OK, I promised I would eventually tell you what I most love about my country of origin. Marina and I have just spent a week in the UK, coming up with the following list (in no particular order!):
1. Help for people in wheelchairs. We were very impressed by how British Rail helped people in wheelchairs on and off trains, and by the number of ‘push here to open’ buttons set up for people in wheelchairs outside shops and offices. I think the UK does very well at helping people with disabilities, though no doubt there is still a long way to go.
2. Marmite, and bangers and mash.
3. International food in supermarkets. Herbs, spices, sauces and ingredients from a huge range of the world’s cuisine can be picked up in a decent-sized supermarket. Not the same in Spain.
4. The British countryside. The rural landscapes in Britain are as majestic, stunning and alluring as any you might find in the rest of the world, all year round. Even in winter, when leafless trees rise out of back-lit, mist-covered hillsides, Britain is astoundingly beautiful.
5. BBC Television and Radio. So what if you have to pay for it, I’m pretty sure it’s worth it.
6. The general standard of living is very high these days. Most people have comfortable houses, big TVs, decent food on the table, and long holidays.
7. The social security/benefits system seems to work. Single mothers with several kids and no work seem to get by one way or another. The NHS may be short of hospital beds but at least all healthcare is free.
8. Loo paper is softer and longer (than that found in Spain).
9. The police are approachable and seem like a decent bunch. One policeman we talked to while waiting for a crashed car to be pulled off an icy road was a thoroughly nice chap. (Spanish police often seem a touch arrogant and uninterested by comparison, but that is a vast generalisation of course).
10. What would you put for number 10?
holly
8 May 08 at 1:03 pm
I forgot to say,next time your in Spain,if u ever go to Lanzarote,tune into UK away fm,they play great music.And the best is on weekdays four till six pm.
hellothere
8 May 08 at 1:25 pm
- New Year’s Eve fireworks from the London Eye!
bill
8 May 08 at 3:55 pm
@holly – I think you’ll find that there is lot more snow in Spain than in the UK
The thing I miss about the UK most is how accessible everything was. From where I lived (in Brighton) I could walk to the beach in 10 minutes, cycle into beautiful downland countryside in 10 minutes, meet my mates in the pub in 10 minutes, and my commute to work was just a 20 min cycle ride along the seafront. I also liked being able to travel through countryside dotted with villages that actually complement their environment. You get that in Spain as well (especially the north) but you have to hunt it down.
Elvis
10 Jun 08 at 10:29 am
The best thing about the UK for me, is that I don’t live there any more and haven’t had to for over 18 years!
gadaboutspain
29 Dec 08 at 7:14 am
@bill – sounds great! why leave?
Bill (Legazpi)
30 Dec 08 at 9:52 pm
@gadaboutspain
I fancied a change/challenge and Madrid ain’t bad either. I’m lucky that I can still visit Brighton for Christmas, or even just the odd weekend, and meet up with friends and family there. However if I moved back I would immediately be drawn back into the same old routine I had before. Nothing wrong with that, but Spain still has more new things to offer.
Bill (Legazpi)
30 Dec 08 at 9:55 pm
Looking back at this list, I’m amazed nobody mentioned British pubs!
tracey
6 Aug 09 at 11:10 pm
I always find it amazing (and a bit insulting) when people are asked what they miss most about the UK they come up with a list of yukky foods!
I think they’re too english and repressed to come up with anything poetic or soulful.
RayTibbitts
8 Aug 09 at 1:54 am
@Tracey
Okay, I’ll take the bait.
Who is insulted?
If you are insulted, where are you from, and how does it insult you?
What is the thing you miss most from where you grew up?
I’m from the U.S., currently living in Spain, and right now I’d say the thing I’m missing most is the $/sqft of a single-family dwelling.
RayTibbitts
8 Aug 09 at 1:54 am
…and the peace that having a yard brings to the soul.
Apollo
8 Aug 09 at 2:37 pm
I wouldn’t of put marmite on the list, that stuff is vile.
I’m not quite sure why toilet paper is on the list, the brands are the same in both countries :S
Number 9 is soo true, especially if you try to talk to the guardia civil, it’s worse if you’re foreign.
I would actually put sarcasm as no. 10.
I’m the only Spaniard I know that can use sarcasm properly.