This is a brief list of some of the observations I made about English culture and lifestyle while on my trip (plus some bonus pictures of the farmhouse where I stayed on a retreat for 7 out of the 11 days I was in country).
The baked goods are amazing! I was stunned. Desserts from other countries are often bland and dry so I prefer American desserts, but American desserts can go to the opposite extreme and be too sweet and processed. The English have mastered the perfect balance. I will forever be craving scones and Bakewell tarts!
Buildings made of stone and brick are both beautiful and functional. No wonder they've lasted for centuries!
"Pushing in the queue" (or cutting in line) is a grievous offence. I heard a few people joke about this at Stonehenge, but I also overheard two men nearly coming to blows over it. One red-faced shouted at the other "You accused me of pushing in the queue, John!" as if it was on par with being accused of abuse.
Despite this outburst I witnessed, extreme politeness seemed to be the norm. Any time I tapped my credit card, the response was "Lovely, aww, thank you!" like I had just surprised them with a birthday present.
I noticed a lot of kids on their own (in certain areas) walking to or from school or playing together. Very sweet!
Many of the medians and along the sidewalks were left unmown. I'm sure it is also better for the environment as it reserves more habit for pollinators and small creatures. They still looked quite lovely because of the many wildflowers. The general appearance was still very nice. Though some gardens were stylistically very ordered, many of them also had a slightly overgrown feel which was magical.
Footpaths! I already shared a whole post about how much I enjoyed this.
It was also interesting to realize that it is so much further north than where I live in Virginia, that the length of days is significantly impacted. I happened to be there during summer solstice. On the longest day of the year, in Virginia, sunrise was at 5:45 am and sunset about 8:30 pm. On the same day in England, sunrise was 4:45 am and sunset was 9:20 pm. Two extra hours of daylight! It made me realize Robert Louis Stevenson's poem, Bed in Summer, was even more relatable to children than I realized.
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