Mike has gone on vacation and while he's away we have a treat for Anglotopia readers. Mike has been kind enough to post some excerpts from his excellent book "Postcards from Across the Pond." If you'd like to buy Mike's book - you can do so here. My wife is half Scottish. This doesn't afflict … [Read more...]
Dispatches from the South: Haggis
June 18, 2009 By 1 Comment
Mike has gone on vacation and while he's away we have a treat for Anglotopia readers. Mike has been kind enough to post some excerpts from his excellent book "Postcards from Across the Pond." If you'd like to buy Mike's book - you can do so here. Haggis, the Scottish novelty food, sold in tacky … [Read more...]
Dispatches from the South: The Goths
June 11, 2009 By 1 Comment
Horsham, for the past several years, has been on the migratory path of The Goth Kids. Every day they gathered around the edge of Shelly's fountain, like crows on a telephone wire, looking angst-ridden and tortured. I didn't mind; I like the Goths. They're quiet, earnest, and dedicated to their … [Read more...]
Dispatches from the South: Busting Out All Over
June 4, 2009 By 3 Comments
Even after seven years June still takes me by surprise. Winters in Sussex, despite being damp and dreary, are also quite green. The mild climate is kind to grass and hedges so even in the depths of February, the landscape is predominantly green. But then June comes around and reminds me of … [Read more...]
Dispatches from the South: In My Own Backyard
May 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Some years back, while perusing a “Scenic Views of the Britain†calendar, I found a picture of a stunning coastal cliff, stark white and undulating along the edge of the sea like a ruffle of lace. I proposed to myself then and there that I, one day, would see this spectacle in … [Read more...]
Dispatches from the North: Battle
May 21, 2009 By 2 Comments
I watched a special on TV last Monday night about 1066. You know, the year England was conquered by the French. They're still here, by the way; no one has pushed them out yet. Don't tell the British, though; they're a bit touchy on that subject. Anyway, the special was an historical adaptation … [Read more...]
Dispatches from the South: The Telly
May 7, 2009 By 5 Comments
Another one of the surprising differences British life has to offer is the Telly. First off, you can't watch one without a license. No, really, they'll come and arrest you if you do; they have ways of finding out. You can't listen to the radio either, so don't try. The reason is the disputed … [Read more...]
Dispatches from the South: Around the Maypole
April 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment
May Day tomorrow, and that means two things: 1) I get another three-day weekend (yes, the first of May is an official holiday here), and 2) the Morris Men, Maypole Dancers, Latter-Day Druids and other New Age revellers will all be getting their robes, knee-breeches and frocks out of moth balls in … [Read more...]
Dispatches From the South: The Color Purple
April 23, 2009 By 4 Comments
It's Bluebell season here in the southeast, and for those of you who have never had the opportunity to stroll through a bluebell wood, all I can say is you are missing one of the prettiest sights on God's green earth. The Bluebell is a woodland plant that flowers during the spring, squeezing into … [Read more...]
Dispatches from the South: A Windmill Short
April 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment
One of the things that makes England English is its quirkiness. Another is people complaining that there is no such thing as “Englishness.†“You don't associate highland bagpipes, haggis or tartan kilts with anything but Scotland,†they'll say. “And likewise Wales … [Read more...]
Dispatches from the South: Easter in England
April 9, 2009 By 1 Comment
England and America may be different in many ways, but in no way are they more different than when it comes to religion. The US has separation of Church and State and no official religion, yet it is an extremely religious nation (to outsiders, almost frighteningly so) and any presidential candidate … [Read more...]
Dispatches from the South: The Tax Man Cometh
April 2, 2009 By 1 Comment
It's April first, and to an American this means just two things: 1) when you arrive at work in the morning, you will be handed a big promotion that comes with double your current salary and a cushy, corner office (that would be the April Fools item), and 2) the Tax Deadline is drawing near. If … [Read more...]
Dispatches From the South: Buskers
March 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment
One of the more pleasant aspects of living in Horsham, at least for me, is the number of buskers I pass while going about my Saturday errands. I don't recall seeing many buskers back in the States, though I am sure they must be there. But even in a city the size of Albany, they were thin on the … [Read more...]
Dispatches From the South: A Bit of Tottie
March 19, 2009 By 1 Comment
In front of me, a narrow, cobbled street; behind me, an Inn built in 1660. To my left, a group of forty-somethings discuss the relative merits of Italy versus France as a holiday destination; to my right, a couple of (perhaps) twenty-somethings discuss the stoking new X-Box Cycle Racing game … [Read more...]
Dispatches from the South: On the Road Again
March 5, 2009 By 2 Comments
This morning I am on my way to Totness via Reading and Dorking, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to discuss public transportation in Britain. In a word, it's dire. But dire is a relative term. Given that the system is antiquated and in shocking need of repair, that the scheduled … [Read more...]
I Thought it Would be Bigger
February 26, 2009 By 1 Comment
England, as I am fond of pointing out, is just about the size of New York State. But packed into this diminutive country is, arguably, as much diversity and historic locations as there are in the whole continental United States. In order to fit them all in, however, they have to keep them … [Read more...]
Dispatches from the South: Old Stuff
February 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment
To someone who has always been interested in the past, the coolest thing about living in Britain is its casual antiquity. In America, history is measured against the Mayflower Compact of 1620; in Britain, you get historic cred only if your house is listed in The Doomsday Book, William the … [Read more...]
Dispatches From the South: Out and About in Horsham, England
February 12, 2009 By 5 Comments
I live just two blocks away from the town centre, a statement sure to confuse everyone as the Brits don't know what a "Block" is and Americans don't tend to use the term "Town Center" on a routine basis. (For some reason, I can only imagine it being used in a military context: "Captain, the … [Read more...]
Dispatches from the South: Weather or Not
February 5, 2009 By 2 Comments
When the idea of moving to England first became a reality, I recall thinking that I was getting the short end of the weather-stick out of the deal, so I was pleasantly surprised to discover the climate—especially to someone born and raised in Upstate NY where the weather can … [Read more...]
Dispatches from the South: What’s the Difference?
January 29, 2009 By 2 Comments
When you first arrive in the UK, everything is, quite naturally, different. The early days of your visit are filled with the exciting sounds of unfamiliar accents and the pleasing presence of alien surroundings. Soon, however, these fade into the background hum of daily life, and then the real … [Read more...]
Dispatches from the South: British High Culture or Something Like That…
January 22, 2009 By 1 Comment
Here's the scenario: you're fortunate enough to be in Britain over the holidays. Your host tells you there is a traditional Christmas play being performed at the local theatre. And you go. What you find is a play in search of a plot with dialogue delivered at the expense of local, … [Read more...]
Dispatches from the South: My Anglophile Story
January 19, 2009 By 4 Comments
I fell in love with England at 10:32 AM on the 12th of October 2001. I arrived on a morning flight to visit a woman I had met six weeks earlier while hiking in Ireland. This was my second trip abroad, and my first to Britain. The woman's father met me at the airport (she was at work) and we … [Read more...]
Introducing our Second Expat Correspondent on the Ground: Mike Harling
January 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Even more fantastic news for Anglotopia! We now have a second American expat living in the UK who is going to write a weekly column! His name is Mike Harling and many of you may already know him from his already successful blog, Postcards from Across the Pond as well as his book of the same … [Read more...]
British Pound Exchange Rate
Anglotopia was founded by Jonathan and Jackie Thomas for people who love Britain - whether it's British TV, Culture, History or Travel - we cover it all. Anglotopia was started to get us back to the UK for a trip and it did that in 2009. Now, the goal is for Anglotopia to make our dreams of traveling to the UK whenever we want a reality.
