I recently acquired a new set of wheels. No, I didn't trade in my Ford Focus for an Aston Martin and I didn't buy a new BMW motorcycle (yet). A friend from work offered to let me borrow his extra mountain bike. So after buying a few accessories (like a helmet), that friend and I took to the trails last Saturday for what I figured to be a couple hour ride. I had expressed interest in seeing some English countryside, and boy did we. At one point we found ourselves hoisting our bikes over farm gates and riding through a cow pasture, dodging both cows and other things you might find in a cow pasture (if you know what I mean). One flat tire and six hours later we finally made our way back to town. It was great fun.
Just yesterday that same friend, his wife and I hit the road for the city of Wells to visit the Wells Cathedral of the Church of England. Wells is a small city (classified as a city because it has a cathedral) some :45 south of Bristol. To start, the drive south offers some great views of the English countryside. The rolling hills are so green, broken apart by a patchwork of miles of hedgerows and dry stone walls (The size and shape of stones vary depending on what part of the country you're in. Here they tend to be smaller, thinner limestone). Never mind the breathtaking gardens that exist in England (and I'm not talking about your tomatoes in the backyard or roses in the front yard, but the acres of landscaping groomed and preserved by the UK's National Trust), even looking at the open countryside you get the idea the English take more pride in a well-groomed landscape. (Why is that? Maybe it's because they have less of it.) Once reaching Wells and parking the car we set out to find a cafe to have a proper, traditional English tea. What is a proper English tea you ask? Basically, it's an mid-late afternoon snack. But it's more than that. Our traditional English tea included hot tea and scones. A scone is a kind of sweet biscuit; some are plain, others have raisin-like fruit in them. You then spread cotter creme and jam on your scone and enjoy. It's quite good... a tradition I could get used to (but we Americans eat too far too much as it is). After tea we headed towards the cathedral. On the way we came across an open-street market being torn down after a morning of local commerce. I couldn't help but think how that same market has existed for 100's of years. When standing in the narrow streets of Wells it's not hard to imagine (like a scene out of Robin Hood). We finally made our way to the cathedral and WOW! It is huge and so ornate. There is so much detailed stone work it's overwhelming. From a design / aesthetic point of view I would say it's too much detail. When we walked in we were greeted by the beautiful sound of a choir singing. Turns out there was a service going on, but the place is so huge the service was going on in one end of he cathedral while visitors were free to come and go in the other end of the cathedral. Any attempt I might make to describe this place wouldn't do it justice, so I won't even try. Needless to say, it's an amazing, beautiful place (so much so I'm considering going back this coming week for a concert). But while there I couldn't help but notice how the building exuded a feeling contrary to what God is all about. We know God to be a loving, personal God. Hundred's of years ago when the average person didn't read, let alone own a Bible, this building would have only sent the message that God is distant and to be feared. It makes one wonder if, at that time, was the church more interested in the salvation of individuals or the control of the masses? From the looks of it... the control of the masses. (And that's exactly why King Henry VIII established the Church of England. He didn't establish it so that all his subjects would go to heaven. He did it to tell the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope the he was in charge.) Perhaps this is why so many people here are sceptical of religion.
Below are a few pictures of the memorable day...
I'm excited to see Indy ExPat's readership is growing. I would encourage each of you to continue sharing it with others whom you think might be interested, and making comments and asking questions on the posts. Not only is two-way dialog more fun, it gives me ideas for upcoming posts. And if you haven't already done so, subscribe to the blog by entering your email address in the field to the left.
Happy birthday to Mr. Ryan Kerns.
And on a side note... last week I signed a 2-year lease to rent my condo in Indy to what seems to be the perfect tenant. Not a big deal to most of you, but very exciting to me.
Till next time,
-Indy ExPat
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Good Food, Good Conversation
The other night several colleagues and I met at an Indian colleague’s apartment for dinner. Our Indian friend works for a company based in Bangalore, India with which Rolls has established a working relationship. (For those of you who haven’t heard of Bangalore, it is the ‘silicon valley’ of India located in the southern part of the country.) He has been in the UK for 6 months working side by side with Rolls engineers, but will be going back home soon, replaced by another Indian colleague.
Anyhow, our host served a traditional Indian meal, very similar to what an Indian family would eat together in the evening. The foundation of the meal is rice. That is then topped with your choice of curry. Some curries are mild while others can be hotter than you can believe. While some of us enjoyed the spices, other had sweat dripping from their brow and water always in hand. (It was fun to watch some people squirm.)
While the food was good, the conversation was even better. Among other things, we discussed Bangalore and how quickly it is growing. Just like the American Industrial Revolution changed our country forever, they are experiencing a jobs, education, and standard-of-living revolution of sorts that will forever change India. It was clear as he spoke (which is hard to understand by the way) he was very proud to be a part of the changes that are happening back home.
We also discussed Indian culture and how it differed from that of the UK and the US. One interesting subject was that of the Indian family structure. Where the UK and US have much more individualistic cultures, India’s is much more family oriented. And this culture shapes their customs. For example, that is why arranged marriages are still the norm in India (I had assumed arranged marriage was an old custom rarely practiced in today’s ‘modern’ India, but in fact, it is still the norm). Our friend is 27. It’s assumed that not long after he returns home he will be getting married (to someone in the same caste of course). He and his wife will then be expected to start having children (ideally 2, one boy and one girl) in his early 30’s. All this planning and timing is not coincidence, but for a reason. This way as he (and his wife) gets up in years and is no longer able to work, his son will be there to support him (his daughter at this point has gone off with her husbands family). The divorce rate in India is very low because the family takes a greater interest in the success of the marriage (remember, the family was involved in setting up the marriage). If a woman was to get divorced or is widowed, great effort is made to see that she and her children are taken care of by someone else in the family. (For example, our friend’s father died when he was a boy. His uncle took care of him and his mom.) To rebel from all this family structure would dishonor both you and your family (much like in Japan). All this is to sustain the family (not individuals) from one generation to the next.
Perhaps I’ll have the opportunity to visit our Indian colleagues in India at some point during my time here.
Anyhow, our host served a traditional Indian meal, very similar to what an Indian family would eat together in the evening. The foundation of the meal is rice. That is then topped with your choice of curry. Some curries are mild while others can be hotter than you can believe. While some of us enjoyed the spices, other had sweat dripping from their brow and water always in hand. (It was fun to watch some people squirm.)
While the food was good, the conversation was even better. Among other things, we discussed Bangalore and how quickly it is growing. Just like the American Industrial Revolution changed our country forever, they are experiencing a jobs, education, and standard-of-living revolution of sorts that will forever change India. It was clear as he spoke (which is hard to understand by the way) he was very proud to be a part of the changes that are happening back home.
We also discussed Indian culture and how it differed from that of the UK and the US. One interesting subject was that of the Indian family structure. Where the UK and US have much more individualistic cultures, India’s is much more family oriented. And this culture shapes their customs. For example, that is why arranged marriages are still the norm in India (I had assumed arranged marriage was an old custom rarely practiced in today’s ‘modern’ India, but in fact, it is still the norm). Our friend is 27. It’s assumed that not long after he returns home he will be getting married (to someone in the same caste of course). He and his wife will then be expected to start having children (ideally 2, one boy and one girl) in his early 30’s. All this planning and timing is not coincidence, but for a reason. This way as he (and his wife) gets up in years and is no longer able to work, his son will be there to support him (his daughter at this point has gone off with her husbands family). The divorce rate in India is very low because the family takes a greater interest in the success of the marriage (remember, the family was involved in setting up the marriage). If a woman was to get divorced or is widowed, great effort is made to see that she and her children are taken care of by someone else in the family. (For example, our friend’s father died when he was a boy. His uncle took care of him and his mom.) To rebel from all this family structure would dishonor both you and your family (much like in Japan). All this is to sustain the family (not individuals) from one generation to the next.
Perhaps I’ll have the opportunity to visit our Indian colleagues in India at some point during my time here.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Welcome to My Flat
Finally, a video tour of my flat here in Bristol. Funny thing to note... the landlord will come from time to time to see that I’m being tidy. She sends me a letter a few weeks in advance to let me know when she’s coming. I should put that rule into effect if anyone rents my place. Anyhow, that explains why the place is cleaned up (not that I’ll let it get too dirty anyway).
I bought a TV since I recorded this video. I also had to get a TV license. That’s right… you have to have a license here to watch TV. It cost £139 ($280) and is only good for a year. I’m told it is to pay for free BBC stations, but there are commercials on those stations. Basically, it’s just another way for the UK government to tax its citizens. Anyhow, I now have my choice of TV from a whopping 4 analog stations.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Welcome to the Neighborhhood
The neighborhood in which I live is called Clifton. My friends describe it a posch... meaning a bit ritzy. I'm surrounded by buildings older than the United States... some older than the New World for that matter. But don't let that fool you. The area is also a vibrant, exciting place (especially when the sun comes out), with more restaurants, cafes and shops than you could ever visit.
Let's go for a walk...
The weather's been quite nice lately. For those of you planning to visit in 2008, I'd suggest you begin making plans sooner as opposed to later (while the weather's nice). I'm told the weather really starts to deteriorate after August.
Let's go for a walk...
The weather's been quite nice lately. For those of you planning to visit in 2008, I'd suggest you begin making plans sooner as opposed to later (while the weather's nice). I'm told the weather really starts to deteriorate after August.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Settling In...
Good evening everyone. Well… I’ve been in the UK for a bit over a week now and all is well. I just got back from having dinner with some colleagues from Derby and Germany at a nearby curry house. For those of you who don’t know, curry is Indian food, and a curry house is a restaurant that serves Indian food. The UK has a substantial Indian population and has in some ways adopted curry as a national dish. It’s very popular here and curry houses are not uncommon. The food’s quiet good. In fact, I prefer curry over most of the UK’s attempts at traditional ‘American’ food. I tried a dish tonight that lit up my mouth like no other. Whew!!! Anyhow, anyone that comes to visit is in for a night at the curry house.
Probably the most interesting (and fun) thing I’ve been up to since I arrived is driving. As I’m sure you’re aware, in the UK you drive on the left side of the road and the steering wheel is on the right side of the car. However, the foot pedals, gear shift and steering wheel controls (turn signal, windshield wipers, etc.) are arranged the same as in the States. Before my first drive I was a little unsure how awkward all these differences would feel, but I seem to have picked it up rather quickly and am enjoying the challenge. (Knock on wood) With that said, you do have to pay much more attention when driving here. The streets are much narrower and there are always cars parked along at least one side of the road (if not both). I’ve never driven so fast so closely to stationary, or for that matter, other moving objects than I have this past week. The road’s centerline is merely a suggestion. In addition, there are far more motorcycles, bicycles, and walkers with which to contend. If you were to drop those UK riders and walkers into US traffic they would be getting hit left and right. Either they are taking a lot more risk here or the average UK driver is much more attentive. I would say it’s a little of both. Granted since I’m a new driver I’m probably paying a lot more attention than the average native UK driver, but you can’t get in your car and turn off your brain like you can in the States. Here you always have to be on your toes. Last Friday I left work early to drive up to Derby to exchange my temporary hire car (rental) for a more permanent leased car (a Ford Focus). Normally that’s about a 2-1/2 hour trip. Admittedly it took me a bit longer, but it was a great lesson on reading street signs and finding my way about. There’s no such thing as a straight road here. Where in the States our roads are more or less north/south or east/west, here they are every which direction. As a result, that sense of direction in the back of you mind (guys, you know what I’m talking about… ladies, maybe not) gets mixed up and before you know it you have no idea which way you’re going. And to add to the confusion, the same street is always changing names. One block it will be called Park. A block later the same street will be called Victoria. What gives? In the States you give directions by saying, “Go north on X until you hit Y. Turn left and head west until you reach Z.” I’m not surer how you would give someone directions here.
I apologize for the not so routine posts. Like I said, I have yet to get the internet here in my flat so I’ve been going to a nearby pub and using their free wi-fi. But most of that time is spent trying to keep Low Cost afloat. That has been difficult with limited internet. Anyhow, once I have the internet up and running in my flat I should be able to post more regularly.
Hope this post finds you all well,
- Indy ExPat
Probably the most interesting (and fun) thing I’ve been up to since I arrived is driving. As I’m sure you’re aware, in the UK you drive on the left side of the road and the steering wheel is on the right side of the car. However, the foot pedals, gear shift and steering wheel controls (turn signal, windshield wipers, etc.) are arranged the same as in the States. Before my first drive I was a little unsure how awkward all these differences would feel, but I seem to have picked it up rather quickly and am enjoying the challenge. (Knock on wood) With that said, you do have to pay much more attention when driving here. The streets are much narrower and there are always cars parked along at least one side of the road (if not both). I’ve never driven so fast so closely to stationary, or for that matter, other moving objects than I have this past week. The road’s centerline is merely a suggestion. In addition, there are far more motorcycles, bicycles, and walkers with which to contend. If you were to drop those UK riders and walkers into US traffic they would be getting hit left and right. Either they are taking a lot more risk here or the average UK driver is much more attentive. I would say it’s a little of both. Granted since I’m a new driver I’m probably paying a lot more attention than the average native UK driver, but you can’t get in your car and turn off your brain like you can in the States. Here you always have to be on your toes. Last Friday I left work early to drive up to Derby to exchange my temporary hire car (rental) for a more permanent leased car (a Ford Focus). Normally that’s about a 2-1/2 hour trip. Admittedly it took me a bit longer, but it was a great lesson on reading street signs and finding my way about. There’s no such thing as a straight road here. Where in the States our roads are more or less north/south or east/west, here they are every which direction. As a result, that sense of direction in the back of you mind (guys, you know what I’m talking about… ladies, maybe not) gets mixed up and before you know it you have no idea which way you’re going. And to add to the confusion, the same street is always changing names. One block it will be called Park. A block later the same street will be called Victoria. What gives? In the States you give directions by saying, “Go north on X until you hit Y. Turn left and head west until you reach Z.” I’m not surer how you would give someone directions here.
I apologize for the not so routine posts. Like I said, I have yet to get the internet here in my flat so I’ve been going to a nearby pub and using their free wi-fi. But most of that time is spent trying to keep Low Cost afloat. That has been difficult with limited internet. Anyhow, once I have the internet up and running in my flat I should be able to post more regularly.
Hope this post finds you all well,
- Indy ExPat
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