On my way to the UK!

[Omag 2.0]

The UK is always known for those HUGE glasses of dark brown beer... legend tells that it should be lukewarm...

What kind of beer is that? And is it really that awefull?

Omag ( used to Belgian brews...)

[Hagar]

The UK is always known for those HUGE glasses of dark brown beer... legend tells that it should be lukewarm...

What kind of beer is that? And is it really that awefull?

You must mean Brown Ale or possibly Guinness. Some Mild Ale is also dark brown. The colour varies depending on the brew & which part of the country you're in. It can't be that bad or nobody would drink it.

This is what a pint of my favourite bitter looks like. 8-) [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Omag ( used to Belgian brews...)

I don't mind a drop of Belgian beer although some people I know used to call it "onion water".

I don't drink much at all these days & I was never a connoisseur like Eno. I'm sure he'll give you all the details.

[flymo]

The UK is always known for those HUGE glasses of dark brown beer... legend tells that it should be lukewarm...

What kind of beer is that? And is it really that awefull?

You must mean Brown Ale or possibly Guinness. Some Mild Ale is also dark brown. The colour varies depending on the brew & which part of the country you're in. It can't be that bad or nobody would drink it.

This is what a pint of my favourite bitter looks like. 8-) [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Omag ( used to Belgian brews...)

I don't mind a drop of Belgian beer although some people I know used to call it "onion water".

I don't drink much at all these days & I was never a connoisseur like Eno. I'm sure he'll give you all the details.

what your pints have a red lining on the top

but still a very tasty beer, and deffinatly in my top 5 of bitters

[Hagar]

The UK is always known for those HUGE glasses of dark brown beer... legend tells that it should be lukewarm...

What kind of beer is that? And is it really that awefull?

You must mean Brown Ale or possibly Guinness. Some Mild Ale is also dark brown. The colour varies depending on the brew & which part of the country you're in. It can't be that bad or nobody would drink it.

This is what a pint of my favourite bitter looks like. 8-) [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Omag ( used to Belgian brews...)

I don't mind a drop of Belgian beer although some people I know used to call it "onion water".

I don't drink much at all these days & I was never a connoisseur like Eno. I'm sure he'll give you all the details.

what your pints have a red lining on the top

but still a very tasty beer, and deffinatly in my top 5 of bitters

It had a red background when I posted it. Must be a transparent GIF. I'll fix it.

[MWISimmer]

what your pints have a red lining on the top

Sounds like a Friday night here in South London.. no, that would be blood...

[Chris_F]

I've returned from my first every trip to the UK and the nation (or at least a collection of folks in Chelmsford) can now breathe a deep sigh of releif.

[Chris_F]

I'll warn my Sister and Brother in law to watch out for a

"ugly American"

wandering the streets of Chelmsford looking for a real English pub

[C]

Anyone would think we're a nation of alcoholics from this thread so far...

Not a fan of Carlsburgh (too Budweizer like).

Carlsberg is originally Danish (brewed by a Mr Jacobsen). Blame Theis!

But Beer isn't the big suprise here.  The big suprise (for me) were the prices!  Yikes!  Everything, and I mean everything in the UK is at least twice as expensive as it is in the USA.  McDonalds burger was about three pounds, in the US it's a pound and a half.  A pint at the pub was three pounds, pound and a half in the US.  Train ride in to London was 14 pounds, train ride from here to Boston (same distance) is three and a half pounds.  Tube ride was 4 pounds, same thing in Boston is 50 pence.  A little Beefeater Teddybear was 10 pounds, in Boston a little stuffed lobster is 5 pounds.  A go-phone call was 40 pence a minute, in the US the same thing is 5 pence.  I know the dollar is weak right now and the pound is strong ($2 per pound) but even when the dollar was strong the ratio was only $1.7:1 meaning that the high prices I saw weren't merely a result of currency markets.  You Brits just pay a darned huge ammount of money for everything!  Imagine, all you UK'ers, living in a world where everything costs half as much and you get to take home a lot more of your pay.  It's no wonder we Americans are fat, drive huge land yachats, and live in McMansions.  We're just spoiled.

We don't call it rip off Britain for nothing. Rail fares and public transport really get me - we get encouraged to not use our cars (constant tax increases on vehicles and petrol). However, if me and Mrs C wanted to go to London for a weekend, even pre booking our rail tickets, it would work out

[Chris_F]

Or politicians don't live on planet earth (and they all claim it on expenses of course!)

I think you guys need to throw some tea in to the harbor.  Seemed to work for us.  :)

[H]

I've returned from my first every trip to the UK.

They refused to keep you? It seems, at least, they didn't ban you from a return.

[quote]I also had one of my biggest "England" questions answered: if Britons drive on the left do they also walk down hallways on the left?

[Theis]

Not a fan of Carlsburgh (too Budweizer like).

Carlsberg is originally Danish (brewed by a Mr Jacobsen). Blame Theis!

Carlsberg is still danish, and is known for one of the best beers in the world

[concordepilot]

You have a lot to learn Chris, alot to learn.  ;D Us Brits don't like strangers walking down our roads.  :D

Good luck!

[Chris_F]

[quote]You have a lot to learn Chris, alot to learn.

[concordepilot]

Exactly!

[Chris_F]

Another thing:

Heathrow is an amazing place.  The last night of my trip I stayed at a hotel bordering the airport.  Through thick double windows (that kept out all the glorious noise  ) I sat up at night and watched plane after plane take off.  They were lined up on the taxiway and taking to the sky as fast as the runway and the laws of physics allowed.  And all of them were jumbos.  747s, A340s, 777s, not a small plane among 'em and judging by their paint jobs they were headed all over the world.  The next morning was the reverse, jumbo after jumbo landing as fast as they could taxi clear.  Meanwhile I could see the same happening on a paralell runway a mile or so away.  Just a constant stream of people coming and going.  I'd never imagined there could be so much air traffic in one place.  It was wonderful.