what is England like?

[Lilac22407]

I have always wanted to visit England's quaint countryside and beautiful overgrown gardens. Or to watch the sheep come calling off the hillside to the meadow below. I always thought the antique lamp post held such charm meandering thru those cobblestone streets. Please tell me what your town looks like or even your little place of solitude.....

[Hidden]

'Quaint'? Many years ago maybe but not so much now though there are still unspoiled corners of our lovely country. I live in a small seaside town with no sheep, quaint countryside or beautiful overgrown gardens I'm afraid, though we do have a few very old buildings. x

[Lilac22407 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your reply. I guess I may just have to create one here in Fredericksburg, VA. Thanks again

[sassy59]

I live in a Village but expanding more into a town now with all the house building going on.

We are close to beautiful countryside with quaint villages but the properties are very costly.

This is a wonderful country and l love living where l do. Xxxx

[Lilac22407]

It sounds beautiful. Thank you and thank you also for you suggestion. You take care too.

[Lilac22407]

I am a very visual person. I guess that is one reason I love painting and creating art. But having the vision of both of your towns is a great joy to me. I can picture myself walking down those streets. Or looking over the hillside at the quaint village. Thank you once again.

[freefaller]

Hi I too live near to the coast but also near some lovely countryside too. The whole area is inside the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park so it is beautiful but just outside there is some industry and a busy docks. Thankfully I cannot see that from my windows. I live in a converted barn, one bedroom is the old hay loft with the steps up the outside to a small door. Our lounge is a rebuilt old pig sty! It is very beautiful but a long way from everywhere. Lovely and peaceful. Unfortunately, and this is the case in most places now most old industries are dying out. The nearest town to us used to be a busy fishing town about 60 years ago there would have been hundreds of little fishing boats and larger trawlers there. Now there are a few fishing boats but mainly all leisure boats. There are also a couple of larger passenger boats going over to Ireland and gas tankers bringing in gas from the Middle East. These days there is not enough work around for the local community so a lot of younger people have to leave to find work but the local community spirit is fantastic. I have always loved being British and living in the UK.

[Lilac22407 in reply to freefaller]

It sounds absolutely lovely. Especially your converted barn / home. Visualizing the days gone by of the fishermen in their waders busy at the docs with their heaps of fish. Or a young mother with her beautiful floppy hat and long flows dress dancing in the wind over looking the seaside brings a smile to my face. I keep forgetting that you can visit so many countries in a short period of time. Thank you for your response it means a lot.

[Hidden]

Not many picture post card villages left I fear, because once traffic starts flowing through and roads are widened, tourists arrive naturally enough and some of the character gets lost. Some lovely photographs in this link:-

google.co.uk/search?q=Beaut...

Overgrown gardens - come to mine, it takes first prize!.....but bring your hoe......... PastMeBest has got mine and won't give it back.

[Lilac22407 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Jennifer-really appreciated!!

[Lilac22407 in reply to Hidden]

Oh my goodness there are absolutely just as I imagined-breathtaking!!! Thank you once again!

[Hidden in reply to Lilac22407]

It's a real pleasure

xx

[Helen6]

Hi Lilac, like others have said, England isn't all pretty villages, though many do still exist. I live on a relatively new estate (20 years old) and I love it - so let me tell you why. My estate has houses built by 5 builders so there are many styles of house, all of which have good sized front and rear gardens and plenty of parking space. There are 2 large parks on the estate. I have shops and my doctor's surgery and pharmacy just minutes walk from my house. There is a nature reserve and visitor centre just opposite my estate, I have easy access to 2 cities (Nottingham and Derby) and the M1 motorway. I live close to the beautiful Peak District National Park. There are masses of stately homes in the area. Added to all this, I love our English climate (rarely too hot or too cold and always a talking point). I often get flyers through my letterbox from estate agents stating that they have lists of people looking for houses in my area. I understand why people might want to live here but myhouse is not for sale!

Thank you for your question about England - thinking about this has really made me appreciate what I have.

P.S. Scotland, Wales and Ireland are just as wonderful as England.

Best Wishes,

Helen

[Lilac22407 in reply to Helen6]

Thank you Helen and I totally understand why your home is not for sale.

[Azure_Sky]

Here are some pretty Norfolk Villages

google.co.uk/search?q=quain...

Various views of Norwich and it's cobbled streets

google.co.uk/search?q=quain...

[Lilac22407 in reply to Azure_Sky]

Thank you so very much

[Fennella02]

I am currently on holiday in the USA and, oh my, it is so very different from the UK. Everything is on a larger scale. The constant building on our beautiful green spaces makes me sad and I wonder what the future will be like for our children. The American people are so friendly but I've seen so much waste. I'm looking forward to coming home.

[Hidden in reply to Fennella02]

It's everywhere Clare...we do fear for future generations...it seems whatever we try to do to halt "progress" is just a drop in the ocean. Money talks - always has and always will sadly.

I had a culture shock when I went to Canada, I just thought it was me getting old.

[Lilac22407 in reply to Hidden]

Yeah it is everywhere. My uncles own homes in the upper pennesola of Michigan. It is still unspoiled. But many of our quaint little towns are now surrounded by large metropolitan areas. Would not be so bad if the sounds and smell of all those cars was not so prominent in the night air.

[Hidden in reply to Lilac22407]

I understand Lilac. I do not drive by choice, but I'm lucky in that if I need to get anywhere I can catch a bus or get a taxi to the railway station. I think cars make people lazy. I'm not being pompous - I just don't like motor cars....I'd rather walk and enjoy it, but then this is the U.K. we can walk, you have tremendous distances to cover in America.

My American friends cannot believe I do not drive, but I know why.

[Lilac22407 in reply to Hidden]

I guess I am a little more prejudice than other because my job involves traveling the highways all day.

[Hidden in reply to Lilac22407]

I totally understand Lilac..............your distances are not ours.

[Lilac22407]

I know Clare.

[Robert_Helton]

Well, my fathers family are generations of North Carolinians, and I was born there too.

But, I have lived in this village on and off for 45 rears, Mothers family are from Prestwick and we moved to Scotland in 1970.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dun...

I love living here, it is mostly quiet but close to 3 larger towns with all we need. The bus service used to be a lot better and there are far two many 2 and 3 car familys formy taste. The area wasn't built to handle so much traffic.

The differences between life in the UK and the USA diminish every faster. It used to be the US was seen as the land of milkand honey, well my area in NC and here in Ayrshire have seen the decline of industries and well paid jobs, it seems to be all retail and services now. Everything I could get at WalMart I can more or less get at Asda. Wait a minute Asda IS Walmart, LOL.

There's just not much difference in the cultures anymore.

[Robert_Helton in reply to Robert_Helton]

BTW, I had two visits to Lenoir last year as my dad was suffering from lung canker, which got him in October. Lord knows when I'll get back again.

[Hidden in reply to Robert_Helton]

Robert - at least you aren't bombarded with pictures of the people of Walmart from my American friends..............Google it. I'm so sorry your Dad is poorly and hope that something can be done to help him.

[Robert_Helton in reply to Hidden]

Yes, I've seen those people but the one where my family are is very small c conservative so you don't see any weirdos.

Dad passed away last October. Seeing what chemo and radiation did to him, put it this way,if I evver get the big C, I'm doing nothing about it!

[Hidden in reply to Robert_Helton]

Robert - I am sorry I misunderstood your letter - I read it wrong. I do hope I have not brought you more upset. My husband agreed to have Chemo but one dose was one dose too much. cancer is evil and indiscriminate in it's choice of victim. I think we have all been touched one way or the other.

Sorry again.

[Robert_Helton in reply to Hidden]

No need to be sorry, I am very stoic about these experiences. And I appreciate your reply.

[Lilac22407 in reply to Robert_Helton]

I know Robert my mother died of lung cancer.

[Lilac22407]

So sorry to hear about your dad. I wish we could all go to bicycles and trolley cars is if that is likely to happen. I live in Virginia, fredericksburg to be exact. I moved here because it advertised as an artsy place to live and I thought it would inspire me. I know taking 2hrs to go from My home town to Washington D.C. Is not.

[Louisiana]

I live in a rural area and the village is old and pretty, so are a lot of villages around here, despite the modern world. I grew up in London during the war and we still had gaslight lamps for quite a few years after peace came. I remember the lamp lighter coming at certain times each day to light them and turn them off...London has changed so much since I was a child, but there are still the old buildings, little cobblestone streets, etc. Trouble is, the tourists just want to see the main places like Buckingham Palace, etc., which are marvellous, but there are so many quaint places as well - just go round the corner and find what is there. hope you get to visit one day. Britain is a truly beautiful country.

[Lilac22407]

Your vivid discriptions brought me there. Thank you so much.

[Buzzytruk]

Hi, We live in a village which is divided in two by an A road. Our medieval church leans over more than the leaning tower of Pisa.

We have several pubs , a chippy and post office / shop . Which also sells things for the fishermen, including maggots.

This is in the East of England surrounded by farming area, but for us it's not so bad as we are next to a river with a beautifully kept golf course on the other side.

Jo.

[Lilac22407 in reply to Buzzytruk]

Thank you-your church sounds unique-by the way what is a chippy?

[Buzzytruk in reply to Lilac22407]

Hello there,. Firstly...our church has sunk at the end with the steeple. Several have in the district. The Dutch helped with land drainage in the 16/1700 S. We have lots of rivers and water ways taking the flat land drainage water out to sea. Also the ground stays soggy if prolonged rain. There are large areas like this in Norfolk,Cambridgeshire & Lincolnshire.

The chippy.......that is a fast food outlet. Selling fish & chips. The sea fish from around our coast . These days they sell sausages , pies , mushy peas. Curry sauces etc.

All the food is fried in deep vats of cooking oil or fat. The fish is coated with a thick batter first. When this started I don't know , but chippy's were around in the 1860 s. and started as a cheap way to feed the working classes. There is nothing nicer than a bag of chips with a good sprinkling of salt & malt vinegar. ........ chips a thicker type of your French fries. But soft. The busiest day for a chippy was Good Friday , but times change.!

Jo.

[Lilac22407]

Church sinking? I cannot imagine what that would feel like to see that. We get sink holes around the country that instantly appear and swallow what ever is in site ( a home, car dealership with antique cars, parts of a highway with travelers) to name a few.

Our Chippy I guess would be "Long John Silver" or "Captain D's. They sell Breaded deep fried fish, clams and shrimp along with French fries, slaw and hush puppies but you probably already knew that.