Page Title
(Part 1)
By Susie “Chie” R. Cuňada
My plan to visit my cousin, Irma, on two separate occasions in the past always turned
out to be at a wrong time. She was always leaving for the Philippines for a visit on the
days that I wanted to. So, when she emailed inviting me to attend the wedding of her
daughter, Nicole, I was simply ecstatic! Therefore, the wedding was the main purpose of
my trip to the UK, and sightseeing was a wonderful bonus.
When I travel, I like to have a goal in mind - something to make the trip special, if only
so I have a story on my return. To name a few, like on my trip to Japan, my goal was to
experience the different kinds of spa in Hakone. In Australia, it was to visit
relatives/friends, cuddle a koala and snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef. And in Las Vegas,
it was to attend our high school reunion. And so on....
Let me tell you that the first thing that visitors from outside of the United Kingdom
should appreciate is that the UK's full name is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and
By Susie “Chie” R. Cuňada
My plan to visit my cousin, Irma, on two separate occasions in the past always turned
out to be at a wrong time. She was always leaving for the Philippines for a visit on the
days that I wanted to. So, when she emailed inviting me to attend the wedding of her
daughter, Nicole, I was simply ecstatic! Therefore, the wedding was the main purpose of
my trip to the UK, and sightseeing was a wonderful bonus.
When I travel, I like to have a goal in mind - something to make the trip special, if only
so I have a story on my return. To name a few, like on my trip to Japan, my goal was to
experience the different kinds of spa in Hakone. In Australia, it was to visit
relatives/friends, cuddle a koala and snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef. And in Las Vegas,
it was to attend our high school reunion. And so on....
Let me tell you that the first thing that visitors from outside of the United Kingdom
should appreciate is that the UK's full name is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and
A Travelogue
My UK impressions
My UK impressions
(L-R) Susie “Chie” R. Cuňada with cousin
Irma
Irma
Northern Ireland. The UK is made up of the countries of England, Scotland and Wales
and the province of Northern Ireland which, although part of the mainland of the island of
Ireland, is a province of the United Kingdom.
Although it's common for foreigners to use the terms "British" and "English" as
though they are interchangeable, you must appreciate the difference. You should
remember that the UK, while politically unified, is essentially four separate nations, each
identifying with itself more than the whole. Do not refer to the people of Scotland or
Wales as "English", it causes offence. They are "Scots" or "Scottish" (DEFINITELY not
"Scotch") and "Welsh", respectively. Owing to the tensions in Northern Ireland, people
are usually "British" or "Irish", but it is not advised to question this, just accept it if you
are told. The people of England are "English" and are the only people in the UK who
should be referred to as such.
English is the major language of the UK and is universally spoken; however, a
myriad of dialects and accents exist and can confuse visitors (such as Geordie, Tyke,
Scouse, Cockney). Many other languages are also spoken, especially in the major
cities. However, the only language (other than English) to have legal status throughout
the UK is Welsh; in Wales all road signs, public documents, broadcasting, etc. are
and the province of Northern Ireland which, although part of the mainland of the island of
Ireland, is a province of the United Kingdom.
Although it's common for foreigners to use the terms "British" and "English" as
though they are interchangeable, you must appreciate the difference. You should
remember that the UK, while politically unified, is essentially four separate nations, each
identifying with itself more than the whole. Do not refer to the people of Scotland or
Wales as "English", it causes offence. They are "Scots" or "Scottish" (DEFINITELY not
"Scotch") and "Welsh", respectively. Owing to the tensions in Northern Ireland, people
are usually "British" or "Irish", but it is not advised to question this, just accept it if you
are told. The people of England are "English" and are the only people in the UK who
should be referred to as such.
English is the major language of the UK and is universally spoken; however, a
myriad of dialects and accents exist and can confuse visitors (such as Geordie, Tyke,
Scouse, Cockney). Many other languages are also spoken, especially in the major
cities. However, the only language (other than English) to have legal status throughout
the UK is Welsh; in Wales all road signs, public documents, broadcasting, etc. are
| Susie “Chie” R. Cuňada (right) with bride-to- be Nicole |
bilingual.
Great Britain was the dominant industrial and maritime power of the 19th century and played a leading role in developing
parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its peak, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the
earth’s surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK’s strength seriously depleted in two World Wars. The second half
witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation.
Anyhow, it was a nine-hour straight flight from Vancouver to London. We arrived at London's Heathrow Airport in the morning of
October 13th (2009). Do you know that Heathrow is the biggest and the busiest airport in the world? So busy in fact and so much
traffic in the air that the aircraft had to stay airborne for about 15 minutes before it was given a go-ahead signal to land. And when
we taxied to our gate, the aircraft had to wait for another 10 minutes because an American Airlines aircraft was also using the same
gate.
The following morning, Irma’s mom and my favorite aunt, Nanay Betty, and Irma’s brother and my cousin, Elmer, arrived from the
Philippines. As you can imagine, it’s a full house. But Irma’s castle was able to accommodate us all. As expected, eating and story-
telling were unending. The morning just went by quickly, although we were able to squeeze some time to walk around the
neighborhood. It was refreshing! That evening, my other cousin, Cynthia, and her husband (Mick), came over for dinner. Again, we
spent the entire evening eating and, as you guessed it, yaking!
The English countryside
The first thing I noticed is that the roads are really narrow. Just good for two vehicles. At first I was really apprehensive because
I felt the oncoming vehicle was coming through head on to us. A far cry from North America where roads are really wide. Oh well,
that’s England for you. Lots of grass, sheep and whatever you can find in a country. We had breakfast at McDonald’s. Too bad, they
don’t offer my favorite “McGriddle Breakfast with bacon.” But anything McDonald’s is good enough for me. Yum!
Brighton, the gay capital of the UK
Brighton is in large part famous for the same reasons it was over 200 years ago: its seaside location and artistic culture. Ever
since the middle of the 18th century when the royal family began visiting for medical reasons (they believed that bathing in salt water
was therapeutic), the area has thrived on tourism. Before tourists began visiting in large numbers, the town (then known as
Brighthelmstone) survived on its fishing industry, and although this is no longer the case, evidence of the past can still be seen
throughout the area. In fact, some of the more popular tourist attractions, like The Brighton Pier and the Royal Pavilion, are remnants
of these fishing times.
Great Britain was the dominant industrial and maritime power of the 19th century and played a leading role in developing
parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its peak, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the
earth’s surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK’s strength seriously depleted in two World Wars. The second half
witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation.
Anyhow, it was a nine-hour straight flight from Vancouver to London. We arrived at London's Heathrow Airport in the morning of
October 13th (2009). Do you know that Heathrow is the biggest and the busiest airport in the world? So busy in fact and so much
traffic in the air that the aircraft had to stay airborne for about 15 minutes before it was given a go-ahead signal to land. And when
we taxied to our gate, the aircraft had to wait for another 10 minutes because an American Airlines aircraft was also using the same
gate.
The following morning, Irma’s mom and my favorite aunt, Nanay Betty, and Irma’s brother and my cousin, Elmer, arrived from the
Philippines. As you can imagine, it’s a full house. But Irma’s castle was able to accommodate us all. As expected, eating and story-
telling were unending. The morning just went by quickly, although we were able to squeeze some time to walk around the
neighborhood. It was refreshing! That evening, my other cousin, Cynthia, and her husband (Mick), came over for dinner. Again, we
spent the entire evening eating and, as you guessed it, yaking!
The English countryside
The first thing I noticed is that the roads are really narrow. Just good for two vehicles. At first I was really apprehensive because
I felt the oncoming vehicle was coming through head on to us. A far cry from North America where roads are really wide. Oh well,
that’s England for you. Lots of grass, sheep and whatever you can find in a country. We had breakfast at McDonald’s. Too bad, they
don’t offer my favorite “McGriddle Breakfast with bacon.” But anything McDonald’s is good enough for me. Yum!
Brighton, the gay capital of the UK
Brighton is in large part famous for the same reasons it was over 200 years ago: its seaside location and artistic culture. Ever
since the middle of the 18th century when the royal family began visiting for medical reasons (they believed that bathing in salt water
was therapeutic), the area has thrived on tourism. Before tourists began visiting in large numbers, the town (then known as
Brighthelmstone) survived on its fishing industry, and although this is no longer the case, evidence of the past can still be seen
throughout the area. In fact, some of the more popular tourist attractions, like The Brighton Pier and the Royal Pavilion, are remnants
of these fishing times.
With millions of visitors passing through each year, Brighton has a
thriving tourist industry. But the allure of its seaside location is not the
only reason that people choose to visit. The art and cultural scenes are
some of the most famous in all of the UK. The music scene is of world-
class quality, and the nightlife is energetic and diverse. With tons of
shopping opportunities as well as great restaurants throughout the city,
Brighton has come a long way since its fishing days of the past.
The beach is rough hard shingle and the sea is cold and grey. But you
go there, not for the beach, but for the boardwalk bars and cafes, to relax
and listen to live music. People drive all the way down from London to
enjoy the clubs and nightlife.
Brighton is unique in the UK for its diversity. It is at once grubby,
sexy, exciting, cultured, brash, refined and sassy. It is well-known for
its gay scene; yet it also has a very wide religious spectrum: saffron-
robed Buddhist monks live in a community in the town, and there are
numerous shops serving the pagan community. There is also a large
interest in alternative medicine. As the cliché goes, “Really, if you can’t
find what you want in Brighton, you won’t find it anywhere else.”
To be continued ….
thriving tourist industry. But the allure of its seaside location is not the
only reason that people choose to visit. The art and cultural scenes are
some of the most famous in all of the UK. The music scene is of world-
class quality, and the nightlife is energetic and diverse. With tons of
shopping opportunities as well as great restaurants throughout the city,
Brighton has come a long way since its fishing days of the past.
The beach is rough hard shingle and the sea is cold and grey. But you
go there, not for the beach, but for the boardwalk bars and cafes, to relax
and listen to live music. People drive all the way down from London to
enjoy the clubs and nightlife.
Brighton is unique in the UK for its diversity. It is at once grubby,
sexy, exciting, cultured, brash, refined and sassy. It is well-known for
its gay scene; yet it also has a very wide religious spectrum: saffron-
robed Buddhist monks live in a community in the town, and there are
numerous shops serving the pagan community. There is also a large
interest in alternative medicine. As the cliché goes, “Really, if you can’t
find what you want in Brighton, you won’t find it anywhere else.”
To be continued ….
At Brighton marina