Around The World in a 60s Daze...: England Swings

Merv and Lorraine visited the UK in December 2007 to visit Jeff, Adele and the Wee Ones who were living near Warwick at the time. They also toured around and tracked down the towns Lorraine's ancestors had come from before moving to Canada. Although Merv didn't send out a travel report, here are some notes, thoughts and photos from this trip.

Castles and Family with Rosy Cheeked Children

England Swings

England swings like the pendulum do, Bobbies on bicycles two by two, Westminster Abbey, the Tower of Big Ben, the rosy red cheeks of the little children.
- a popular song from the mid-1960s originally by Roger Miller

Hmmm. Swings? Maybe so. But happily, I can at least tell you England endures.

I am sure many Brits would tell you how much things have changed in the past three or four decades, what with the formation of the European Union, globalization, Gulf wars, massive immigration, global warming, the emergence of China and India as major economic forces, and all the other developments which have affected us all.

I can't but agree that much has changed. But be assured, if you visit you can still count on queues everywhere - for everything, finicky plumbing, more roundabouts on more motorways, and, relentlessly, unforgettable restaurant food. Bangers and mash, three grayish sausages looking like beached whales pulled up on a pile of mashed potatoes surrounded by a sea of brown gravy, remains a staple on most pub menus for anyone who didn't get enough of them on previous visits.


Another Pub meal with mash and gravy but no sausages tonight!

And another typical British Pub

British Plumbing

As it did 35 years ago when I first visited England, toilet flushing remains a mystery to me. Sometimes one tip of the handle or pull of the chain will do the job. Other times six flushes will only send six dribbles into the commode. (Speaking of which, commodes that is, you may not know, Prince Charles has apparently been collecting them for years.)

British toilets have several webpages devoted to their mysteries and unique engineering such as Toilet Guru - Britain and the Wiki-How page on How to Flush A British Toilet.

The benefits of mixer valve faucets have not reached England, and most sinks still have one tap delivering ice cold water while the other has water so hot it scalds the skin off. Washing involves swinging your hands from one side of the sink to the other in an attempt to thaw out or cool down.