April 02, 2012

Well, shall we begin?  Our first week of discovery centered on The United Kingdom and Ireland.  I was thrilled that this was my first assignment as England is the only place outside of the United States that I have traveled.  The year was 1996 and I chose England for the same reasons a lot of travelers do: familiar language and culture. 

Our tour took us through Central and Southern England where we saw many of the great tourist attractions.  In London we visited the Tower of London and saw the Crown Jewels.  We went to Westminster Abbey, Piccadilly Circus, and Hyde Park.  We saw the changing of guards, Buckingham Palace, and Big Ben.  So, you can see why covering all these, and more, was a little nostalgic for me. 

Additionally, it was good to finally have certain terms clarified for me.  I’ve always used the term United Kingdom and now I correctly know that encompasses the four countries of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.  (Yes, Northern Ireland is not just a region in Ireland; it is its own country.)  Great Britain is made up of the three connected countries of England, Wales, and Scotland.  Ireland, as the Farmer-in-the-Dell might say, is the geographical version of ‘the cheese that stood alone’.  It is a country all to itself and the Irish will thank-you to remember that.  It is not part of Great Britain or the United Kingdom.

That’s all for now….Next week I will share some tidbits about France.  Don’t miss it.  Pat F.