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 typical looking London pub by sue_stone
The pub is a traditional meeting place for locals to catch up on the gossip and relax after a hard days work.
I don't spend much time in pubs, as I find them very often dingy and always very smokey.
But, when in London, make sure you have at least one Lager.... Leave a Comment
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 the distinctive Pret a Manger by sue_stone
95% of sandwiches that you buy in the UK are pre-made/pre-packaged. And of these, 99% have mayonnaise on them....eeeeeuuuuwwwwwwwwww!!! There ought to be a law against it....not only does it not taste great, it is fattening!! And with so many British overweight, surely cutting back on spreads would be a good start...
There are chains over London that sell these pre-made sambos - some better than others. One of the better of these such chains is Pret a Manger. These are scattered all over London, and serve sandwiches, sushi, soup, coffee & cakes. They do have a couple of choices of sandwiches without mayo - just make sure you read the ingredients list before buying. Save the calories from the mayonnaise and have one of their pecan slices instead!! Leave a Comment
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 view on our walk by sue_stone
What better way to enjoy a summers evening than taking a stroll along the Thames River.
We took a leisurely walk......along with many other people......along the Thames path near Kew Bridge.
We saw plenty of ducks and a gorgeous sunset! Leave a Comment
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 Stand on the right by toonsarah
~ Always call it the Tube, never the Underground or Subway
~ Don't talk to strangers - this isn't a safety tip, it would just expose you as the tourist you are - Londoners NEVER talk to each other on the tube unless there's some sort of emergency. Ideally you shouldn't even talk to the person you're with ;)
~ Stand on the right on the escalator - there are signs about this everywhere and unlike many other transport systems I've been on, here people usually stick to this rule. If you insist on standing on the left, prepare to be flattened by a commuter in a hurry!
~ Please don't stop dead in front of either a) the entrance, b) the automatic gate c) the top of the escalator or d) the map strategically placed at the entrance to a passage - see above re commuter in a hurry ;)
~ Talking of maps, if you want to blend in look at it before you travel and memorise your route - getting a map out is a sure give-away sign of a tourist
~ If you pick up one of the free papers that are given out during the morning and evening rush hours make sure you leave it for someone else to enjoy after you
As I said, all this is intended mainly in fun, but if you go along with some of these suggestions at least you should find your journey pleasanter. My final tip is a serious one though:
~ Unless you can't avoid it, don't travel in the rush hour - you'll be trampled on, squashed and will surely wish you'd stayed at home. Leave the rest of us to suffer and come out a bit later when we're all stuck in offices, shops etc :)
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 ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz by sue_stone
Why not take a nap whilst on the Tube - everybody else does.
Doesn't seem to matter what time of day it is, there is always someone sleeping on a seat near you.
How they magically wake up in time to alight at their stop is a mystery to me. Leave a Comment
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 coffee and cake by sue_stone
Most people buy their coffee from one of the coffee chains found in the UK. The main ones are:
Cafe Nero
Costa
Coffee Republic
Starbucks
They are all guilty of boiling the milk...yuk.
But they do have some yummy treats...
You will find one (or several) on a High Street near you. Leave a Comment
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 deck chairs in Green Park by sue_stone
Alot of the big parks rent out deck chairs to those of us who prefer a more civilised method of sunning.
This photo was taken 3 minutes before a downpour, hence not too many people sunning their lily-white limbs!! Leave a Comment
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 An English-American
Connection :-) by Elena_007
Yes, there IS a difference. I was amazed at our differences in general conversations, and often had to admit that I was an American, and didn't understand. (much to their amusement). Although the opposite was true as well, because after I would explain the American equivalent, my friends in the UK had never heard of such, either.
Anyroad, (American meaning, Anyway) I have a funny little story to tell ...
I was speaking with someone from England on the telephone, and he really needed to go to the restroom. AKA: "loo." I said to him, "We can speak later, go, to the loo." Then I burst into laughter because I thought of the American saying, "Toodle loo!", meaning, "Goodbye." He couldn't understand WHY I was laughing at him for needing to go to the loo, and thought I must be daft. Then, I told my son the tale, and he didn't understand what was so funny, because he had no clue of what was a "loo." After I explained the differences in our dialect, he also found it to be quite amusing, and now tells the story to his friends.
I have put together a little "Dictionary" for your entertainment, of words that I actually heard whilst in England, some of which I wondered, "What?!?"
afters (sometimes called pudding): dessert eaten after a meal, hence the name.
bin (actually dustbin shortened): trash can, a container in which to properly dispose of litter or rubbish.
car park: a parking lot, an area designed as a place to park your vehicle.
dressing gown: equivelant to an American robe worn around the house before getting properly dressed.
elastoplast (or sometimes referred to as plaster): American band-aid for covering minor cuts (wounds) to stop the bleeding, and keep out germs.
fag: cigarette (See the following web-site for a hilarious explanation)
Want a fag? Leave a Comment
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 English Ducks by Elena_007
solicitor: UK- lawyer or attorney. US- door to door salesperson, or a telephone solicitor, (also known as a telemarketer on both sides of the pond).
Solitaire: a game played on a board with pegs, and the object is to end up with only one solitary peg left. The card game in UK is called Patience.
spanner: an adjustable monkey wrench tool.
spotted dick: a sponge cake like dessert(pudding) with raisins in it.
spud: potato.In England, baked potatoes are called jacket potatoes, and of course, fried potatoes are called chips.(or hash browns in both UK and US)
Everyone knows that Americans refer to their chips as french fries, but I wonder why? What did France have to do with it, if anything?
squash: A diluted fruit drink such as the popular black currant squash, similar to sugary versions like Snapple, which actually have very little fruit juice, maybe 10-20%, and are mostly sugar and water, also available in sugar-free versions as well.
stabilisers: training wheels for a tot's bicycle in the UK. (spelt stabilizer in the US, and could be anything that stabilizes, either substances or objects)
starter: an appetizer eaten at the beginning (start) of a meal, hence the name. Mention starter in America, and someone will think something is wrong with your vehicle's starter and therefore will not start without the services of a auto-mechanic.
steady on: an English expression meaning Whoa! Hold on! (Hold your horses!) etc.
stilettos: pumps/ high heels for women.
stone: (1)a unit measure of weight equal to 13.99 pounds (lbs.) Someone weighing 10 stone in the UK would weigh 140 lbs. in America.
stone: (2) It is also used to describe the pits in fruits such as peaches.
straight away: A very common English expression meaning immediately, right this minute, or now.
sultanas: golden raisins often used in making delicious English puddings and desserts. Leave a Comment
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 These 1979 Ravens are Old
Geezers Now! by Bwana_Brown
Studies have shown that Ravens are actually the cleverest birds on the planet, about on a par with dogs in the intelligence category. They know how to use tools, can live to be about 40 years old and mate for life. I spotted these two having a conversation about the weather during my July, 1979 visit to the Tower. Leave a Comment
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