Ex US serviceman here who was based in England other places who never went home after service other than family visits. I felt at home the moment I was based here. I'd keep my boasting to zero and melt into the community while off duty I'm still here 30yrs later. Dual national now and very proud of that. England is my home and I love it here.
I find it a real shame that so many people from the US come over and only head to London. I'm English and avoid London like the plague. We have such a luscious green country, with castles, stunning scenery, sandy beaches - so much history to explore, and the majority of Americans would rather visit a polluted brick and glass metropolis, full of modern buildings, takeaways, vape shops and crime. If you visit the UK again, please steer clear of London and visit the real UK. There are so many videos on RUclips showing what the UK has to offer. It would be like us thinking that the USA is all about New York.
I think there's a tendency among tourists from all over the world to concentrate on the highlights (things they've seen in movies or photos) rather than try to get a real feel for a country. A lot of Americans, in particular, don't seem to grasp the extent to which a lot of culture and history is found within small areas. I sometimes see questions like, "Is two days enough in Rome?" as if they're talking about Cleveland, Ohio. Or, "I have 11 days in Spain and want to experience the culture. My itinerary is Madrid, Seville, Córdoba, Granada, and Barcelona," leaving experienced travelers scratching their heads.
All capital cities are expensive. I understand why London would be the first stop, but don’t dally there. Get to Bath, York, the Lake District and the Coast.
@@chrisb8756 there’s crime everywhere. London has plenty of old buildings as well as modern - most modern buildings are outside of the tourist areas of Westminster. Vape shops and takeaways proliferate all over the country. There are plenty of positive reasons to go elsewhere in the UK, but the negative reasons you raise are not valid reasons to travel more broadly.
@@-NemoMeImpuneLacessit They certainly would struggle in other parts of the country and we of course speak proper English not that sound that the yanks think of English that comes out of their mouths
I did my OE in the UK,so I could have access to seeing the countries of Europe, but I started in Scotland and worked my way down,on my days off,I would take a train and go all over,so Ive covered a fair amount of Great Britain, and I loved it,glad I did it,can look back and reflect on those wonderful memories, food yummy, people nice.Still in contact with friends over there,❤love from Commonwealth country New Zealand 🇳🇿.
Could tell where you were from just the first 8 letters of your post: "I did my OE" 😄 I did the inverse - lived in NZ for a couple of years - and had never heard the phrase beforehand but immediately grew to understand the concept within the first few weeks I was there!
We used to get a lot more Aussies and Kiwis in the UK, working at all levels, from management to bar and restaurant work, computer programming, and so on. The pound was pretty strong and they could come here, work for a while and make a far amount of cash. All the ones I met and worked with were great, and their bar-tending skills were legendary! Now the pound (and the UK generally) is not what it was and we see very few of our Commonwealth cousins these days. Oh well, it was great while it lasted!
I’ve only been to England three times so I’m no expert but I found London very, very different than other parts of England. London is amazing but it’s not very representative of England based on my experience.
Depends where in London you are - remember that London covers an area of more than 606 square miles and the outer London boroughs only became part of London after 1st April 1965. The area of London that I was born in used to be the Kent countryside so it’s still mostly farmland and open countryside.
You have to get out of London to truly experience the England. Oxford, Cambridge, the Cotswolds, Devon, Cornwall. Further north, Whitby, York and of course the Lake District. All fabulous to explore. Let’s not forget that Wales and Scotland also have much to see and love.
It's a common misperception that almost every seppo has about about the UK and other countries They think that London is England, that Paris is France and, even worse for a West Aussie like me, they think that Sydney is Australia! Our nation is as large as the contiguous United States, yet they still think Steak and Kidney is all you need to see!
What surprises me most here and on many other posts by American visitors commenting on their trip to the UK, is the general American English usage of the word 'shocked' to express surprise. 'Shocked' in British English has more negative connotations - meaning 'horrified at' or 'disturbed by'.
Please don't say British English, as the mother tongue it is just English, it doesn't need qualifiers, that is something that the Americans do to take ownership of the language even though the reality is that they don't speak the same language, they use different words, different pronunciations and different spellings to the point that it is almost a different language and should be named so to reflect this.
@@RushfanUKI've never understood why they just don't call it 'American', ie he speaks American. I know some will say it's because America or the Americas encompass all of the countries in north and south America but I've been to several in both north and south and literally no one outside of the USA class themselves as American. We say things like 'they speak with an American accent, or they speak with an Australian accent'. Surely it would just be easier to classify them all as speaking Australian, American, Canadian etc...
@@Axispaw1 It would but they want to own English, every now and then someone points out that America is the continent but as you so correctly say nobody but the inhabitants of the USA actually identifies as American, I'm just going to say they are speaking American from now on.
London is not what I’d call England. If you left London and visited the real England you’d be a blown away at its beauty, history and traditions and yes, you’d see actual English people. Btw, black pudding (no one calls it blood pudding) is far nicer that you think, also there is white pudding which if bought from a butchers is also really nice.
Jeez, every time tourists do a video about London, someone inevitably comes up with ‘it’s not England’. It’s a major world city and the capital. Relax.
@@SgtTechcomDN38416 No, it is not. Stand anywhere in London and you’ll occasionally hear English being spoken, take a ride on the tube and play spot the English person.
@@LondonEve24 I suppose it depends on how old you are, when I was in my twenties and working for a time in London, in the 1980’s/early 90’s then yes, London was still English but I’m sorry but every time I visit now I feel like I’m in abroad except for the architecture. To someone young, they don’t know any different because it’s what they’ve always known.
I've just been reading a US pamphlet about troops in WW2 paying a visit to an English family, and eating up their meal, not realising that they were each eating a week of rations for one person.
Not so sure about that. It's more to do with traditional British food, as opposed to the quality of cuisine served in restaurants, which is as excellent as anywhere else. Traditional British food is very stodgy and heavy to non the non British palette. You'll often find when foreign celebrities based in the UK are interviewed, when asked about things they don't like about the UK, British food remains very high on the list.
Agreed, you'll definitely find them really friendly further north, I'm not saying they're unfriendly in London but just a bit more self focused down there.
Hold on, I'm a Londoner born and bred. Nothing special about me EXCEPT I can drive from London to Valencia and not even think twice about driving on the other side of the road! I've driven in France, Belgium, Holland (yes, I know), Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Portugal, Malta (L/H/S), Greece, Morocco, Gibraltar, and just for fun, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland. Even bought my own car in Spain, a German Mitsubishi! It's simple, you come out at Calais and say to yourself, oh, yeah, drive on the other side! Job done!
I am 70 and have driven, mostly, in and around, London for 44 years and clocked up 500,000+ miles with just 2 incidents but would not dream of driving abroad. People have different skill sets and apprehensions. Just because you can, easily, make the transition does not mean many others can. I can name all 50 USA States in order in 21 seconds, out loud, and can calculate ant number from its base like "4" for example, beyond, say,a million so, for example, 4,16,64,256,1,024,4,096,16,384,65,536, 262,144,1,048,576. I did that in my head as I was typing the previous figure. Easy, isn't it? HJo Done. YOU have a go ...lol
I agree with you, In my younger years I drove all over the continent with only a couple of moments (one in the uk) where I went wrong when I first arrived, but after 10 minutes I never had any more problems There is a reason we drive on the left. In the olden days when two men on horseback approached each other they needed to be sword hand to sword hand in case they needed to defend themselves. Given that rationale I find it strange that other countries do it differently.
Same here I drive on the left and right you just tell your brain which country you are in. Also after Britain there is still another 70 countries covering 2 billion people that drive on the left.
@@Loki1815 remember that many Americans have never needed to own a passport and that you can drive from the tip of South America to Canada without driving on the left. We Brits have the opposite experience - driving in Europe, the USA or any other country not related to the UK by history is unlikely to drive on the left unless it’s another island - like Japan. strange feature is one US territory that drives on the left - the US Virgin Islands.
@FoodFestTelevision Yup. Simply drive on the same side as everyone else. The only time I got caught out was when I left a car park and there was no other traffic.........oops 🙄
As an American who has lived in the UK for the last 17 years in beautiful Dorset, I would urge any US visitors to get out of London. For such a small country you will be stunned by the diversity of the landscape, accents and culture. The place still “knocks my socks off”.
Amelia and JP, I am proud of, and proud for you youngsters for severing the tethers and discarding the blinders that would restrict us from exploring our global community. I look forward to your videos. RIGHT ON! The point about the difference in "English" reminded me of an incident in Greece in 1973. As a young United States soldier, I participated in a NATO exercise in Greece. Being NATO, We interacted with soldiers from other NATO member nations. One day, I had the opportunity to train with some British soldiers. There was this British Sergeant Major, that would give instructions to us "yanks". Perhaps, it was because of My "southern" hearing, but I couldn't understand what he was saying. And continually I asked; "What did you say?" Finally, Sergeant Major looked me and loudly said "Damn, yank; dont you speak English?" Shocked by the tone of his question, I replied; "I thought so." To which the Sergeant Major smiled and replied; "No yank; You speak 'American'." That was the first time I had ever heard that there is more than one version of "English." And, sure enough, he was correct. Moreover, all these decades later, I'm in Latin America, trying to learn a working knowledge of the Spanish language. Which I compare to English as being raised Square Dancing, then in retirement, learning Tango. Not only the grammar is different, but so is the pronunciation. Your party ain't over until YOU say it's over! "I'm a BOOMER. Not a DOOMER!" 🎉
@AmeliaAndJP Will you be visiting Scotland?I've only just came across your channel today and it's lovely to see how much you're enjoying being in UK. There's way more to see tho and further North you go it's just gets better.looking forward to watching your journey!
Thank you I was about mention that, iwas born and brought up in Birkenhead, lived there until I was well into my 20's spent some very happydays in that park
I lived there for 5 years back in the mid 90s, even then the expensiveness of the place just blew me away, and to be honest after a bit the whole City started to drain me and I sold up and moved back to the area I was originally from called the Marches, it's the Shires along the England/Wales border, best thing I did, you just can't beat the Mountains, Rivers and wild areas in my opinion, plus £2.25m here would probably get you a medium sized mansion in the countryside with about a hundred acres. 😀
I live in Cornwall, it's like a different planet than London, where everyone avoids each other's gaze as it's can be taken as a sign of aggression or weirdness. it's the exact opposite here in Cornwall, where you would be seen to be rude if you didn't acknowledge passers by and shop staff, etc. There is FAR more to be enjoyed by NOT going to London if you are from the US! I took the family to the US a few year ago and we visited Memphis, Washington, and New York. All of those place felt utterly different from each other in so many ways. Well, it's the same in the UK.
I'm a country boy who lived in London for a year and now live on the Scottish border. Londoners are not unfriendly at all, but when you are passing literally 1000s of people every day, you can't catch the eye and smile at everyone. But if you have a problem, Londoners will more often than not, stop what they are doing and help you out, the same as most places I have found.
@@edeledeledel5490 I'm the opposite! I resisted eating it for 50 years but eventually gave it a go recently and really liked it. I only have it in a fry-up, obviously, but it goes so well with the rest of the plate.
I'm sorry you're not heading out to the rural parts. You could take the train to Devon and Corwall. The scenery through Somerset is gorgeous. While London is beautiful in parts, it does not reflect the experience you would have in a more rural area, or the cheaper prices. I lived there as a student, working in London and then escaping on the weekends. Absolute best experience of my life and would go back if not for health issues. When I was there the pound cost over $2 Canadian. That was brutal. If you want to see cheap prices go to Northern Ireland. Cheers!
Or going to some of the cities up the East Coast mainline like Cambridge, Lincoln, York, Durham all with their own charms and history (and mostly much quieter than London). That's not to mention some of the other great areas of the UK that are certainly worth visiting and all of which are significantly cheaper to stay in.
Only an hour from London by train the North Kent coast the Hoo peninsula and Isle of Grain has got a mystical,set apart quality to it. It's the place that inspired Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.
I am an American and was there in May and absolutely loved everything London. Our hotel was right next to Hyde Park, lovely weather the week we traveled and everyone in the shops very friendly. I would definitely return again. London has much more to offer than NYC. It is so clean, food prices are excellent. I have to say if I had watched your video, would I visit London? The diversity is so wonderful in London embrace it!
Being a Brit who has driven around many countries in Europe, who drive on the right, it really is not that difficult switching from left to right. Having said that, the first 20-30 minutes does require a lot of concentration, after that it just becomes natural!!. Crossing a road in the UK?? I always look both ways, even on a one way street!!😂😂🇬🇧
If you want to see the _real_ UK, visit the county towns - the capitals of each county, such as Shrewsbury, Lincoln, York, Chester, or Warwick. These towns have everything except London's ridiculous prices ! You'll also find that the local people will talk to you, while Londoners are terrified of speaking to anyone they don't know.
@@amandagubbins6653 Indeed. Too many county towns (or cities) to list them all, and if I'd included all the small market towns that are well worth visiting I'd need to write a book !
London is made of 40% public green space, including 3,000 parks and totalling 35,000 acres. According to a UN definition, London can be classified as a forest with its 8.4 million trees - almost one for every person.
England has a lot of great things going for it. I’ve been living here 21 years and now hold dual citizenship 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 London is too overwhelming/ overcrowded for me, and there’s some incredible towns and cities further afield!
I find it bemusing when people talk about London being overwhelming - It is so large, that you only have to get out of 'central London' to the quiet villages or towns that makes up the zones in 2 - 6. I live in Sheen and know all my neighbours, it is pretty, green, quiet and slow paced.
@@AM-dz2sh Sheen is lovely, and I've lived several years in Cheam (which is always confused with Sheen in conversation!) ... my viewpoint is from someone who had to work in central London, socialise in central London etc because friends not willing to travel past Zone 2. I've also lived in Earlsfield (convenient) and Kilburn Park (similar, also Zone 2) and there's just too much noise and traffic around (for me). I prefer living outside London for the lower cost of living and (generally) lower noise levels.
Thanks for your kind review of what in my childhood days was called The Old Smoke. Now, 65-yrs on, this nickname is totally invalid, thank God. Although not English, I attended school in London from aged 8-13, as an Abbey chorister. Imagine waking each morning and opening one's dorm room curtains to Dean's Yard, and singing in the Abbey five evenings each week, twice on Sundays. I still have friends today among the 32 boys I lived alongside 65 years ago, a French boy, a Norfolk boy, and a Welsh-speaking North Walian. Four very different English accents in one dorm room, mine being Anglo East African. Thanks again for rekindling fond memories.
@@t.a.k.palfrey3882No, thats wrong. Diversity of population doesn't have anything to do with the cost of housing. Supply and demand dictates the cost of accommodation.
Love, love, love London (and the UK in general)!! They value their green space and have so many parks and public footpaths. Hoping to spend large chunks of my retirement life there.
Glasgow is called Glaschu in Gaelic. This means 'green hollow' or 'green glen' and is thought to be where the city gets its nickname 'dear green place'.
@@AmeliaAndJP When you visit Wales, do if possible travel around. Plenty of comments here that say you’ve been in London but not seen the vastly different bits of England - so true. You actually often hear English people just talk about visiting Wales rather than where in Wales. E.g. We live near Cardiff and it takes 4 and half hours to drive to the north coast which is vastly different.
We don't call it "blood pudding" here, it is black pudding and it is great with a full English breakfast. It doesn't taste of blood at all. It is very tasty and goes well with some runny yolk on it or some baked beans.
Even St.Albans (the Romans had quite a place here, and you can still see some bits of it). Short train ride from London and lots of history and many pubs!
Glad you enjoyed your visit. Lots more to see than London, we only live 25 miles to the north, but we avoid it at all costs! I'm 74 now and the country has not changed for the better, try a train ride up to Cambridge, takes about 60 mins, lots to see. If you have time York is a good bet. Seaside town of Whitby is good, also Southwold (we 're off there in October) for a short break. Been to the USA many times loved it, from SF to NY. Happy travels.
As a UK citizen who has travelled widely, including all over the US, I was fascinated to hear what London feels like from another nation's standpoint. Remember, though, London is unique and a trip beyond it will give you many different perspectives - good and less good. I would encourage any American visitor to sample the North as a tourist and cultural venue. It's crammed with great scenery (the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales, Snowdonia, the Lake District), historic cities (Chester, York, Durham) and vibrant, lively and dynamic cities like my own (Manchester), or Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield. Most of all, we pride ourselves up here on being ultra-friendly and welcoming. People actually talk to you here! Next time you visit London, get a train ticket to my neck of the woods. You won't regret it. 😊
I've been watching your channel from when you lived in Ecuador and have enjoyed watching your travels recently. You've got me looking at flights to Albania. But I wasn't expecting you to turn up here. Welcome to England! Of course, you are well travelled enough to know that the capital city is rarely representative of the whole country. Property prices are too high everywhere but in London they are famous for being astronomical. I live in the North East of England closer to Scotland than London and for two and half million you could by a mansion with a park! If you struggled with London accents you'd have real fun with our accent up here. A lot of other English people have to concentrate when we speak. I think one of the 'shocking' things about the UK that American visitors find is the incredible variety from one area to another for such a small island. Unlike most northerners I really love London and visit often although I wouldn't like to live there permanently. My daughter lived there for seven years and adored it and met her now husband there. He's a northerner too 😂. But when they were expecting their first baby they headed straight back up north. London was an adventure but not where they wanted to bring their family up. PS. They drive on the left in 76 countries including Ireland, Malta, Cyprus, India, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
Had my fingers crossed that you would like it. Hoping that you can go back again, and give us your impression of some of the other areas in the UK, and Scotland and Ireland too. Am mapping out a trip and am glad to hear from you that finally there is more diversity in restaurant food than there was on my last trip, though that was a long time ago.
Your enthusiasm is infectious. Having said that, in these types of videos, where North Americans visit London (and rarely anywhere else), they frequently comment on our accents in Britain. I was born in London incidentally. What Americans seem to be surprised by is that the British are very capable of understanding a huge range of our language when it's spoken by visitors from almost anywhere in the World. One of the main reasons is that English is the global language today. For us one of the main reasons is because we are fed a seemingly constant supply of American TV programmes and films, so we're used to hearing the odd phrases and vocabulary that North Americans, not to mention our cousins from Australasia, South Africa, West Indies, India, etc. use. But this is clearly not the case in the opposite direction since it seems Americans in particular almost always comment that they fail to understand our language. Maybe people who come to Britain should prepare themselves better before arriving here, that way they might be less "shocked" by what in reality is standard English.
I count myself as a Londoner, born in Chiswick 9 months before the end of the war. I lived about 6 miles further out of Acton in Hayes (close to Heathrow Airport) for all my life until I moved to the East Midlands 14 years ago. I love London’s vibe. As a youngster I walked across the old London Bridge and in 2007 we visited Lake Haversu City and walked once more across London Bridge 🥹. It was there in a bar I noticed a variety of American accents, and like you here in England didn’t realise how many variants there were - fascinating! We loved our time travelling around just a small part of the States, a most memorable holiday. We visited Florida with friends 6 years later and had a great time there too, but we saw and experienced so much more on our first visit. Great memories.
Many establishments in London add service charge to the bill (it's discretionary so you can ask them to take service charge off the bill if you don't want to pay the exorbitant 15% they expect you to pay!). Outside London it's rare for service charge to be added automatically. Next time you visit UK see if you can get outside London where there is much to see and prices are much cheaper.
As a Welshman, living in Portugal, but visiting London to see family and friends, your review is accurate ❤. It's a great city, although past its peak. In the 2000s it was probably the best city in the world.
As an expat Londoner I absolutely agree. Used to travel home regularly 90s through to 2006, then moved back 2007-2009 wow what a decline. So I left again. Would I go back if it was affordable hell yes, it will always be home plus free healthcare - that is taken for granted until you leave. Sad old London breaks my heart.
As a US expat (now dual citizen), who's lived in Greater London for over 30 years, I'll just say that watching fictional television programmes is no preparation for life here. It is much more complex and nuanced. London is a major financial, cultural and higher educational center, so attracts people from around the world. You must also understand the history of the British Empire and now The Commonwealth nations, and what that has meant for immigration. In additiion, before Brexit (England's exit from The European Union) there was substantial immigration from The EU. One of the reasons good is better quality is because of the EU regulations on Food Safety, which we continue to follow. But food prices have gone up during the last government's time in power, also there has been a cost of living crisis because of fuel and utilities prices steeply rising as a result of the war in the Ukraine. You don't pay tax on food. And service charges are not always included. When I moved here in the early 90s, many shops, restaurants WERE normally closed on Sundays. But that changed when legislation changed to allow it. But even then supermarkets were limited in terms of when they could open and what things they could sell. Now it's all pretty open. But a pub lunch was almost always from 12 - 3. So some restaurants have restricted hours, but all, as they might, say, in Italy. Those signs on the street are not in every town or village. But London is an international tourist destination and the majority of countries drive in the right. And anyway, it's polite to help visitors! London is recognised as one of the greenest (park land) cities in the world. London is surrounded by conservation land called the Metropolitan Green Belt. Sadly this is under threat from housing developments because of cuts to local council funding and the demand for more housing.
@lcharles5909 Sorry, but the UK had plenty of food quality laws before we joined the EU. We also had the 1st commission to look at workers conditions and health in the workplace (factories) in 1795 in Manchester, when most countries were still rural. The UK didn't get everything from the EU some we pioneered. We also had parity pay in the UK, something that only became law in the EU in 2023, meaning you couldn't employ someone from elsewhere and pay them less, and if caught, not only back pay to the employee but fined. .
@@djlads Yep, we've always had good quality food standards - though the cuisine has come on leaps and bounds in the last 50 years. Plus, of course, a lot of American servicemen over here during WW2 would have experienced the effects of food rationing (as someone else has mentioned).
@dogsbodyish8403 You know we were eating curries in 1747 with Turmeric and other spices, as you mentioned, so UK dishes were used to spices and variety, it was only WW2 that saw spices hard to obtain where they fell out of use, but growing up in the 80s/90s we regularly had curry, chili, stir-fry, and they must have had them too growing up in the 60s/70s
Been to London three times in my life , absolutely hate it the crowds, the people, the attitudes , come to Shropshire and see its history, Shrewsbury Town and Telford Ironbridge is a lovely quaint town to visit with lots of history.
Oh gawd, you mentioned Acton! I lived there for 56 years only moving out (To Ruislip) in 2014 after selling my 5 bed terrace for a stupid amount of money, even then the house prices had gone from daft to some kind of stratospheric insanity. In fact, Perryn Road that you showed is just round the corner from where I lived. London is so different it might even be classed as the fifth country of the UK. Finally living in Dorset now and very happy.
@@jillosler9353 yep it does seem to be a love it or hate it thing, although good quality is a must with black pudding, cheap stuff is bland and like cardboard
Giant mushroom turned upside down fill the hollow with caramelized onion, melt some strong chees (Red Leicester is perfect) fried cherry tomatoes halved and laid in the already melted cheese, thick slice of black pudding on top (works just as well with a slice of Haggis) and a poached egg on top - breakfast fit for a king! Salivating just thinking about it.
We drive on the left as most people are right handed. In days of old knights passed one another on the left, enabling them to draw their sword in case of attack from the passing guy. There are many countries that that on the left, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, India and numerous African countries.
It's actually inherently superior, as most people's master eye is the right eye - and driving on the left means that the master eye is in the better position to observe oncoming traffic.
@@davehoward22 better weather blue sea and Disney Land for families with children. Surely better than exploring London with a child 🤷. Anywheres better than being in London. Speaking as a UK citizen
@@jeremyschofield8280 I like the us and dont disagree ,theres far more to uk than london,,im from yorkshire ,but we have blue sea in the south west,weather,you wont lose your house in a tornado,and have real castles,not mickey mouse ones..(go to alton towers for disneyland ....or drive to france)
So nice to hear from tourists who appreciate and enjoy our wonderful country, London is a great place to see but the country has so so much more to offer. Beautiful coastal walks and villages dotted around our wonderful little island(same size as Florida I think)historic castles,cathedrals and ancient settlements from 3000bc(Stonehenge) to ancient Roman historic sites from 43ad, then you have wonderful national parks,Brecon beacons, Peak District ,Lake District,Snowdonia(north wales)Yorkshire dales and beautiful Scotland of lochs and isles. Please come and visit, I am biased but you will be most welcome and us brits will make you feel right at home. 👍🇬🇧
Amelia and JB. Thank you. I love your videos. I am an American who has been living in Europe for the past 2 years with plans to settle here permanently. I have been to France, Italy, Montenegro, Bosnia, North Macedonia, Croatia, and Albania so far, with plans to visit other countries in both Western and Eastern Europe. It is helpful, entertaining, and inspiring when you discuss your experiences in countries that I have been to already, and when you discuss countries where I have not yet traveled it adds to my excitement and anticipation. England is next on my list of new countries to visit.
@@josephhuth3714 When you visit, fly into Manchester; it’s only about 4 or 5 miles from the city centre and use it as your base. It’s only 25 miles to Chester, 35 miles or less to Liverpool and Wales. Then it’s only 2 to 3 hours car journey to Yorkshire and visit the MAGNIFICENT ancient city of York while you’re there. If you have time, a coach or a drive to Scotland will only take about 3 hours. All of these places are available. Of course you’ll want to visit London (a two hour train journey). Canadian friends of ours did the reverse. Their tour was in the reverse order. They flew into London and booked a coach tour in the city ahead of time and did all the touristy things. Then went up to stay in Manchester and explored all the other places and saw the real UK. At the end of their holiday they flew home from Manchester Airport.
@@Angusmum Thanks for taking the time and energy to relay your tips and advice. I already have a clear plan for visiting the UK this time around, aiming for Cornwall and Wales, but I will take your ideas into consideration for future trips.
I am British and I have visited a lot of other countries traveling around. I have lived my life in England the north. I have visited London a max of 6 times. I have absolutely no wish to go again. There are so many more beautiful places without the crowds with beautiful parks , buildings and friendlier natives.
As a frequent visitor to the USA I have always been shocked at what Americans pay for everyday essentials in groceries, toiletries and clothing, never mind premium brands, and assumed that wages would reflect that. As for driving, after the first couple of hours on the right hand side of the road, and in almost all cases the car being an automatic, it is not that big of a deal. What most US drivers will not be used to is that most cities in the UK were never intended to accommodate cars and lorries.
Brit here, live near to London and know it well. It IS the best city in the World, for it's mix of ancient and modern, and it's diversity. It's nice to see Americans who properly appreciate that rather than treating our Country like a film set, or a theme park. I recently saw a sign outside a pub in Westminster which read "Americans should be accompanied by an adult" which sadly sums up a lot of your fellow countrymen. So thanks for being respectful. By the way, over 70 Countries globally drive on the left, including some big ones like India, Indonesia, Japan, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand!
@@sandersson2813 ok, lets carry on...name me another city on the planet that has the spread of diversity, history (and mix of ancient and modern), archictecture, culture, education, business, entertainment, sport, transportation and resulting (from all that) tourism pull?...I'm not "naive" enough not to admit that it also has it's problems as well (what city doesn't?) but I like to highlight the positives.
Yanks think a single British accent covers it all. Only posh people and snobs, speak like the "Royals". There are multiple dialects spoken proudly by working class, down to earth people In all corners of Great Britain, including England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. All individually proud of their accents, Not forgetting cockneys and their rhyming slang.
Allways glad to meet you "yanks" we don't think of you as foreign even! I was a very young air cadet , about 13, and remember the US base at Greenham Common. We would ride our bikes furiously past the guards at the main gate, up the runway and out the other end ! slowig down at the gate on our return, we would be "captured", plied with coffee, given bars of chocolate, sometimes a jar of that, very strange to us, peanut butter. When I became a young soldier a little later, and had to do an initiative test involving who can get the furthest from "home" and back over a weekend, I approached the commanding officer,at Greenham,and we concocted a story where I had been taken to the US, and without leaving the base, returerned on a flight back to UK..Despite our interigators best effort, our story could not be broken! True US / UK cooperation! I have yet to visit the US, and nearing 80 I hopeI I have still the time to do so. I sincerely hope you enjoy you stay in the UK, and hope to read of your further adventures.
Peanut butter is absolutely VILE! All UK food is GM free, produced to far higher safety, with fewer additives and far higher ethical standards than USA.
We say 'shocked' when something is terrible, I think you mean surprised ! If you eat in place's like John Lewis store on Oxford Street, they have a restaurant on 5th floor, it's cheap, and has a large balcony where you can eat outside overlooking Oxford Street. They also have a rooftop cafe and bar with music, which is open til late. Have you thought of staying in a youth hostel. Some in London have no age restrictions, you can choose a dormitory with bunks, or private room. They're cheaper and are in nice buildings. Also try visiting Richmond, where you can walk along the Thames for miles towards Teddington Lock. Richmond Park, Kew Gardens, and Hampton Court which also has a maze, are all easy to get to by train. And are more peaceful and greener than London.
@@AmeliaAndJP I am shocked (in both senses) at your response. It goes against your own rule to be nice when posting. Your target audience may be yanks, but you clearly have many Brits in the audience. All that was needed was to say you speak American. I really enjoyed your video, but I won't be subscribing.
Love seeing your take on London! I’m glad you enjoyed your stay and sorry you weren’t able to stay longer and have more fun, or to see other places in the U.K. I hope one day you’ll come back and visit us- your U.K. cousins here, again. Safe travels!
I still believe many visiting the U.K. think to experience English culture, you go to London! I’d say it’s probably the opposite. So many great cities to choose from or if you don’t fancy a city, again there are so many fantastic towns across the country. On a side note, you appear ‘shocked’ at just about everything!! How about surprised or interested to see that? Which for me is part of travelling and experiencing a different way of life. Why travel to experience what you can have at home? There is one comment I was ‘shocked’ to hear and something I never thought I’d hear and that was when you said ‘Acton was cute!!’
Welcome to the UK, nice to get feedback what foreigners think about our country. Looks like you were having a great time. Bath is another great place to visit
The UK may be geographically small in comparison to the US, but there is so much to see throughout our nations. I've been here in London most of my life and I still haven't seen more than 50% of the UK's magnificence. If you're back at any point, In my experience you need to mark these on your map....Cornwall, Pembrokeshire, Chester, York, Edinburgh, Loch Lomond and the Giant's Causeway.....If if you like motorsports, the Isle of Man TT.... it'll blow you mind!
As an older Brit I always make a special effort to assist American visitors; brave Americans laid down their lives in Europe so we can all enjoy London today. So glad you enjoyed your trip and God Bless America.
@@ianw5725 As did many other nations..plenty of British lost their lives and our brothers and sisters from the commonwealth and far beyond…America did what they did for America…they were declared war upon and they HAD to jump off the fence… And they ( apart from 7 men ) had no American input into the Battle of Britain and LendLease was a loan and paid off..
I live in London and yes it's very expensive but in my opinion it's the greatest city in the world. We are always pleased to welcome visitors from anywhere.
Omg, those houses in Acton you showed are Victorian villas (built during Queen Victoria's reign 1837 - 1901) and were never built as duplexes!!! We have no duplex houses that you have - the nearest equivalent would be Edwardian Warner houses (one building but two distinct and separate dwellings on ground and first floor with separate front doors) . . .
@@andreamerciar3779 I don’t think Americans realise that in Britain houses are bricks and mortar whereas in America they mostly wood construction, which just doesn’t have the same permanence, which is why they maintain their value even when they’re much older.
@@Briff100 hello, ta for your info but I'm sure that if they are called "duplexes" then they are using an Americanism as we would never have used that term to describe residential architecture in the UK. This definition of "duplex" is from the dictionary on my Mac: "North American a residential building divided into two apartments. • an apartment on two floors. • North American & Australian a semi-detached house."
I wish I knew you were going to London, I've spent a lot of time there. The museums are free, so there's that, and groceries are affordable b/c the rent isn't Anyone going to London? Try to make reservations for the Sky Garden
Being British, but now American, I was a bit taken Aback by the use of the word ‘shocked’ also. I was wondering what the heck Britain was doing now?!!😂😂. Lost in translation.
So glad that you reported back on the quality and taste of the food. I visit the UK frequently, making almost annual visits to London (and trips elsewhere in the country and Scotland)…and am so tired of Americans telling me how bad the food is. London has amazing food…it’s a foodie’s paradise and most people that have the negative stereotype about British food have either never visited, or visited 30 years ago. Things are much different now. Next visit, go outside of London too, and in all transparency, London is my favorite city in the world…so I may be a little biased. 😂 And, I live in San Diego…which is a pretty nice place to call home (and also makes prices elsewhere always seem reasonable).
In the UK, you don’t have to tip your waiters either…particularly outside of London, however, more and more restaurants are now adding a ‘discretionary’ service charge of between 12-15%. This has become more common since the Covid era.
Sorry if this is a bit long - and it's definitely plagiarised! About a 35% of the world population currently drives on the left, and the countries that do are mostly old British colonies. This strange quirk perplexes the rest of the world, but there is a perfectly good reason. In the past, almost everybody travelled on the left side of the road because that was the most sensible option for feudal, violent societies. Since most people are right-handed, swordsmen preferred to keep to the left in order to have their right arm nearer to an opponent and their scabbard further from him. Moreover, it reduced the chance of the scabbard (worn on the left) hitting other people. Furthermore, a right-handed person finds it easier to mount a horse from the left side of the horse, and it would be very difficult to do otherwise if wearing a sword (which would be worn on the left). It is safer to mount and dismount towards the side of the road, rather than in the middle of traffic, so if one mounts on the left, then the horse should be ridden on the left side of the road. In the late 1700s, however, teamsters in France and the United States began hauling farm products in big wagons pulled by several pairs of horses. These wagons had no driver’s seat; instead the driver sat on the left rear horse, so he could keep his right arm free to lash the team. Since he was sitting on the left, he naturally wanted everybody to pass on the left so he could look down and make sure he kept clear of the oncoming wagon’s wheels. Therefore he kept to the right side of the road.
. This strange quirk( that has lasted for a thousand years ) perplexes the rest of the world. Not my fault the rest of the world get easily confused. :)
If we say ‘shocked’ here, we meant surprised in a negative way, like something ‘shocking’ is generally not good. Black pudding isn’t generally called blood pudding, even my grandmother who was born in 1910 called it black pudding. Great to hear about all the things you really liked here, things we probably take for granted. There’s a lot to see outside London too
My wife and I were in the UK the last week of June. What a great place to visit. We toured London for two days and then South all the way to the Channel the rest of the week. What a beautiful part of the world. Like you, we found American English and British English quite different but the British were all friendly and helpful. We will definitely be going back!
@davehallock3102 , We were in London, Cotswolds area last year as well. Loved it! People are so friendly there. Would love to move there but have to wait until retirement, since wages are not what they are here.
No such thing as British English..it’s ENGLISH and it originated in ENGLAND.it’s forbears or subsequent changes matter none.. it’s ours and you and any other country that use it BORROW it. ,if you want to butcher it that’s up to you but don’t start putting prefixes on OUR language..🤨
As far as I know nobody in England calls Black Pudding, Blood Pudding! Most Americans will happily eat a rare steak with actual liquid blood pouring out of it onto their plate but won't touch Black Pudding that has been professionally produced and properly cooked. Why don't we re-name some of the American favourites like Peroxide Bleached Chicken or Vomit Flavoured Chocolate? Because we are POLITE. That's why!
Calm down mate. Don't be so rude and defensive. People are entitled to not like the sound of a dish. You make a good point about rare steak, but you could have been a bit more polite about it.
@@AmeliaAndJP I apologise for my fellow countryman. I enjoyed your video very much, and you seem like a lovely couple. I was born in London and live nearby (after some years in Germany), and it's a place you never get bored of!
It's not blood pudding, it's black pudding, although blood is a major part of it. Best enjoyed with HP sauce. Service charges being included for food is relatively new in the UK and generally not welcomed. A tip/service charge in the UK is something we prefer to give if we think service has been good, rather than the restaurant assuming the same and imposing a service charge. Plus, if a waiter/waitress is good we (I anyway) want to be assured the tip goes to the waiter/waitress. For this reason, I always pay net of the service charge and give a tip to the waiter waitress in cash, usually around 10% of the bill. I know its different in the USA. Anyway, I hope you found the UK welcoming and I'm glad you enjoyed it. Have a safe trip back and hope you come again.
@@kingstumble we say the same in Scotland, Glasgow is all by itself. We all don’t speak like Rab C Nesbib, thanks to the media in Scotland all being in Glasgow. People here in Inverness really struggle to understand Glaswegians!
Nice video quality, first time I’ve seen the channel and it immediately stood out you were using top quality gear. So many RUclipsrs don’t care about quality. I have a ZVE1. You can’t beat full frame. You need to get out of London and go North. It’s such a shame so many US visitors visit London only, there’s another US couple on RUclips who went all over and their favourite places were in the North, like York. The $ to £ exchange rate is still excellent, I remember when it was $2 to £1.
Back in the 1980s, when I was a college kid, I flew to London for a backpacking trip, landed at Gatwick, took the train into Victoria station, walked right outside the station to cross my first street, and immediately got hit by a car because I looked the wrong way. So, it is a thing.
@@sirgalahad1470 hi. In the UK we’re taught as children to always look both ways when crossing the street so we tend not to get caught out even if crossing the street in a country where they drive on the other side of the street.
Nowadays on some roads there are messages to look in the correct direction. I lived in Switzerland for some years where driving on the other side of the road occurs and even as a pedestrian I had to remind myself for a few months to look the correct way when crossing roads
@@Marli-o4g In the 1950s and 1960s, we were taught our "kerb drill" at school and by public information films on television: "Look right, look left, look right again. If all's clear, cross the road." This was layer replaced with the current "Green Cross Code" when it was realised that small children do not always know left from right. Instead, they are now told simply to look both ways.
London is not England though. 63% are foreign. To us is like going abroad. All UK property prices are extortionate, but London is mental. 67% of property is foreign owned. Our cities are becoming alien areas. Many now have large areas where English is not spoken, or police are happy to go.
Exactly. I was talking to my girlfriend about this earlier after we'd got off The Tube and were walking along The Strand on our way to The London Eye. Maybe later we'll go via The South Bank to The OXO Tower for dinner? Or possibly The Shard.
@@eddhardy1054 I'm a born and bred Londoner and even I occasionally have trouble understanding some of the accents and words from people who live up north.
@@DaveGreen-gw6ew True there are always gonna be things like dialect words or slang that can cause confusion but a lot of the time with English speaking tourists (particularly Americans I'm afraid) the issue seems to be down to just not listening. 🤔😊
Some pretty stunning footage there , thanks for the positive comments on my country (london mostly) . It is always nice to be reminded of how awseome the UK is .
Hehe, yes, London is deffo expensive to stay or live there. But if you work in the capital the wages are also higher. I met some online friends from Canada at a hotel just off Hyde Park where they were staying for a week. I stayed 2 nights at my nephew's place south of the river, and took the train/tube up to meet my friends, then we went to Kew Gardens and later visited The Tower of London. The next day I drove into the city to pick them up and we went down to Stone Henge. Surprising them that the 88 miles took 3 hours each way, so with a pub lunch the day was used up and visiting the city of Bath was not practical time wise. Oh yes, their 2 bed hotel room was TINY! Though it did have a separate shower/bath room.
I miss my homeland, not the weather lol and now being Texicanized for the last 20 years I couldn't live back there without AC. London is by far the most expensive part of England for everything so if you were out in the amazing and beautiful green rolling countryside towns everything is much cheaper though housing has rocketed everywhere accordingly. Did yall eat fish n chips?
Fun vlog; thank you for visiting us and sorry it is a bit pricey! A couple of comments. I think we share a common language with the USA but gradually they are diverging and in time 'American' may become it's own language. The technical definition of a forest is when 25% of an area is covered by trees. By this definition, London is a forest. Finally, recent surveys have indicated that almost half of Londoners were not born in the UK, so yes, we are a particularly diverse city which, on the whole, works quite well. Please come again soon.
The misconception that Brit food is terrible harkens back to WW2. When US troops were stationed in the UK, the country had already been rationing for several years and luxuries were scarce, so of course food was bland; you can’t make food exciting if you can’t get the ingredients. The Brit farming industry didn’t recover until the late 50’s. After the war, whilst British food returned to its amazing quality, the unfair reputation for bad food stuck, only dispelled when people visit and actually try it for themselves.
We were there last year and it was the end part of our month long time in Spain Including Lanzarote. I also found it quite a bit more expensive, the food was consistently wonderful. The people are so polite I felt on guard to reflect that back to them. I found it a relief to be back with my rude Americans ( not sure if you experienced that) I absolutely enjoyed seeing the castles and flowers everywhere. Driving was traumatic but I pulled it off. My heart is still in Spain as much as I enjoyed the UK. Thanks for your videos they have helped me so much.
lack pudding with the "Full English" is amazing especially when paired with the yolk from a fried egg..Its not gamey or taste metallic like blood, it is more herby and just so nice.
Brit here. Property prices across the UK are insane. The younger generation is completely priced out. Properties in London are hyper expensive because wealthy foreigners (Russian oligarchs, Saudi princes) buy them up.
Lovely to hear your thoughts on London, I sometimes go for a day or two to do specific things and enjoy it but I’m always relieved to be heading back north again where folk are on the whole less world weary. I’ve just subscribed because I want to see where you head next. Best wishes. Jonny.
Ex US serviceman here who was based in England other places who never went home after service other than family visits. I felt at home the moment I was based here. I'd keep my boasting to zero and melt into the community while off duty I'm still here 30yrs later. Dual national now and very proud of that. England is my home and I love it here.
Your welcome
Nice to hear this.
@@Eric-h2u6p Wow…..our countries are united in many ways
Glad you enjoyed it enough to stay
Left Calif. 40 years ago, I'm more Brit than American now.
I find it a real shame that so many people from the US come over and only head to London. I'm English and avoid London like the plague. We have such a luscious green country, with castles, stunning scenery, sandy beaches - so much history to explore, and the majority of Americans would rather visit a polluted brick and glass metropolis, full of modern buildings, takeaways, vape shops and crime. If you visit the UK again, please steer clear of London and visit the real UK. There are so many videos on RUclips showing what the UK has to offer. It would be like us thinking that the USA is all about New York.
I think there's a tendency among tourists from all over the world to concentrate on the highlights (things they've seen in movies or photos) rather than try to get a real feel for a country. A lot of Americans, in particular, don't seem to grasp the extent to which a lot of culture and history is found within small areas. I sometimes see questions like, "Is two days enough in Rome?" as if they're talking about Cleveland, Ohio. Or, "I have 11 days in Spain and want to experience the culture. My itinerary is Madrid, Seville, Córdoba, Granada, and Barcelona," leaving experienced travelers scratching their heads.
Yes the further you are from London the cheaper itgets
All capital cities are expensive. I understand why London would be the first stop, but don’t dally there. Get to Bath, York, the Lake District and the Coast.
London used to be worth it, I took many generations of children in my family to London for treats stopped about 20 yrs ago ,you could feel the change
@@chrisb8756 there’s crime everywhere. London has plenty of old buildings as well as modern - most modern buildings are outside of the tourist areas of Westminster. Vape shops and takeaways proliferate all over the country.
There are plenty of positive reasons to go elsewhere in the UK, but the negative reasons you raise are not valid reasons to travel more broadly.
To experience the UK, you have to leave London. The villages and countryside are pretty and look different from other European countries and the US
But do not go to close to the shoreline...Vikings can sail in any minute 😂
Remember Yanks get lost north of Watford
@@davidfrost779 So do Londoners!
@Toadhall22 to be fair, if the struggled to understand people in London, they might be in trouble in other parts of the country
@@-NemoMeImpuneLacessit They certainly would struggle in other parts of the country and we of course speak proper English not that sound that the yanks think of English that comes out of their mouths
I did my OE in the UK,so I could have access to seeing the countries of Europe, but I started in Scotland and worked my way down,on my days off,I would take a train and go all over,so Ive covered a fair amount of Great Britain, and I loved it,glad I did it,can look back and reflect on those wonderful memories, food yummy, people nice.Still in contact with friends over there,❤love from Commonwealth country New Zealand 🇳🇿.
Glad you enjoyed it many respects kiwis 🇳🇿 from 🇬🇧
@@margaretreid2153 UK is still your home kiwi 🇳🇿 from 🇬🇧
Could tell where you were from just the first 8 letters of your post: "I did my OE" 😄
I did the inverse - lived in NZ for a couple of years - and had never heard the phrase beforehand but immediately grew to understand the concept within the first few weeks I was there!
We used to get a lot more Aussies and Kiwis in the UK, working at all levels, from management to bar and restaurant work, computer programming, and so on. The pound was pretty strong and they could come here, work for a while and make a far amount of cash. All the ones I met and worked with were great, and their bar-tending skills were legendary! Now the pound (and the UK generally) is not what it was and we see very few of our Commonwealth cousins these days. Oh well, it was great while it lasted!
cant understand why people get the train..Coaches are FAR cheaper
I’ve only been to England three times so I’m no expert but I found London very, very different than other parts of England. London is amazing but it’s not very representative of England based on my experience.
Depends where in London you are - remember that London covers an area of more than 606 square miles and the outer London boroughs only became part of London after 1st April 1965. The area of London that I was born in used to be the Kent countryside so it’s still mostly farmland and open countryside.
@@Marli-o4g That’s a good point. I’ve only seen the tourist’s views of London.
@@thedavidguy01 it is so different from my childhood, that city has disappeared
@@thedavidguy01 you are right. London really is in a bubble compared to the rest of the UK
@@thedavidguy01 Bingo, the cheap food prices are expensive in London
You have to get out of London to truly experience the England.
Oxford, Cambridge, the Cotswolds, Devon, Cornwall. Further north, Whitby, York and of course the Lake District. All fabulous to explore.
Let’s not forget that Wales and Scotland also have much to see and love.
You forgot Bath.
Poor old Midlands!😂
It's a common misperception that almost every seppo has about about the UK and other countries They think that London is England, that Paris is France and, even worse for a West Aussie like me, they think that Sydney is Australia! Our nation is as large as the contiguous United States, yet they still think Steak and Kidney is all you need to see!
Canterbury!
@@bronson9836 Cheshire and Manchester! ❤
What surprises me most here and on many other posts by American visitors commenting on their trip to the UK, is the general American English usage of the word 'shocked' to express surprise. 'Shocked' in British English has more negative connotations - meaning 'horrified at' or 'disturbed by'.
Please don't say British English, as the mother tongue it is just English, it doesn't need qualifiers, that is something that the Americans do to take ownership of the language even though the reality is that they don't speak the same language, they use different words, different pronunciations and different spellings to the point that it is almost a different language and should be named so to reflect this.
@@RushfanUKI've never understood why they just don't call it 'American', ie he speaks American.
I know some will say it's because America or the Americas encompass all of the countries in north and south America but I've been to several in both north and south and literally no one outside of the USA class themselves as American.
We say things like 'they speak with an American accent, or they speak with an Australian accent'. Surely it would just be easier to classify them all as speaking Australian, American, Canadian etc...
@@Axispaw1 It would but they want to own English, every now and then someone points out that America is the continent but as you so correctly say nobody but the inhabitants of the USA actually identifies as American, I'm just going to say they are speaking American from now on.
@@RushfanUK you do realise no one actually put you in charge of the internet,don’t ever think that you have any authority
They probably should use the word surprise instead of shocked.
London is not what I’d call England. If you left London and visited the real England you’d be a blown away at its beauty, history and traditions and yes, you’d see actual English people. Btw, black pudding (no one calls it blood pudding) is far nicer that you think, also there is white pudding which if bought from a butchers is also really nice.
Jeez, every time tourists do a video about London, someone inevitably comes up with ‘it’s not England’. It’s a major world city and the capital. Relax.
Blood pudding? No it's called black pudding.
London is the Capital and whether you like it or not is every bit as English as the rest of it.
@@SgtTechcomDN38416 No, it is not. Stand anywhere in London and you’ll occasionally hear English being spoken, take a ride on the tube and play spot the English person.
@@LondonEve24 I suppose it depends on how old you are, when I was in my twenties and working for a time in London, in the 1980’s/early 90’s then yes, London was still English but I’m sorry but every time I visit now I feel like I’m in abroad except for the architecture. To someone young, they don’t know any different because it’s what they’ve always known.
The old American concept that British food is bad, goes back to the Second World War, when rationing was in place ...
I've just been reading a US pamphlet about troops in WW2 paying a visit to an English family, and eating up their meal, not realising that they were each eating a week of rations for one person.
Yes. It's largely promoted by people who's only experience of the UK is on TikTok.
Not so sure about that. It's more to do with traditional British food, as opposed to the quality of cuisine served in restaurants, which is as excellent as anywhere else. Traditional British food is very stodgy and heavy to non the non British palette. You'll often find when foreign celebrities based in the UK are interviewed, when asked about things they don't like about the UK, British food remains very high on the list.
@@TheGiantKillers and I’m sure you can take the celebrities word as gospel, k mean who wouldn’t listen to the gold that comes out of their mouths
U.S. food is practically tasteless, so English food must seem tasty by comparison.
Get yourselves to the north of England. York, Durham, Cumbria, the Lake District and Northumberland are wonderfully friendly and really beautiful.
@@mgnoodle2589 Definitely 👍🏻
Agreed, you'll definitely find them really friendly further north, I'm not saying they're unfriendly in London but just a bit more self focused down there.
Hold on, I'm a Londoner born and bred. Nothing special about me EXCEPT I can drive from London to Valencia and not even think twice about driving on the other side of the road! I've driven in France, Belgium, Holland (yes, I know), Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Portugal, Malta (L/H/S), Greece, Morocco, Gibraltar, and just for fun, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland. Even bought my own car in Spain, a German Mitsubishi!
It's simple, you come out at Calais and say to yourself, oh, yeah, drive on the other side! Job done!
I am 70 and have driven, mostly, in and around, London for 44 years and clocked up 500,000+ miles with just 2 incidents but would not dream of driving abroad.
People have different skill sets and apprehensions. Just because you can, easily, make the transition does not mean many others can.
I can name all 50 USA States in order in 21 seconds, out loud, and can calculate ant number from its base like "4" for example, beyond, say,a million so, for example, 4,16,64,256,1,024,4,096,16,384,65,536, 262,144,1,048,576. I did that in my head as I was typing the previous figure. Easy, isn't it? HJo Done. YOU have a go ...lol
I agree with you, In my younger years I drove all over the continent with only a couple of moments (one in the uk) where I went wrong when I first arrived, but after 10 minutes I never had any more problems
There is a reason we drive on the left. In the olden days when two men on horseback approached each other they needed to be sword hand to sword hand in case they needed to defend themselves. Given that rationale I find it strange that other countries do it differently.
Same here I drive on the left and right you just tell your brain which country you are in. Also after Britain there is still another 70 countries covering 2 billion people that drive on the left.
@@Loki1815 remember that many Americans have never needed to own a passport and that you can drive from the tip of South America to Canada without driving on the left. We Brits have the opposite experience - driving in Europe, the USA or any other country not related to the UK by history is unlikely to drive on the left unless it’s another island - like Japan. strange feature is one US territory that drives on the left - the US Virgin Islands.
@FoodFestTelevision Yup. Simply drive on the same side as everyone else. The only time I got caught out was when I left a car park and there was no other traffic.........oops 🙄
As an American who has lived in the UK for the last 17 years in beautiful Dorset, I would urge any US visitors to get out of London.
For such a small country you will be stunned by the diversity of the landscape, accents and culture. The place still “knocks my socks off”.
Amelia and JP,
I am proud of, and proud for you youngsters for severing the tethers and discarding the blinders that would restrict us from exploring our global community.
I look forward to your videos.
RIGHT ON!
The point about the difference in "English" reminded me of an incident in Greece in 1973.
As a young United States soldier, I participated in a NATO exercise in Greece. Being NATO, We interacted with soldiers from other NATO member nations. One day, I had the opportunity to train with some British soldiers.
There was this British Sergeant Major, that would give instructions to us "yanks". Perhaps, it was because of My "southern" hearing, but I couldn't understand what he was saying. And continually I asked; "What did you say?"
Finally, Sergeant Major looked me and loudly said "Damn, yank; dont you speak English?"
Shocked by the tone of his question, I replied; "I thought so."
To which the Sergeant Major smiled and replied; "No yank; You speak 'American'."
That was the first time I had ever heard that there is more than one version of "English."
And, sure enough, he was correct.
Moreover, all these decades later, I'm in Latin America, trying to learn a working knowledge of the Spanish language. Which I compare to English as being raised Square Dancing, then in retirement, learning Tango. Not only the grammar is different, but so is the pronunciation.
Your party ain't over until YOU say it's over!
"I'm a BOOMER. Not a DOOMER!" 🎉
Great story! Thanks for sharing! 😊
@AmeliaAndJP Will you be visiting Scotland?I've only just came across your channel today and it's lovely to see how much you're enjoying being in UK. There's way more to see tho and further North you go it's just gets better.looking forward to watching your journey!
Fun fact - NY’s Central Park layout is based off a park in a town called Birkenhead which is near to Liverpool
Thank you I was about mention that, iwas born and brought up in Birkenhead, lived there until I was well into my 20's spent some very happydays in that park
"...based ON a park...
And it's bigger than Monaco.
I lived there for 5 years back in the mid 90s, even then the expensiveness of the place just blew me away, and to be honest after a bit the whole City started to drain me and I sold up and moved back to the area I was originally from called the Marches, it's the Shires along the England/Wales border, best thing I did, you just can't beat the Mountains, Rivers and wild areas in my opinion, plus £2.25m here would probably get you a medium sized mansion in the countryside with about a hundred acres. 😀
I live in Cornwall, it's like a different planet than London, where everyone avoids each other's gaze as it's can be taken as a sign of aggression or weirdness. it's the exact opposite here in Cornwall, where you would be seen to be rude if you didn't acknowledge passers by and shop staff, etc. There is FAR more to be enjoyed by NOT going to London if you are from the US! I took the family to the US a few year ago and we visited Memphis, Washington, and New York. All of those place felt utterly different from each other in so many ways. Well, it's the same in the UK.
I'm a country boy who lived in London for a year and now live on the Scottish border. Londoners are not unfriendly at all, but when you are passing literally 1000s of people every day, you can't catch the eye and smile at everyone. But if you have a problem, Londoners will more often than not, stop what they are doing and help you out, the same as most places I have found.
Thanks for coming, sweetheart!!!! 😊 I hope you enjoyed yourselves!!!! 😊X.
You missed a treat not trying Black Pudding …….we don’t call it ‘Blood’ pudding btw.
Yeah calling it that gave me the ick. I know it is made of blood but …. Can’t stand the stuff myself
@@cheryltotheg2880 I tasted it once - about 50 years ago. Never again.
@@edeledeledel5490 I'm the opposite! I resisted eating it for 50 years but eventually gave it a go recently and really liked it. I only have it in a fry-up, obviously, but it goes so well with the rest of the plate.
Looking at the food showed, I'm pretty sure they follow a plant based diet, so black pudding would definitely be off the menu....
depends where you are in the UK. There are still places who call it Blood Pudding.
I'm sorry you're not heading out to the rural parts. You could take the train to Devon and Corwall. The scenery through Somerset is gorgeous. While London is beautiful in parts, it does not reflect the experience you would have in a more rural area, or the cheaper prices. I lived there as a student, working in London and then escaping on the weekends. Absolute best experience of my life and would go back if not for health issues. When I was there the pound cost over $2 Canadian. That was brutal. If you want to see cheap prices go to Northern Ireland. Cheers!
Or going to some of the cities up the East Coast mainline like Cambridge, Lincoln, York, Durham all with their own charms and history (and mostly much quieter than London). That's not to mention some of the other great areas of the UK that are certainly worth visiting and all of which are significantly cheaper to stay in.
@@lstone3633 you can get the train to Devon or Cornwall from London if you’re looking to bankrupt yourself!
Cheaper to fly.
Only an hour from London by train the North Kent coast the Hoo peninsula and Isle of Grain has got a mystical,set apart quality to it. It's the place that inspired Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.
I am an American and was there in May and absolutely loved everything London. Our hotel was right next to Hyde Park, lovely weather the week we traveled and everyone in the shops very friendly. I would definitely return again. London has much more to offer than NYC. It is so clean, food prices are excellent. I have to say if I had watched your video, would I visit London? The diversity is so wonderful in London embrace it!
No one has commented yet on the change in video quality. You've taken a huge leap up. Congratulations!
I thought some of it looked 4K.
@@timlocke3159 It looked almost 8k to me!
@@goldvideo I would have sworn it were 32 K 🤣
@@Mike-zx1kx As a 70-year-old London technophobe, I have no idea what you are all talking about but I will top you with 44K....:)
@@Isleofskye I'm out . . . ( folding my cards )
Being a Brit who has driven around many countries in Europe, who drive on the right, it really is not that difficult switching from left to right. Having said that, the first 20-30 minutes does require a lot of concentration, after that it just becomes natural!!. Crossing a road in the UK?? I always look both ways, even on a one way street!!😂😂🇬🇧
When hiring a car abroad, I always forget and end up with my hand in the door bin/pocket to change gear.
@@johnkeen2345 You're not alone!
Thanks for sharing your experiences while living your best life!
If you want to see the _real_ UK, visit the county towns - the capitals of each county, such as Shrewsbury, Lincoln, York, Chester, or Warwick. These towns have everything except London's ridiculous prices !
You'll also find that the local people will talk to you, while Londoners are terrified of speaking to anyone they don't know.
Yes and don’t bother with Cardiff, it’s awful at the moment but the rest of Wales ids wonderful
..or Norwich or Bath...
@@amandagubbins6653 Indeed. Too many county towns (or cities) to list them all, and if I'd included all the small market towns that are well worth visiting I'd need to write a book !
The English people are truly the BEST. I love the villages. I fell in love with Bridnorth and Ludlow in Shropshire county.
@juletaurus Bridgnorth. I prefer Shrewsbury though :)
London is made of 40% public green space, including 3,000 parks and totalling 35,000 acres. According to a UN definition, London can be classified as a forest with its 8.4 million trees - almost one for every person.
Very cool!
London is classified as an urban forest in fact its the biggest in the world.
Many of which have become tent cities.
@@abercass4683 Unlike San Francisco and LA, London is certainly NOT a tent city.
London isn't classified as a forest by the UN. Cities like London are excluded from the definition
Love seeing our American friends enjoying London.
England has a lot of great things going for it. I’ve been living here 21 years and now hold dual citizenship 🇬🇧 🇺🇸
London is too overwhelming/ overcrowded for me, and there’s some incredible towns and cities further afield!
I find it bemusing when people talk about London being overwhelming - It is so large, that you only have to get out of 'central London' to the quiet villages or towns that makes up the zones in 2 - 6. I live in Sheen and know all my neighbours, it is pretty, green, quiet and slow paced.
@@AM-dz2sh Sheen is lovely, and I've lived several years in Cheam (which is always confused with Sheen in conversation!) ... my viewpoint is from someone who had to work in central London, socialise in central London etc because friends not willing to travel past Zone 2. I've also lived in Earlsfield (convenient) and Kilburn Park (similar, also Zone 2) and there's just too much noise and traffic around (for me). I prefer living outside London for the lower cost of living and (generally) lower noise levels.
Thanks for your kind review of what in my childhood days was called The Old Smoke. Now, 65-yrs on, this nickname is totally invalid, thank God. Although not English, I attended school in London from aged 8-13, as an Abbey chorister. Imagine waking each morning and opening one's dorm room curtains to Dean's Yard, and singing in the Abbey five evenings each week, twice on Sundays. I still have friends today among the 32 boys I lived alongside 65 years ago, a French boy, a Norfolk boy, and a Welsh-speaking North Walian. Four very different English accents in one dorm room, mine being Anglo East African. Thanks again for rekindling fond memories.
@@t.a.k.palfrey3882No, thats wrong. Diversity of population doesn't have anything to do with the cost of housing. Supply and demand dictates the cost of accommodation.
Love, love, love London (and the UK in general)!! They value their green space and have so many parks and public footpaths. Hoping to spend large chunks of my retirement life there.
Glasgow is called Glaschu in Gaelic. This means 'green hollow' or 'green glen' and is thought to be where the city gets its nickname 'dear green place'.
@@katie.r.vannuys well, we did value it but let's see what the new government does!
@@katie.r.vannuys I heard a fact recently that London has so much greenery that it can technically be called a forest!!
@@yosserc yes it is.
The Brits are proud of their parks and their gardens...❤
I hope you visit Wales & Ireland sometime in the future. I love discovering new countries with you.
They’re on the list!
@@judykinsman3258 and Scotland
@@AmeliaAndJP When you visit Wales, do if possible travel around. Plenty of comments here that say you’ve been in London but not seen the vastly different bits of England - so true. You actually often hear English people just talk about visiting Wales rather than where in Wales. E.g. We live near Cardiff and it takes 4 and half hours to drive to the north coast which is vastly different.
@@davidlong1459I’m on the North Wales coast, and it’s the most beautiful place in the world 😍
We don't call it "blood pudding" here, it is black pudding and it is great with a full English breakfast. It doesn't taste of blood at all. It is very tasty and goes well with some runny yolk on it or some baked beans.
Cornwall, Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire, the Scottish highlands, and English lake district etc etc.
@@pentapushelden and always remember England is only one constituent country of three in Britain
Even St.Albans (the Romans had quite a place here, and you can still see some bits of it). Short train ride from London and lots of history and many pubs!
Thoroughly enjoyed that - so refreshing to hear a foreigners view of my home! Glad you liked it and come on back soon!!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for your positive comment!
Glad you enjoyed your visit. Lots more to see than London, we only live 25 miles to the north, but we avoid it at all costs! I'm 74 now and the country has not changed for the better, try a train ride up to Cambridge, takes about 60 mins, lots to see. If you have time York is a good bet. Seaside town of Whitby is good, also Southwold (we 're off there in October) for a short break. Been to the USA many times loved it, from SF to NY. Happy travels.
As a UK citizen who has travelled widely, including all over the US, I was fascinated to hear what London feels like from another nation's standpoint. Remember, though, London is unique and a trip beyond it will give you many different perspectives - good and less good. I would encourage any American visitor to sample the North as a tourist and cultural venue. It's crammed with great scenery (the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales, Snowdonia, the Lake District), historic cities (Chester, York, Durham) and vibrant, lively and dynamic cities like my own (Manchester), or Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield. Most of all, we pride ourselves up here on being ultra-friendly and welcoming. People actually talk to you here! Next time you visit London, get a train ticket to my neck of the woods. You won't regret it. 😊
I've been watching your channel from when you lived in Ecuador and have enjoyed watching your travels recently. You've got me looking at flights to Albania. But I wasn't expecting you to turn up here. Welcome to England!
Of course, you are well travelled enough to know that the capital city is rarely representative of the whole country. Property prices are too high everywhere but in London they are famous for being astronomical. I live in the North East of England closer to Scotland than London and for two and half million you could by a mansion with a park! If you struggled with London accents you'd have real fun with our accent up here. A lot of other English people have to concentrate when we speak. I think one of the 'shocking' things about the UK that American visitors find is the incredible variety from one area to another for such a small island.
Unlike most northerners I really love London and visit often although I wouldn't like to live there permanently. My daughter lived there for seven years and adored it and met her now husband there. He's a northerner too 😂. But when they were expecting their first baby they headed straight back up north. London was an adventure but not where they wanted to bring their family up.
PS. They drive on the left in 76 countries including Ireland, Malta, Cyprus, India, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
Had my fingers crossed that you would like it. Hoping that you can go back again, and give us your impression of some of the other areas in the UK, and Scotland and Ireland too. Am mapping out a trip and am glad to hear from you that finally there is more diversity in restaurant food than there was on my last trip, though that was a long time ago.
Your enthusiasm is infectious.
Having said that, in these types of videos, where North Americans visit London (and rarely anywhere else), they frequently comment on our accents in Britain. I was born in London incidentally. What Americans seem to be surprised by is that the British are very capable of understanding a huge range of our language when it's spoken by visitors from almost anywhere in the World. One of the main reasons is that English is the global language today. For us one of the main reasons is because we are fed a seemingly constant supply of American TV programmes and films, so we're used to hearing the odd phrases and vocabulary that North Americans, not to mention our cousins from Australasia, South Africa, West Indies, India, etc. use. But this is clearly not the case in the opposite direction since it seems Americans in particular almost always comment that they fail to understand our language. Maybe people who come to Britain should prepare themselves better before arriving here, that way they might be less "shocked" by what in reality is standard English.
I count myself as a Londoner, born in Chiswick 9 months before the end of the war. I lived about 6 miles further out of Acton in Hayes (close to Heathrow Airport) for all my life until I moved to the East Midlands 14 years ago. I love London’s vibe. As a youngster I walked across the old London Bridge and in 2007 we visited Lake Haversu City and walked once more across London Bridge 🥹. It was there in a bar I noticed a variety of American accents, and like you here in England didn’t realise how many variants there were - fascinating! We loved our time travelling around just a small part of the States, a most memorable holiday. We visited Florida with friends 6 years later and had a great time there too, but we saw and experienced so much more on our first visit. Great memories.
Many establishments in London add service charge to the bill (it's discretionary so you can ask them to take service charge off the bill if you don't want to pay the exorbitant 15% they expect you to pay!).
Outside London it's rare for service charge to be added automatically.
Next time you visit UK see if you can get outside London where there is much to see and prices are much cheaper.
No, it's common almost everywhere to find service charge already on the bill.
@@anthonyferris8912 ... I don't know where you're from, but it really isn't almost common everywhere.
@@Tidybitz Seems to be pretty universal in the South of England to be honest.
I’ve never seen a service charge on a bill. I’d get it removed on principle. The price I see on the menu is what I’d expect to pay
@@anthonyferris8912 I agree. Restaurants adding a service charge is pretty standard practice.
hope you had a great time , London in my opinion is the greatest city in the world , safe travels peace .
As a Welshman, living in Portugal, but visiting London to see family and friends, your review is accurate ❤. It's a great city, although past its peak. In the 2000s it was probably the best city in the world.
As an expat Londoner I absolutely agree. Used to travel home regularly 90s through to 2006, then moved back 2007-2009 wow what a decline. So I left again. Would I go back if it was affordable hell yes, it will always be home plus free healthcare - that is taken for granted until you leave. Sad old London breaks my heart.
Yes I find ‘modern London’ a very different place these days. Quite depressing actually😢
London is always cha ging. Can you imagine how depressing it would've bee to live in Victorian london!@@gaycha6589
As a US expat (now dual citizen), who's lived in Greater London for over 30 years, I'll just say that watching fictional television programmes is no preparation for life here. It is much more complex and nuanced.
London is a major financial, cultural and higher educational center, so attracts people from around the world. You must also understand the history of the British Empire and now The Commonwealth nations, and what that has meant for immigration. In additiion, before Brexit (England's exit from The European Union) there was substantial immigration from The EU.
One of the reasons good is better quality is because of the EU regulations on Food Safety, which we continue to follow. But food prices have gone up during the last government's time in power, also there has been a cost of living crisis because of fuel and utilities prices steeply rising as a result of the war in the Ukraine.
You don't pay tax on food. And service charges are not always included.
When I moved here in the early 90s, many shops, restaurants WERE normally closed on Sundays. But that changed when legislation changed to allow it. But even then supermarkets were limited in terms of when they could open and what things they could sell. Now it's all pretty open. But a pub lunch was almost always from 12 - 3. So some restaurants have restricted hours, but all, as they might, say, in Italy.
Those signs on the street are not in every town or village. But London is an international tourist destination and the majority of countries drive in the right. And anyway, it's polite to help visitors!
London is recognised as one of the greenest (park land) cities in the world.
London is surrounded by conservation land called the Metropolitan Green Belt. Sadly this is under threat from housing developments because of cuts to local council funding and the demand for more housing.
@lcharles5909 Sorry, but the UK had plenty of food quality laws before we joined the EU. We also had the 1st commission to look at workers conditions and health in the workplace (factories) in 1795 in Manchester, when most countries were still rural. The UK didn't get everything from the EU some we pioneered. We also had parity pay in the UK, something that only became law in the EU in 2023, meaning you couldn't employ someone from elsewhere and pay them less, and if caught, not only back pay to the employee but fined. .
Brexit involved 3 other countries leaving the EU 😊
If the rises in fuel and utility prices were down to the war in Ukraine, why then have the relevant companies posted record profits?
@@djlads Yep, we've always had good quality food standards - though the cuisine has come on leaps and bounds in the last 50 years. Plus, of course, a lot of American servicemen over here during WW2 would have experienced the effects of food rationing (as someone else has mentioned).
@dogsbodyish8403 You know we were eating curries in 1747 with Turmeric and other spices, as you mentioned, so UK dishes were used to spices and variety, it was only WW2 that saw spices hard to obtain where they fell out of use, but growing up in the 80s/90s we regularly had curry, chili, stir-fry, and they must have had them too growing up in the 60s/70s
Been to London three times in my life , absolutely hate it the crowds, the people, the attitudes , come to Shropshire and see its history, Shrewsbury Town and Telford Ironbridge is a lovely quaint town to visit with lots of history.
So true :)
@@nevillelake1403 No English in London, well not many, it's the rest of the world jammed tight.
Oh gawd, you mentioned Acton! I lived there for 56 years only moving out (To Ruislip) in 2014 after selling my 5 bed terrace for a stupid amount of money, even then the house prices had gone from daft to some kind of stratospheric insanity. In fact, Perryn Road that you showed is just round the corner from where I lived. London is so different it might even be classed as the fifth country of the UK. Finally living in Dorset now and very happy.
Grrrr it's called black pudding, and it's lovely in a fry up
It used to be called blood pudding. Guess I got that from a period piece 😂
It's Boudin noir in French. We Brits got confused and couldn't pronounce the Anglo-Norman word for sausage (Boudin) and it became pudding over time.
@@JohnDuffy-bq8wg I'm British born and bred but I can't stand black pudding 🤮
@@jillosler9353 yep it does seem to be a love it or hate it thing, although good quality is a must with black pudding, cheap stuff is bland and like cardboard
Giant mushroom turned upside down fill the hollow with caramelized onion, melt some strong chees (Red Leicester is perfect) fried cherry tomatoes halved and laid in the already melted cheese, thick slice of black pudding on top (works just as well with a slice of Haggis) and a poached egg on top - breakfast fit for a king! Salivating just thinking about it.
We drive on the left as most people are right handed. In days of old knights passed one another on the left, enabling them to draw their sword in case of attack from the passing guy. There are many countries that that on the left, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, India and numerous African countries.
It's actually inherently superior, as most people's master eye is the right eye - and driving on the left means that the master eye is in the better position to observe oncoming traffic.
London is not representative of the rest of England.
Well obviously, no big city in any country is. It's still a great place in its own right and well worth visiting.
@@faithpearlgenied-a5517not these days overpriced and a lot more dangerous than it was a few years ago
It baffles me how Americans seem to think the only place in England is London, there is so much more to see
You could say the same about brits going to florida to be fair
@@davehoward22 better weather blue sea and Disney Land for families with children. Surely better than exploring London with a child 🤷. Anywheres better than being in London. Speaking as a UK citizen
@@jeremyschofield8280 I like the us and dont disagree ,theres far more to uk than london,,im from yorkshire ,but we have blue sea in the south west,weather,you wont lose your house in a tornado,and have real castles,not mickey mouse ones..(go to alton towers for disneyland ....or drive to france)
@@jeremyschofield8280 Rubbish!
North of England has some spectacular countryside. Try Yorkshire, Peak District.
So nice to hear from tourists who appreciate and enjoy our wonderful country, London is a great place to see but the country has so so much more to offer. Beautiful coastal walks and villages dotted around our wonderful little island(same size as Florida I think)historic castles,cathedrals and ancient settlements from 3000bc(Stonehenge) to ancient Roman historic sites from 43ad, then you have wonderful national parks,Brecon beacons, Peak District ,Lake District,Snowdonia(north wales)Yorkshire dales and beautiful Scotland of lochs and isles. Please come and visit, I am biased but you will be most welcome and us brits will make you feel right at home. 👍🇬🇧
Amelia and JB. Thank you. I love your videos. I am an American who has been living in Europe for the past 2 years with plans to settle here permanently. I have been to France, Italy, Montenegro, Bosnia, North Macedonia, Croatia, and Albania so far, with plans to visit other countries in both Western and Eastern Europe. It is helpful, entertaining, and inspiring when you discuss your experiences in countries that I have been to already, and when you discuss countries where I have not yet traveled it adds to my excitement and anticipation. England is next on my list of new countries to visit.
@@josephhuth3714 When you visit, fly into Manchester; it’s only about 4 or 5 miles from the city centre and use it as your base. It’s only 25 miles to Chester, 35 miles or less to Liverpool and Wales. Then it’s only 2 to 3 hours car journey to Yorkshire and visit the MAGNIFICENT ancient city of York while you’re there. If you have time, a coach or a drive to Scotland will only take about 3 hours. All of these places are available. Of course you’ll want to visit London (a two hour train journey). Canadian friends of ours did the reverse. Their tour was in the reverse order. They flew into London and booked a coach tour in the city ahead of time and did all the touristy things. Then went up to stay in Manchester and explored all the other places and saw the real UK. At the end of their holiday they flew home from Manchester Airport.
@@Angusmum Thanks for taking the time and energy to relay your tips and advice. I already have a clear plan for visiting the UK this time around, aiming for Cornwall and Wales, but I will take your ideas into consideration for future trips.
I am British and I have visited a lot of other countries traveling around. I have lived my life in England the north. I have visited London a max of 6 times. I have absolutely no wish to go again. There are so many more beautiful places without the crowds with beautiful parks , buildings and friendlier natives.
As a frequent visitor to the USA I have always been shocked at what Americans pay for everyday essentials in groceries, toiletries and clothing, never mind premium brands, and assumed that wages would reflect that. As for driving, after the first couple of hours on the right hand side of the road, and in almost all cases the car being an automatic, it is not that big of a deal. What most US drivers will not be used to is that most cities in the UK were never intended to accommodate cars and lorries.
Brit here, live near to London and know it well. It IS the best city in the World, for it's mix of ancient and modern, and it's diversity. It's nice to see Americans who properly appreciate that rather than treating our Country like a film set, or a theme park. I recently saw a sign outside a pub in Westminster which read "Americans should be accompanied by an adult" which sadly sums up a lot of your fellow countrymen. So thanks for being respectful. By the way, over 70 Countries globally drive on the left, including some big ones like India, Indonesia, Japan, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand!
That sign should be all over the US! 😂
It's not the best city in the world. Behave.
@@sandersson2813 I am entitled to my opinion, thank you
@@kebond1 Fair enough, just seems a bit of a naive opinion to hold.
@@sandersson2813 ok, lets carry on...name me another city on the planet that has the spread of diversity, history (and mix of ancient and modern), archictecture, culture, education, business, entertainment, sport, transportation and resulting (from all that) tourism pull?...I'm not "naive" enough not to admit that it also has it's problems as well (what city doesn't?) but I like to highlight the positives.
The U.K. does not stop at London , go to Yorkshire , the North East in fact everywhere else to hear accents !
Yanks think a single British accent covers it all. Only posh people and snobs, speak like the "Royals". There are multiple dialects spoken proudly by working class, down to earth people In all corners of Great Britain, including England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. All individually proud of their accents, Not forgetting cockneys and their rhyming slang.
Allways glad to meet you "yanks" we don't think of you as foreign even! I was a very young air cadet , about 13, and remember the US base at Greenham Common. We would ride our bikes furiously past the guards at the main gate, up the runway and out the other end ! slowig down at the gate on our return, we would be "captured", plied with coffee, given bars of chocolate, sometimes a jar of that, very strange to us, peanut butter. When I became a young soldier a little later, and had to do an initiative test involving who can get the furthest from "home" and back over a weekend, I approached the commanding officer,at Greenham,and we concocted a story where I had been taken to the US, and without leaving the base, returerned on a flight back to UK..Despite our interigators best effort, our story could not be broken! True US / UK cooperation! I have yet to visit the US, and nearing 80 I hopeI I have still the time to do so. I sincerely hope you enjoy you stay in the UK, and hope to read of your further adventures.
What a brilliant bit of initiative - even if you didn't actually go anywhere!!
Peanut butter is absolutely VILE! All UK food is GM free, produced to far higher safety, with fewer additives and far higher ethical standards than USA.
We say 'shocked' when something is terrible, I think you mean surprised !
If you eat in place's like John Lewis store on Oxford Street, they have a restaurant on 5th floor, it's cheap, and has a large balcony where you can eat outside overlooking Oxford Street. They also have a rooftop cafe and bar with music, which is open til late.
Have you thought of staying in a youth hostel. Some in London have no age restrictions, you can choose a dormitory with bunks, or private room.
They're cheaper and are in nice buildings.
Also try visiting Richmond, where you can walk along the Thames for miles towards Teddington Lock.
Richmond Park, Kew Gardens, and Hampton Court which also has a maze, are all easy to get to by train. And are more peaceful and greener than London.
Yanks say shocked to mean extra surprised. We’re yanks. Our primary audience is yanks. We speak American.
@@AmeliaAndJP The American dialect is much given to hyperbole
@@AmeliaAndJP I am shocked (in both senses) at your response. It goes against your own rule to be nice when posting. Your target audience may be yanks, but you clearly have many Brits in the audience. All that was needed was to say you speak American. I really enjoyed your video, but I won't be subscribing.
@@AmeliaAndJP What a rude response.
Love seeing your take on London! I’m glad you enjoyed your stay and sorry you weren’t able to stay longer and have more fun, or to see other places in the U.K. I hope one day you’ll come back and visit us- your U.K. cousins here, again. Safe travels!
Love your videos, guys. Always informative, and you two are so warm and unassuming. Well done!
Thanks so much!
I still believe many visiting the U.K. think to experience English culture, you go to London! I’d say it’s probably the opposite. So many great cities to choose from or if you don’t fancy a city, again there are so many fantastic towns across the country.
On a side note, you appear ‘shocked’ at just about everything!! How about surprised or interested to see that? Which for me is part of travelling and experiencing a different way of life. Why travel to experience what you can have at home?
There is one comment I was ‘shocked’ to hear and something I never thought I’d hear and that was when you said ‘Acton was cute!!’
We have a different definition for shocked.
@@AmeliaAndJP well that was helpful? You’ve left me hanging…..
@@AmeliaAndJP When you really ARE 'shocked', what the **** do you yanks say???
Welcome to the UK, nice to get feedback what foreigners think about our country. Looks like you were having a great time. Bath is another great place to visit
The UK may be geographically small in comparison to the US, but there is so much to see throughout our nations. I've been here in London most of my life and I still haven't seen more than 50% of the UK's magnificence. If you're back at any point, In my experience you need to mark these on your map....Cornwall, Pembrokeshire, Chester, York, Edinburgh, Loch Lomond and the Giant's Causeway.....If if you like motorsports, the Isle of Man TT.... it'll blow you mind!
As an older Brit I always make a special effort to assist American visitors; brave Americans laid down their lives in Europe so we can all enjoy London today. So glad you enjoyed your trip and God Bless America.
@@ianw5725 As did many other nations..plenty of British lost their lives and our brothers and sisters from the commonwealth and far beyond…America did what they did for America…they were declared war upon and they HAD to jump off the fence…
And they ( apart from 7 men ) had no American input into the Battle of Britain and LendLease was a loan and paid off..
Thank you! 😊
It was mainly the Russians who 'laid down their lives', read some decent history books!
I live in London and yes it's very expensive but in my opinion it's the greatest city in the world. We are always pleased to welcome visitors from anywhere.
Another awesome video! ❤ (Your new camera gear makes a huge difference!)
Thanks!
Omg, those houses in Acton you showed are Victorian villas (built during Queen Victoria's reign 1837 - 1901) and were never built as duplexes!!! We have no duplex houses that you have - the nearest equivalent would be Edwardian Warner houses (one building but two distinct and separate dwellings on ground and first floor with separate front doors) . . .
What's a duplex?
@@andreamerciar3779 I don’t think Americans realise that in Britain houses are bricks and mortar whereas in America they mostly wood construction, which just doesn’t have the same permanence, which is why they maintain their value even when they’re much older.
@@tacfoley4443 it’s what Americans call semi-detached houses.
Go to Newcastle and see Tyneside flats. They look like normal terraced houses but were purpose built as ‘duplexes’ 😂
@@Briff100 hello, ta for your info but I'm sure that if they are called "duplexes" then they are using an Americanism as we would never have used that term to describe residential architecture in the UK.
This definition of "duplex" is from the dictionary on my Mac:
"North American a residential building divided into two apartments.
• an apartment on two floors.
• North American & Australian a semi-detached house."
I wish I knew you were going to London, I've spent a lot of time there.
The museums are free, so there's that, and groceries are affordable b/c the rent isn't
Anyone going to London? Try to make reservations for the Sky Garden
Being British, but now American, I was a bit taken Aback by the use of the word ‘shocked’ also. I was wondering what the heck Britain was doing now?!!😂😂. Lost in translation.
So glad that you reported back on the quality and taste of the food. I visit the UK frequently, making almost annual visits to London (and trips elsewhere in the country and Scotland)…and am so tired of Americans telling me how bad the food is. London has amazing food…it’s a foodie’s paradise and most people that have the negative stereotype about British food have either never visited, or visited 30 years ago. Things are much different now. Next visit, go outside of London too, and in all transparency, London is my favorite city in the world…so I may be a little biased. 😂 And, I live in San Diego…which is a pretty nice place to call home (and also makes prices elsewhere always seem reasonable).
The food was incredible! We didn’t have a bad meal! 😋🇬🇧
In the UK, you don’t have to tip your waiters either…particularly outside of London, however, more and more restaurants are now adding a ‘discretionary’ service charge of between 12-15%. This has become more common since the Covid era.
“ surprised “ would have been a better word to use than “ shocked “ when describing how you felt about your visit to London.
Sorry if this is a bit long - and it's definitely plagiarised!
About a 35% of the world population currently drives on the left, and the countries that do are mostly old British colonies. This strange quirk perplexes the rest of the world, but there is a perfectly good reason.
In the past, almost everybody travelled on the left side of the road because that was the most sensible option for feudal, violent societies. Since most people are right-handed, swordsmen preferred to keep to the left in order to have their right arm nearer to an opponent and their scabbard further from him. Moreover, it reduced the chance of the scabbard (worn on the left) hitting other people.
Furthermore, a right-handed person finds it easier to mount a horse from the left side of the horse, and it would be very difficult to do otherwise if wearing a sword (which would be worn on the left). It is safer to mount and dismount towards the side of the road, rather than in the middle of traffic, so if one mounts on the left, then the horse should be ridden on the left side of the road.
In the late 1700s, however, teamsters in France and the United States began hauling farm products in big wagons pulled by several pairs of horses. These wagons had no driver’s seat; instead the driver sat on the left rear horse, so he could keep his right arm free to lash the team. Since he was sitting on the left, he naturally wanted everybody to pass on the left so he could look down and make sure he kept clear of the oncoming wagon’s wheels. Therefore he kept to the right side of the road.
Deffo a ‘QI’ moment, I feel. The ‘horse mounting’ bit might explain why the side-stand on my motorbike is also on the left!🤔😉✌️
. This strange quirk( that has lasted for a thousand years ) perplexes the rest of the world. Not my fault the rest of the world get easily confused. :)
@@steveevans4299
Very interesting info. Thanks. We also drive o. The left in South Africa 🇿🇦
Loved this video! Thank you for sharing your travels with your followers.
Glad you enjoyed it!
If we say ‘shocked’ here, we meant surprised in a negative way, like something ‘shocking’ is generally not good.
Black pudding isn’t generally called blood pudding, even my grandmother who was born in 1910 called it black pudding.
Great to hear about all the things you really liked here, things we probably take for granted.
There’s a lot to see outside London too
@@Hildred6 shocked means the same in the US-surprised and upset, according to Webster’s (US) dictionary.
My wife and I were in the UK the last week of June. What a great place to visit. We toured London for two days and then South all the way to the Channel the rest of the week. What a beautiful part of the world. Like you, we found American English and British English quite different but the British were all friendly and helpful. We will definitely be going back!
@davehallock3102 , We were in London, Cotswolds area last year as well. Loved it! People are so friendly there. Would love to move there but have to wait until retirement, since wages are not what they are here.
English and American English 😉
As a Londoner,you are welcome anytime,my friends.
No such thing as British English..it’s ENGLISH and it originated in ENGLAND.it’s forbears or subsequent changes matter none.. it’s ours and you and any other country that use it BORROW it. ,if you want to butcher it that’s up to you but don’t start putting prefixes on OUR language..🤨
@@Ionabrodie69 Tru Say,Mi Bredda. Preach dem words,mi Bredrin. zeenn..
We had no issues with understanding everyone in London. A great city and with so much more than the tourist attractions.
You really need to get outside of London! It is a wonderful city, but it isn't representative of what England, or the UK as a whole, has to offer.
As a lot of people are saying, there is more to the UK than London. But you cannot escape the fact that London is a great city!
As far as I know nobody in England calls Black Pudding, Blood Pudding! Most Americans will happily eat a rare steak with actual liquid blood pouring out of it onto their plate but won't touch Black Pudding that has been professionally produced and properly cooked. Why don't we re-name some of the American favourites like Peroxide Bleached Chicken or Vomit Flavoured Chocolate? Because we are POLITE. That's why!
Ironically not a very polite comment! 😂
@@richardhathaway2901 Calm down, anyone can make a mistake.
Calm down mate. I mean, it’s not really an important hill to die on is it?
Calm down mate. Don't be so rude and defensive. People are entitled to not like the sound of a dish. You make a good point about rare steak, but you could have been a bit more polite about it.
@@AmeliaAndJP I apologise for my fellow countryman. I enjoyed your video very much, and you seem like a lovely couple. I was born in London and live nearby (after some years in Germany), and it's a place you never get bored of!
It's not blood pudding, it's black pudding, although blood is a major part of it. Best enjoyed with HP sauce. Service charges being included for food is relatively new in the UK and generally not welcomed. A tip/service charge in the UK is something we prefer to give if we think service has been good, rather than the restaurant assuming the same and imposing a service charge. Plus, if a waiter/waitress is good we (I anyway) want to be assured the tip goes to the waiter/waitress. For this reason, I always pay net of the service charge and give a tip to the waiter waitress in cash, usually around 10% of the bill. I know its different in the USA. Anyway, I hope you found the UK welcoming and I'm glad you enjoyed it. Have a safe trip back and hope you come again.
London is not representative of England. It is almost a completely different country.
@@kingstumble we say the same in Scotland, Glasgow is all by itself. We all don’t speak like Rab C Nesbib, thanks to the media in Scotland all being in Glasgow. People here in Inverness really struggle to understand Glaswegians!
Nice video quality, first time I’ve seen the channel and it immediately stood out you were using top quality gear. So many RUclipsrs don’t care about quality. I have a ZVE1. You can’t beat full frame.
You need to get out of London and go North. It’s such a shame so many US visitors visit London only, there’s another US couple on RUclips who went all over and their favourite places were in the North, like York.
The $ to £ exchange rate is still excellent, I remember when it was $2 to £1.
Back in the 1980s, when I was a college kid, I flew to London for a backpacking trip, landed at Gatwick, took the train into Victoria station, walked right outside the station to cross my first street, and immediately got hit by a car because I looked the wrong way. So, it is a thing.
@@sirgalahad1470 hi. In the UK we’re taught as children to always look both ways when crossing the street so we tend not to get caught out even if crossing the street in a country where they drive on the other side of the street.
Oh no! 😬
Nowadays on some roads there are messages to look in the correct direction. I lived in Switzerland for some years where driving on the other side of the road occurs and even as a pedestrian I had to remind myself for a few months to look the correct way when crossing roads
Ohhh no!!! How awful you poor thing ❤
@@Marli-o4g In the 1950s and 1960s, we were taught our "kerb drill" at school and by public information films on television: "Look right, look left, look right again. If all's clear, cross the road."
This was layer replaced with the current "Green Cross Code" when it was realised that small children do not always know left from right. Instead, they are now told simply to look both ways.
London is not England though. 63% are foreign. To us is like going abroad. All UK property prices are extortionate, but London is mental. 67% of property is foreign owned. Our cities are becoming alien areas. Many now have large areas where English is not spoken, or police are happy to go.
Why do Americans always attach “the” to place names? It’s Westminster Abbey and Tower Bridge - there’s no “the”!
Exactly. I was talking to my girlfriend about this earlier after we'd got off The Tube and were walking along The Strand on our way to The London Eye. Maybe later we'll go via The South Bank to The OXO Tower for dinner? Or possibly The Shard.
I don’t.
@@1anwrang13r yeah I’m not saying there are no articles on place names. But they’re no on everything
@@morganetches3749
Most foreigners say "the"...
It's polite and correct English.
You guys are the blazé ones, making your language crumble into slang.
Great video! Love the new camera. We want one, someday maybe..
'A different accent'... Bless you dear 🤣
@@eddhardy1054 I'm a born and bred Londoner and even I occasionally have trouble understanding some of the accents and words from people who live up north.
@@DaveGreen-gw6ew True there are always gonna be things like dialect words or slang that can cause confusion but a lot of the time with English speaking tourists (particularly Americans I'm afraid) the issue seems to be down to just not listening. 🤔😊
Some pretty stunning footage there , thanks for the positive comments on my country (london mostly) . It is always nice to be reminded of how awseome the UK is .
England is more than London. Much much much more. Plus that isn't the England flag in your title - it's the British one which is different.
@@glebe9 like NYC isn’t America at all. Nowhere in the US is the USA! It’s all different.
Hehe, yes, London is deffo expensive to stay or live there. But if you work in the capital the wages are also higher. I met some online friends from Canada at a hotel just off Hyde Park where they were staying for a week. I stayed 2 nights at my nephew's place south of the river, and took the train/tube up to meet my friends, then we went to Kew Gardens and later visited The Tower of London. The next day I drove into the city to pick them up and we went down to Stone Henge. Surprising them that the 88 miles took 3 hours each way, so with a pub lunch the day was used up and visiting the city of Bath was not practical time wise.
Oh yes, their 2 bed hotel room was TINY! Though it did have a separate shower/bath room.
I miss my homeland, not the weather lol and now being Texicanized for the last 20 years I couldn't live back there without AC.
London is by far the most expensive part of England for everything so if you were out in the amazing and beautiful green rolling countryside towns everything is much cheaper though housing has rocketed everywhere accordingly.
Did yall eat fish n chips?
They are 'Yanks', they don't say 'yall'.
@@tacfoley4443 but you're replying to somebody who's been in Texas for 20 years and probably does say yall.
@@TrevM0nkey Gotcha.
Fun vlog; thank you for visiting us and sorry it is a bit pricey! A couple of comments. I think we share a common language with the USA but gradually they are diverging and in time 'American' may become it's own language. The technical definition of a forest is when 25% of an area is covered by trees. By this definition, London is a forest. Finally, recent surveys have indicated that almost half of Londoners were not born in the UK, so yes, we are a particularly diverse city which, on the whole, works quite well. Please come again soon.
Thanks!
The misconception that Brit food is terrible harkens back to WW2. When US troops were stationed in the UK, the country had already been rationing for several years and luxuries were scarce, so of course food was bland; you can’t make food exciting if you can’t get the ingredients. The Brit farming industry didn’t recover until the late 50’s. After the war, whilst British food returned to its amazing quality, the unfair reputation for bad food stuck, only dispelled when people visit and actually try it for themselves.
We were there last year and it was the end part of our month long time in Spain Including Lanzarote. I also found it quite a bit more expensive, the food was consistently wonderful. The people are so polite I felt on guard to reflect that back to them. I found it a relief to be back with my rude Americans ( not sure if you experienced that) I absolutely enjoyed seeing the castles and flowers everywhere. Driving was traumatic but I pulled it off. My heart is still in Spain as much as I enjoyed the UK. Thanks for your videos they have helped me so much.
It’s not a good thing in the UK to describe something you’ve liked as you were shocked. Here it’s a negative emotion.
Interesting. Are target audience is in the US and that gets them to click 😁
@@AmeliaAndJP Well going by the comments here, most of your audience seem to be Brits!!
lack pudding with the "Full English" is amazing especially when paired with the yolk from a fried egg..Its not gamey or taste metallic like blood, it is more herby and just so nice.
Brit here. Property prices across the UK are insane. The younger generation is completely priced out. Properties in London are hyper expensive because wealthy foreigners (Russian oligarchs, Saudi princes) buy them up.
Lovely to hear your thoughts on London, I sometimes go for a day or two to do specific things and enjoy it but I’m always relieved to be heading back north again where folk are on the whole less world weary. I’ve just subscribed because I want to see where you head next. Best wishes. Jonny.