All opinions are always 100% honest and my own. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I also participate in: CJ Affiliate; eBay Partner Network; Rakuten Affiliate Network; ShareASale; Walmart Affiliate Program; independent affiliate networks.
When I was 19, my dad took a sabbatical to the United Kingdom. He was a math professor and did collaborative research at a university in Leeds, England. Even though I was only there a few months, I take the fact that I actually lived there as some kind of indicator that I have a bit of British blood.
Growing up in the United States—where the oldest structures are infantile compared to Europe—everywhere we travelled seemed ancient. I had never been in a real castle before and the cathedrals had actual tombs for people who lived so long ago they almost didn't seem real. It was fascinating.
Visiting Scotland one weekend, I find myself on a bus where almost everyone was a ginger. Never, never in my life had I been in a spot where my hair was the majority color.
The only thing I didn't like about our adventure, was the cold. Now coming from Utah—and of the “greatest snow on earth” and home to the winter Olympics—that might sound strange. I didn't see a single flake of snow while I lived there. But the combination of rain and humidity made for a bone-chilling cold I'd never experienced.
To top it off, we lived in a flat on Grove Lane that was amidst a street of row houses. Old row houses. We actually had a form of central heat—which was almost unheard of amongst our friends and acquaintances—but I could never get warm.
If our home had all double glazing on the windows, it could have helped enormously. About 60 percent of heat loss occurs through single-pane windows. Double-pane windows only have about 12 percent heat loss. Think of the cost savings, not to mention the increased comfort.
While I'd love to visit England again, I'd prefer my accommodations be more modernized (and warm). Living in a medieval castle isn't quite as romantic as the movies might make it seem.
Alison Moore Smith is a 61-year-old entrepreneur who graduated from BYU in 1987. She has been (very happily) married to Samuel M. Smith for 40 years. They are parents of six incredible children and grandparents to two astounding grandsons. She is the author of The 7 Success Habits of Homeschoolers.
Walking the streets of Europe. Truly, America’s buildings are babies compared to the wonderful places you can visit in places like Scotland or Germany. I remember being in France in 1978 and driving through villages when I would see a fountain or an interesting park. I would stop my car, get out and walk around. What a sobering feeling to realize that I was walking in the exact same spot that someone else had walked in over 500 years ago. Or more! It just depended on the age of the buildings.
They never tear things down in Europe like they do in the United States. Even Abraham Lincoln’s cabin is only 200 years old. Wonder what will still be standing in New York or Los Angeles in 300 years?
Walking the streets of Europe. Truly, America’s buildings are babies compared to the wonderful places you can visit in places like Scotland or Germany. I remember being in France in 1978 and driving through villages when I would see a fountain or an interesting park. I would stop my car, get out and walk around. What a sobering feeling to realize that I was walking in the exact same spot that someone else had walked in over 500 years ago. Or more! It just depended on the age of the buildings.
They never tear things down in Europe like they do in the United States. Even Abraham Lincoln’s cabin is only 200 years old. Wonder what will still be standing in New York or Los Angeles in 300 years?
Well we can not compare America and Europe becuase the buildings in America seems to be fake to me if we compare them to the Europe Buildings because they all have history that speaks with them 🙂
Well we can not compare America and Europe becuase the buildings in America seems to be fake to me if we compare them to the Europe Buildings because they all have history that speaks with them 🙂
Europe is rich in culture and that’s what makes their buildings look more magnificent than those of the US. I have to agree though that you have to look for some modern hotels if you don’t want inconvenience during your stay in Europe. 🙂
Europe is rich in culture and that’s what makes their buildings look more magnificent than those of the US. I have to agree though that you have to look for some modern hotels if you don’t want inconvenience during your stay in Europe. 🙂
Europe is magnificent and so magic and so many places which tell about the great history and the past. As for the weather , yes in Britain it is really terrible with chilly winds that seem to find you everywhere in the world, but people are used to living in such conditions.
Europe is magnificent and so magic and so many places which tell about the great history and the past. As for the weather , yes in Britain it is really terrible with chilly winds that seem to find you everywhere in the world, but people are used to living in such conditions.
I live in Newcastle which is only 100 miles or so further north than leeds & can agree about the cold.The thing about our crazy British weather is that it can be warm 60 -70 degrees one day,but then it could snow 3 days later ! which is what happened last November.As we say in Newcastle – Britain doesn’t have four seasons a year,it only has two – winter & July !