December 15th, 2011
While touring throughout Britain I tend to take for granted the many waterways that wind across the country!
Many are navigable originally built for commerce, while others naturally wind their way down to the coast providing simple pleasures like fishing and boating, along with the many fine footpaths one can walk for literally miles in the peaceful pastoral setting of the English/British countryside!
One such experience came my way through a friend I had not seen since my teenage years He captains a pontoon on The River Stour in Suffolk! A craft similar to those used in the Florida Everglades, In fact this particular craft was used on the Everglades and has since been restored and put into service on the Stour! Which is I am told, one of England’s oldest navigable rivers!
I usually see Britain via the British back-roads this allowed me to see a small fraction of Britain from a different perspective ! On the outward and inward journey we had to negotiate a Lock gate which was operated manually! Under his direction I assisted in raising and lowering the water levels ( an experience in and of itself) to continue on several miles downstream where we tied to a small boat dock, and lunched at a wonderful riverside Pub! After several hours, several glasses of wine, and a delightful lunch, we returned by way of the Lock gates and our start point
With my friend and his enchanting wife to share this pleasant moment with !one couldn’t ask for a more endearing time! I simply can’t express how relaxing and mentally satisfying this whole experience was for me!
And the wine wasn’t too bad either!!!!
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December 12th, 2011
With the Collapsing Euro!
I am sure the British Public are relieved that in hindsight they continued to have faith in their own currency and not join the European Monetary Union! I do believe it is only a matter of time before all of Europe returns to their Old Individual Monetary Systems!
In theory a collective Monetary System looked like a uniting of Europe, but with so many diverse cultures and political views, along with each countries financial instability it was inevitable someone would be propping up those countries unable to change for the group as a whole, and be forward thinking!
Britain and the British peoples have always been a separate entity when it comes to the mainland of Europe!
I kinda like the idea of Borders and different Currencies! has more of an International Flavor and meaning to me!!
But then I am a hopeless Romantic!!
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December 4th, 2011
I had some time between my Tours of the British Isles this year, and decided to visit some old neighborhoods where I grew up! Not too far from Stratford in England, where the 2012 London Olympics are being held,” What a Change”, I barely recognized the place!!
While delighted the Old Hood was being completely overhauled! New Buildings New Streets New Everything ! It saddened me at the same time! As I could hardly recognize, my Old Stomping Grounds!
The Corner Butchers Shop where I worked after school Gone!! The School Itself!! Gone!! The Old House Where I lived !! Gone! The Street Where We Used to Play Gone!! And this year We laid to rest my Mom, my last remaining parent! Gone!
The irony is, that as we age, Most of ones Physical Memories tend to Disappear from ones view! and ones life! We are left with only the Inner Memories!
The Physical reference points like, The Department Store where Mom used to take us shopping, to see Santa in his Arctic Grotto! The 5 and Dime! The Cafe on the corner! Even The Old movie Theater where Roy Rogers, would be as large as life! and Cartoons like Woody Wood Pecker that kept us in Hysterics! Are now Gone!! The Tangibles, that meant so much to us growing up, have all but disappeared!!!
Sadly but inevitably all these childhood things must make way make way for New Generations While this is understandable and is considered Progress!!! It doesn’t alter the fact that to me! they are all, “Disappearing Memories”!!
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November 25th, 2011
The United Kingdom has seldom received High Praise for being in the forefront of Fine Cuisine!
Dull, Bland,and Boring, are cliches that were often used to describe British Fare! Offering little more than Basic Meat and Potatoes!
Well now The Gastro Pub has emerged as the peoples choice for fine dinning! Shepherds Pie and Steak and Kidney Pud are of course still available!
Joining the European Community and The U.K’s Asian and Middle Eastern communities have had a positive influence on the once Tired British Menu! One may now want to Re Think Britain’s position when it comes to Gastro Choices!
Jamie Oliver and many other T.V. Celebs have brought British Cuisine to The World!
British Cooking Shows are now dominating the Air Waves! Food choices are now endless, and I might say worth taking another look at!
So for those Critics who thought that Bangers and Mash or Jellied Eels were the only culinary delights of the day! You may be pleasantly surprised!
Will Britain ever replace France or Italy as the Gastro Capitals of the world! I seriously doubt it! But it is playing catch up!
So here’s my tip! the next time your in The United Kingdom check out your closest Gastro Pub! and Take another look at the Menu!
Bon Appetite!!
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November 23rd, 2011
Another tradition that’s unique to Britain is The Old Fashioned Home made Christmas Pudd (pronounced pood)
I used to watch my Mum putting all the ingredients together in January right after we had just celebrated Christmas!
Things like Brandy Sherry raisins currants sultanas mixed peel, flour and suet from Feacey’s Butchers shop on the corner where we lived, all went into this mixture along with lots of other good stuff after she had mixed it all together in a china Basin! It would be covered with grease proof paper, then covered in a piece of muslin cloth cut to size, tied around the the basin with a piece of string, and into a regular saucepan, on top of the stove for about 8 hours! after the cooking was done, she would take it out of the saucepan cover the whole thing with more muslin cloth and put it on the top shelf in the larder (pantry room) until the following Christmas Eve when it would come off that shelf be reheated for about 2 hours turned upside down on a plate and out would pop the most fantastic dark black looking food item you could ever wish to see! The brandy sherry and fruit aromas were a joy to behold! This culinary delight would have a sprig of Holly on top and the whole thing dowsed in Brandy and set a flame! Before serving with home made custard ( Birds of Course!) She would slide into the pudd about 4 Sixpences (washed and shined up) and upon serving would tell everyone, “Be careful when you eat the pudd, you might find a surprise in your piece” We of course knew what she meant!
This made the tradition of Christmas pudding an even more wonderful event! Sometimes I was lucky and found a sixpence in my piece, but disappointed when my brother got one and I didn’t! I suppose the Irony is, it taught us that you can’t get everything all of the time! Life is about Winning and Losing, but most of all Sharing!! Merry Christmas!!
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November 23rd, 2011
Wherever one lives in the United Kingdom one is never more than a two hour drive from the coast!
Which is why when ordering fish from any given menu throughout the U.K. one can be assured the Sea Food is always Fresh!
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November 22nd, 2011
As we all know Christmas is the most wondrous time of the year for a Kid! But did you know in England, Christmas Eve Night is the best time being a kid! Besides the fact it’s perhaps the only night of the year you can get them to go to bed early! So I’ll let you into a special English childhood Tradition that not too many outsiders know about! When I was growing up, it was a tradition in most households, that the parents would tell their kids “You know it’s Getting time for Santa to come “!! Off we would go willingly into our beds!! Our Parents would wait for there kids to drop off to sleep! creep quietly into there room! Tie one of Mums old nylon stockings to the headboard, and fill it with tins of toffees, small gifties, nuts, fruits, and chocolate Santa’s! All good stuff for a kid! And if that wasn;t enough, all the Main Gifts for the little ones, would be wrapped and placed on his or her bed, below there feet ! Can you imagine the delight when we awoke in the middle of the night to these wonders! Bright eyed and totally ecstatic tearing off wrapping paper and eating chocolates and candy at 3 am in the morning Oh What Joys! Oh what memories ! and Oh what FUN!!
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November 20th, 2011
Has a couple of definitions!
The First being its true meaning : The Traditional British Sunday Roasts vegetable leftovers (spuds, cauliflower brussel sprouts cabbage etc)
Mashed together and pan fried! All sizzling and hissing!” Bubbling and Squeaking” Cooked with “Dripping” (beef gravy and beef fat from the Sunday Roast) until it has a nice crispy coating on both sides! and served as an accompaniment to the Traditional English Breakfast!
Similar to American Hash Browns! less healthier! but who cares! this is Delish!!!
The Second definition” Is what is commonly known as “Cockney Rhyming Slang” You may have heard of some: “Apples and Pears” = Stairs!!
“Whistle and Flute” = Suit!! ” Bubble and Squeak” = Speak” and so on!!
“Bubble & Squeak” has been abbreviated as most have, to just one syllable in this case to just Bubble!
Now the the current meaning is a person who talks Too Much! (A Chatterbox)
Oh yes, one can still obtain the Gastronomically Delicious Food Item in selective eating establishments throughout Britain if one looks hard enough!! “Please forgive me if I seem to have a lot of Bubble”!!!
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November 15th, 2011
Something I’ve noticed throughout my Travels in Britain, is the return of Native Bird Species! and with it the return of the Dawn Chorus!
It was During the 60’s while DDT was being heavily used in farming to eradicate pests! That the unfortunate decline of many bird species began to happen, most of which I am happy to say are making a remarkable come back! Sing Birdy Sing!!
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November 8th, 2011
We are getting ready for a Bumper Year here at British tours by Tristan!
Should be quite busy! getting lots of bookings and interest, so book as early as possible if you plan on visiting Britain in 2012
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