHING like the original.

Another dish to try is "Cream Tea", this is NOT repeat NOT Tea with cream in it. You don't even have to have Tea with it. It is a scone, served with clotted cream (VERY VERY thick cream, so thick you can stand a knife up in it) strawberry jam/preserve and tea/coffee. My wife tells me that a scone is like a biscuit here, but the texture is slightly different.

Now for places to go visit, there is a whole heap more to the UK than LONDON. There is Birmingham, England's second city, and the birthplace of the industrial revolution. Birmingham in the UK predates the Romans, indeed they made great use of it as a trading post when they settled in the UK. In it's history, everything from a tin tack to a steam engine has been made in Birmingham. Although sad to say that most of the industrial production has moved away now.

There is also Liverpool, who can forget the Beatles, Manchester, York, Coventry, and if you want to venture north into Scotland there is Glasgow (pronounced Glaz-go not glazg-ow) Edinburgh (pronounced Edinboro, not Edinburg) and while you're there, try Haggis with neeps and tatties, do NOT repeat do NOT put catsup/ketchup on it. You will NOT be disappointed, you will also earn quite a few brownie points with the locals.

All in all the UK is a GREAT place to visit history a plenty and cuisine to suit every palate. I wish you all the best when you visit that "Green and pleasant land"
 

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