Final bits from England

Only a few days left here in Norwich and then to London and heading back to Ames.  We are looking forward to heading home, and as with the last trips, once we start getting ready to go home we are just ready to be home! 

 

Touring in Bath, but really this is what we've looked like everywhere, with audioguides stuck to our ears.

 

We've enjoyed the words the English use here that we either don't use in the US, or just don't have!  They use "brilliant" and "dodgy" and both are fun.  I liked the ad for granola bars that read "all natural, nothing dodgy."  "Whilst" instead of "while" feels like they are speaking out of a King James Bible.  And we heard someone use "jiggery pokery" and really want to incorporate it into our own conversation but can't quite work out how to use it!  The speed bumps that are coming up get their own signs that read "Humps next 500 feet."  And today a man used "krikey", as in "Krikey, that was a bad accident.  Let's get you sorted."  Did I mention "sorted?"  Another favorite.  And people really do say "Cheerio" here!

When we went to Bath we heard all sorts of stories about how phrases got their start.  We saw a jail cell for drunks that didn't allow any light in and so when drunks were thrown in there and woke in the morning they thought they had gone blind - so "blind drunk."  Windows were taxed so people accused the government of "daylight robbery."  And so on...

Moving on from language, I suppose I could go to the food but then I would do nothing but complain.  But I do have to mention that there is an item on a menu that we would consider something to hide, not brag about, "mushy peas."  And evidently this is something people like since there is a sign for a stand called "The Mushy Pea."  And they are not being sarcastic!  Everything that I've heard said about English food, I would say is true.  They really do have sauce called "brown sauce."  I think that says it all.

The weather is not great but no real surprise.  And Ames will be colder!  But we will be able to wash our clothes in under three hours and have a dryer so that is something!  Actually, having our own washer in the apartment is great so I really can't complain about the lack of dryer.  We have a drying rack and it goes nicely with the living room decor.

Tomorrow we are going to Marston Quay (pronounced Key, which maybe you knew but I did not) and on a boat trip to an area of the beach where seal pups are born.  There are over 500 pups there right now so it should be fun.  And cold.  And nerve wracking getting there in the car driving on the wrong side of the road in a car with the stick shift to the left!  Hopefully we won't have any excitement!

I'll try and get a few pictures of that posted before we leave, otherwise the last write up will be from the USA! 

 Yep.  Even in Norwich.