Introducing... the english !
English people are one of a kind.
We all know that they love their tea, their heart belongs to the queen, and we have this image of the city business man in a dark suit wearing a bowler hat...
Is that true ? Who are they really ? And where are they going ??
Are they right or wrong ?
And why then, yes, why ????
Let's start by admitting the truth : English people are different. Nice, but definitely different. And before you land on those shores, there are a few things you need to know :
- Yes, they do drink tea all day long. In mugs, cups, rarely in china cups. Their everyday tea is not very tasty (trust me, I have tried, and it isn't one of the greatest culinary/tastebudy experiences).
The most asked question in this country is "Shall I put the kettle on ? Sugar ? Milk ?"
With an average of 10 cups of tea a day, quantity beats quality. In france we tend to drink tea far more occasionally but it is of better taste and quality. Now I can see you Great British Lovers thinking "this guy doesn't get it!" Wrong ! I know, 10 years in London have showed me that the Cup of Tea is not about taste (as is most food/drink in this country) but it is about quantity and the social experience and the human need for a justification for a break (as is not most food in this country).
If anything happens to you, accident, stress, house burning, earthquake, the first thing you do before you even call the emergency services is to put the kettle on. With a cup of tea, nothing can go wrong.
- I'm afraid it is not longer true : They do not wear bowler hats any more. Sad, I know, but it is reality. Now if you happen to work in the City, the dark suit is still the norm. If you are a man, London offers some of the best in clothes. If you are a woman, please go and get your outfits in Paris.
Most schools still have uniforms.
In camden market, you'll find all sorts of clothes from the 70s and beyond, and people wearing them.
- Yes, they do love their queen. British citizens are her majesty's subjects, and proud of it. Even if those last few years have since the debate on the monarchy grow in strentgh. Having a royal family is quite expensive, and some people are upset when they realize that the royals are normal, they do divorce and it costs a lot of taxpayers money... Reason vs Heart probably.
Well, if you like those sort of things, you can visit the "British Monarchy" website.
- No, not everyone drives a Jaguar XJ8. Some walk, holding their umbrella bought from Smith, use public transports... but they do have a problem. When they drive, they do so on the wrong side of the road. And they give pedestrian consideration. This means that when somebody stops and looks like they want to cross the road next to a pedestrian crossing you HAVE TO STOP. NOW. IMMEDIATELY. Because if you forget you might run over them. And we don't want that, no no no.
I have to say that when you are the pedestrian trying to cross the road, it is quite a good thing.
- Not everybody is english in London. Far from that. Backpackers from Australia, asylum seekers, tourists, expats, students, you can meet every kind of people in the capital of the UK. And english people are quite touchy about their own regional origins. Please, never criticise Wales in front of somebody even remotely linked to it (like their great uncle's wife was welch), and be careful not to globalize too much. English folks are proud of their origins, their accents, and you never know where someone feels he is from.
- And last but not least, they love their musicals. London has a great choice of musicals, from the Phantom of the Opera to Oliver... Something for everybody, children and adults alike !