Try to get out of London
Written: Oct 07 '99 (Updated Oct 15 '99)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Wonderful country, great people
Cons: Sometimes too rainy and dreary
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| camworld's Full Review: England |
I get upset when American friends of mine come back from their vacations in England. The conversation usually goes something like this:
"So you just got back from England, huh?"
"Yeah, it was great! We saw Big Ben, and the underground wax museum and...."
"Did you get out of London?"
"...and Stonehenge, where Bobby tried to climb the fence to so he could chip off a piece of rock...."
"Yes, but did you happen to leave the southern part of England at all?"
"...and the changing of the guard, Mike tried to get them to laugh, it was so funny..."
"So, you didn't actually see anything but London and Stonehenge."
"Well, no, we were only there for three days before we had to leave for France. But we did eat at the McDonald's. Whew, expensive."
Having lived in northern England for three years in the 1980s and then moving back to the States, this is a pretty typical scene for me. Lots of friends ask me all the time about traveling in England, and I try to get them to understand that England is more than just another tourist destination. People (especially Americans) often forget that there is more to Great Britain than London. It's really quite a large country when you compare it to other European neighbors, and it has plenty of things to see and places to go that are just as wonderful as London.
For instance, rent a car and drive three hours north to North Yorkshire or the southern part of Scotland. Visit Hadrian's wall, or any of the abbey ruins that dot the countryside. Hang out in the downtown Harrogate coffee shops where the late James Herriot would come in for an afternoon tea. Visit York, and experience their wonderful street markets, or book a weekend at any one of the numerous bed and breakfast facilities that can be found in just about any of the larger towns in Northern England.
Walk around and talk to the locals. Ask them about the history of the town, and stop in at the local pub for a pint of wonderful Scottish lager.
Rent some bicycles and create your own bike tour of the rolling English countryside. Stop at a farmer's stone wall and put a few of the stones back in place that have fallen over the years. Pack a picnic lunch and spend the afternoon hiking one of the many small rivers that criss-cross the countryside.
If you don't want to travel north, rent a car and drive west to Wales. The southern and eastern coasts of England have just as much to see and do, with just as much of a unique cultural identity.
If you plan on vacationing in England, save your trip to France or Spain for another time. Spend some time in England, and soak up the unique culture it has to offer. But, above all, get out of London.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
camworld
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Member: Cameron Barrett
Location: New York, NY
Reviews written: 16
Trusted by: 143 members
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