The mysteries of the “Foggy Albion”, or a Great Britain in miniature

When we hear “Great Britain”, we often imagine Britons sitting at a table in a cafe and spending time over a cup of tea and having an interesting conversation. Behind them we see the tower of the Palace of Westminster, which we call Big Ben, and, of course, the rain. There is a warm and slightly romantic atmosphere everywhere. But this is not the only thing that attracts us to the UK.

The full name of the State is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is located on the British Isles and many small archipelagos. On all sides, the country is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean: Celtic, Hebridean, Northern, Irish. In the west, it is separated from France by the English Channel.

The climate in the UK is temperate maritime, moderated by the warm Gulf Stream, and is characterized by warm summers and mild winters. During the year, there is quite a lot of precipitation, while the western part of the country is more rainy than the eastern part. South-westerly winds often bring dampness and cold. In winter, the temperature usually does not fall below zero, although snowfalls and frosts are possible.

The United Kingdom is one of the largest countries in Europe, which corresponds to a high population density. The main ethnic groups among UK citizens are English, Welsh, Irish and Scottish. The official language here is English, but Welsh, Scottish, Cornish and Irish are common in the regions. The currency of the United Kingdom is the pound sterling.

The capital of Great Britain is the city of London, which has a population of about 9 million people. It is famous for its Tower of London and the nearby bridge of the same name, the tower of the Palace of Westminster, which we call Big Ben. Although in fact, Big Ben is the name of the largest bell inside this tower.

Buckingham Palace is also widely known, where Queen Elizabeth II lives almost all the time, except for one month, when she moves to her Scottish residence — Holyrood Palace.

The UK is quite safe for tourists, despite the fact that the British are known in Europe for their love of”making noise”.

 It will be advisable to avoid night pubs and drunken companies. In addition, the British are fierce fans, so it is better to give up football paraphernalia.

National British cuisine combines the culinary traditions of English, Irish, Scottish and foreign cuisines. Including the cuisine of India, as this country has long been an English colony. English cuisine is pretty bland. Tea lovers eat a lot of meat: beef, veal, pork, mutton, and game. They are also widely used in cooking offal and blood. The English also love fried fish: trout, cod, sea bass. Tourists should definitely try the local dish of fast food restaurants fish and chips, Leicestershire pork pie Melton Mowbray pork pie, chicken in a creamy sauce with Indian spices chicken tikka masala and the most famous English dessert trifle.

The Scots are distinguished by a fervent love of cereals. Traditional dishes include Scottish oatmeal skirlie, Stronoway black pudding, lamb giblets with onion and Haggis spices, and the most popular Cranachan dessert in Scotland. Irish cuisine is mainly prepared with seafood, potatoes, milk and meat. These are, for example, boxty potato pancakes and traditional Irish stew.

Great Britain is one of the most popular tourist destinations. It is famous for its long history, culture and interesting habits of its inhabitants. The British are very polite, conservative and reserved. In the UK, it is considered rude to talk about age and wealth, to break the queue, to criticize politics, the queen and sports teams. If you want to visit a country with an exciting history, ancient architecture, unique cuisine, communicate with conservative Englishmen and practice English, then a visit to the UK is a great opportunity for you. Don’t miss it!