United Kingdom Favorite Tips by scotlandscotour Top 5 Page for this destination

United Kingdom - Great Britain - British ?

Favorite thing: What Are We?
The facts are:

Great Britain = England, Scotland and Wales, the 3 contiguous nations of the main island. Legislative union between Scotland and England & Wales was in 1707.

King James I (King James VI of Scotland) had styled himself "King of Great Britain" when he acceded to the throne of England and Wales in 1603.

Edward I had completed the conquest of "Wales" and Wales was united to England under Henry VIII, by two Acts of Parliament in 1536 and again in 1543

The British Isles is a geographical term to describe the main island of Great Britain together with Ireland and associated islands, and has no legal significance.

United Kingdom = England, Scotland and Wales, together with the province of Northern Ireland. These 4 form the country officially known as "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" or simply the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom came into being in 1801 following the Irish Union, although the greater part of Ireland gained independence in 1921 to form the Irish Republic (or Eire). Northern Ireland remained, and was the subject to many years confrontation and bloodshed.

The present UK Government has devolved some powers to a new Scottish Parliament, and a Welsh Assembly. The Northern Ireland Assembly started but then power had to be returned to the UK Government, the present, temporary (?) situation.

English is the common and dominant language but Wales is bi-lingual (Welsh-English), and minorities speak gaelic in Scotland, (a few speak old Manx in the Isle of Man and Cornish in SW England - remnants of older Celtic languages

Referring to the Nations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as "England" is incorrect and likely to upset many locals. Avoid calling the peoples of these other nations "English".

Though England is the more powerful and dominant of the constituent Nations, and the UK Government is located in London (Westminster), it is but one part of the United Kingdom.

Fondest memory: Following the recent Assemblies and Parliament for Wales, N. Ireland and Scotland, Northern England is next likely to get additional status and devolved government. It is pointed out that England does not have its own political assembly / parliament, this being subsumed within the UK Government, which it dominates. Northern England, being poorer and provincial feels it is sidelined by London's and "The South's" dominance.

There is no adjective for the "United Kingdom" - the term "British" is generally used (and helps confuse you!), although it should be used carefully in Northern Ireland, where identities are strongly divided (in broad generalities) between "Irish & Catholic" or "British & Protestant". Northern Ireland has suffered a long time under this conflict, so tread carefully, and speak sensitively.

The "United Kingdom" does not include the "Isle of Man" (which lies between Great Britain and Ireland, in the "Irish Sea") and the "Channel Islands" (which lie off the North coast of France). These are direct dependencies of the British Crown, maintaining their own legislative, monetary and taxation systems, (often seen as more favourable to the wealthy). Each have their own parliaments and a Governor, appointed by the Crown.

The "Channel Islands", are the islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark.

The United Kingdom (including the Channel Islands, but without the Isle of Man) is a member of the European Union. The Isle of Man is not an EU member but maintains free-trade agreements.

Film Locations - The Best Picture Sites in UK

Favorite thing: Hey, I have just found this amazing website, by a film location company - it has a library of photographs of places in the UK - amazing stuff - it also lists sunrise and sunset times etc.

So, if you are a film maker or photographer, keen to shoot something special, atmospheric, unusual ... or a virtual tourist wanting to see the country from the comfort of your own home, look at:

http://www.locationworks.com/library/alpha.html

Now you can plan a different vacation / tour from the usual.

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Fondest memory: Also, follow this link to my Scotland Film Locations Page - a great resource for those of you wishing to find the real locations for scenery you have seen on film:

http://www.virtualtourist.com/m/70ef2/f8/1/

Don't forget this tip!

My best wishes to Location Works.

Fish and Chips - a lottery - where to buy the best

Favorite thing: You want to try Fish and Chips whilst in the UK but, where to try???

Save the tasting until you get to a Quality Assured Fish and Chip Shop, where the fish is caught / fresh and the potatoes locally grown - and busy with healthy looking locals!!!

This shop is in Perth.

It is just one of the many good quality Fish & Chip Shops in Britain - follow my web link for the best in Britain.

http://www.seafish.org/land/standards.asp?p=ff213

Fondest memory: DO try Fish and Chips from a takeaway shop, wrapped in paper (not a restaurant or hotel imitation). Whilst there - have a go at pickled eggs or similar wierd things in vinegar :-)

Try a Fish & Chip Shop that serves a wider range of fish. Cod is common but over fished - so ethics tell me to stop eating it! In Scotland the most common fish is Haddock.

Old fashioned fish used to include Rock Salmon / Huss - and this is really tasty. Eat the soft centre bone too. Delicious! Traditionally the cooking fat was lard, imparting quite a different flavour than the modern, healthier vegetable oils. (check out bio-diesel cars running of the waste of Chip Shops - smells way better than mineral diesels!!!).

Be careful of breaded fish (breadcrumbs instead of batter) like Plaice. This is usually frozen. Very occassionally, shops will also offer salmon, mackeral (lovely) and other fish.

Put loads of salt and vinegar on the chips, and leave for a few minutes before eating. Sauces are common and rubbish. Mushy peas is another tradition with the F&C, or smothered in gravy (can be curry sauce).

After 11pm, and lots of beer, the food of choice is kebab!!! in there with the Chinese and Indian catering is this turkish wonder. The jury is out on how bad it is for you - but it takes a brave man to order it sober.

Come to Scotland for real delicacies of deep fried cuisine. Anything goes in the fat: Pies, pizza, haggis, mars bars ...

www.seafish.org/

http://www.seafish.org/

www.seafish.co.uk

Farmhouses - A Typical Brick Building Conversion

Favorite thing: This pretty, brick house, with red tiled roof, was once a farmhouse supporting two families.

As with most of rural UK, the farms have been bought up and amalgamated into super large farms - highly profitable.

The land around is farmed but the houses either are abandoned (see my homepage) or if lucky get converted into cute little residences for retired or commuting workers.

The farming is highly mechanised and advanced - so has little charm or need for workers. The countryside is changed, largely populated by new arrivals to the area - but in remoter areas (like the Highlands of Scotland) few new people arrive and the land is empty, semi wild and desolate.

A recent change in the taxation (council tax on second / holiday homes) may start to encourage holders of empty houses to sell or rent - so other houses may get a new lease of life like this one. However, the UK government still taxes (at 17.5%) restoration of old houses, whilst not taxing new buildings. This is crazy - since tourists come to see lovely old buildings and English / Scottish / Welsh / Irish Heritage, not new buildings (see Scottish Parliament google search).

Oh well.

Fondest memory: I can remember, when I was a child, this farmhouse in its old state ... no facilities ... miles from anywhere.

The old farmer used to get water from a pump down the garden and lighting was by candles / oil lamps. All food was cooked on a wood fire in the Iron range. Life was simple. Beautiful in fact.

Book To Read - Visiting Britain / UK - Who are We?

Favorite thing: My Tip - Read this book if you want a great insight into Britain, who 'we' are and all the daft idiosyncracies of life in a different yet familiar place.

"Notes From A Small Island" - by Bill Bryson.

Of course it is funniest when you know something of what he refers to, so best read here, after you have experienced something of life in this small island. Funny and sadly true.

Fondest memory: Queues
Rain
Fish & Chips
"Sorry"
"Mustn't Grumble"
Servitude
Aristocracy & Class
'One Day' Summers
The Accent
Old Buildings
The Mini
Fields & Hedges
Driving On The Wrong Side
Tea
Merchant Ivory Films
Silly Swear Words
Ridiculous Pride
Industrial Revolution - Unfinished
An Empire - Not Forgotten
Sunburn
Electric Milk Floats
Real Ale
Red Socks & Rucsacs
Maps
Thatched Cottages & Roses
Roads Winding "For No Reason"
Dry Stone Walls
Naivity
Wooly Jumpers
Comedy
:-)
And on and on .....