An American Perspective: What It Feels Like To Live In England

<br /><div style="text-align: center;">If you've been reading my blog for a while,</div><div style="text-align: center;">you know I LOVE living in this country</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It is so beautiful and so interesting</div><div style="text-align: center;">- filled with history and culture galore -</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But what does it <i>feel </i>like to live here?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8CWJ28QWN4oJCnotwR6zwSiDCEs_YTHK25EyhovA1lCl3C-ka3Tev0NyI9DFBeDGJB_RAjeswXQVT8zlz8PzTxP_7FVelYkng__4kfVRZzo0xOX0HeUlkbW_WL5VZBCZV07bHn2xTaPWg/s1600/England+counties-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8CWJ28QWN4oJCnotwR6zwSiDCEs_YTHK25EyhovA1lCl3C-ka3Tev0NyI9DFBeDGJB_RAjeswXQVT8zlz8PzTxP_7FVelYkng__4kfVRZzo0xOX0HeUlkbW_WL5VZBCZV07bHn2xTaPWg/s1600/England+counties-001.JPG" width="336" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England">Wikipedia</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It has taken a while to get a visceral sense</div><div style="text-align: center;">of the size and population of England</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">England is roughly the size of Louisiana,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and one would need five Englands to fill the state of Texas</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLP28sDPvfYmyopVMAZPFNxPwbOB2EqhJ65dQ_1ITBNpcG45s-gfaIMd6UtH31t9R7L402wfIGqWBcJXjD4ImZ4GoIgz6sN4glgizh_levH80WqGixqS5LmGUIkyyJDaakC9FnQqhGKAH/s1600/USA+UK+map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLP28sDPvfYmyopVMAZPFNxPwbOB2EqhJ65dQ_1ITBNpcG45s-gfaIMd6UtH31t9R7L402wfIGqWBcJXjD4ImZ4GoIgz6sN4glgizh_levH80WqGixqS5LmGUIkyyJDaakC9FnQqhGKAH/s1600/USA+UK+map.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This shows the whole UK, not just England<br />via <a href="http://www.sarmonster.net/UK.htm">Sarmonster</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It takes appropriately 45 hours to drive the US from coast to coast</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In Europe, you cannot drive 45 hours in a straight line and still be on the same continent</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Starting from the closest European point to England (Calais, France)</div><div style="text-align: center;">you could be in Beirut, Lebanon in 45 driving hours</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Moscow is only a 26 hour drive from Calais</div><div style="text-align: center;">(only 19 more hours to go for the equivalent of the US drive)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixy6uyyMyXVAxQGaAo_olhUWc1vR8qBa4iWW48KDZx2FXSSlQL4fErl6RNfUvwEjoQHAQ87KHosMSOUDuKeEAc7ZDvpTbH026HGYb3A61hxw8Kv3D6P1Z3wFNtRyUB5TxCw5DZ2tu03Jvg/s1600/45+hr+driving+map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixy6uyyMyXVAxQGaAo_olhUWc1vR8qBa4iWW48KDZx2FXSSlQL4fErl6RNfUvwEjoQHAQ87KHosMSOUDuKeEAc7ZDvpTbH026HGYb3A61hxw8Kv3D6P1Z3wFNtRyUB5TxCw5DZ2tu03Jvg/s1600/45+hr+driving+map.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">via <a href="https://maps.google.com/">GoogleMaps</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In contrast, I can be almost anywhere in England within 5 or 6 hours<br />(if traffic cooperates)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Anyway, you get my point</div><div style="text-align: center;">But not so fast...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Fill up Louisiana with all the people in California (the most populated state),</div><div style="text-align: center;">and then fill it with half those people again</div><div style="text-align: center;">You've almost reached the 1,054 person per square mile in England</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This leads to an intricate web of roads to maneuver daily<br />and a large infrastructure in place to serve the population</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Not only is the population more dense in England,<br />but the things to do and see is fantastically dense too<br /><br />So this <i>feels</i> different than America</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgi9TWqWUMqq5CD0hdqgNvzRA08a3QqYI9pOwB_HosTXIN0PxfqD4rJ6uGaKq90QCAybFyoacJCkeiQuMyAKhX3pyHeIxH3RieSue2YAJI3ToNVF-K9ltyn8SpY3x7Qjk5Fo5A8D_pPWSD/s1600/Countries_by_population_density.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgi9TWqWUMqq5CD0hdqgNvzRA08a3QqYI9pOwB_HosTXIN0PxfqD4rJ6uGaKq90QCAybFyoacJCkeiQuMyAKhX3pyHeIxH3RieSue2YAJI3ToNVF-K9ltyn8SpY3x7Qjk5Fo5A8D_pPWSD/s1600/Countries_by_population_density.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Population per square kilometer (2006 data) <br />via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population_density">Wikipedia</a> </td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Generally speaking, the English can visit their families by car or train</div><div style="text-align: center;">It is easier to see childhood friends when they are just a drive away</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In contrast, many Americans fly to visit friends and family</div><div style="text-align: center;">which makes reunions less frequent</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And because we live on an island,<br />every time we fly, we are traveling to a foreign country<br /><br />Flying to a foreign country entails border control lines upon arrival<br />followed by passport, visa, and paperwork checks when we return to the UK</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It can feel like we live on a cultural island from the rest of Europe as well,</div><div style="text-align: center;">as English is the official language only in the UK and Ireland</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mainstream film, television and music<br />generally come from within the country and the US,<br />not from Europe<br /><br />Although the UK is part of the European Union,<br />they retain their own currency<br /><br />So it feels like we live on an island in a number of ways</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBgO_FPGyarDGCK5OzeKmqw7NQ6BGaW7IvU9-5rJrSaIqLB0wOrtEioAIvv-8wGh2ybtNjhBTNCcufhTle9VQqnKRtTUapO91k7AEVIF6XErTgM_QoAa67yqGlYS81MeVnzYhmEh7T2atg/s1600/Rectified_Languages_of_Europe_map+(1).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBgO_FPGyarDGCK5OzeKmqw7NQ6BGaW7IvU9-5rJrSaIqLB0wOrtEioAIvv-8wGh2ybtNjhBTNCcufhTle9VQqnKRtTUapO91k7AEVIF6XErTgM_QoAa67yqGlYS81MeVnzYhmEh7T2atg/s1600/Rectified_Languages_of_Europe_map+(1).png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Languages in Europe<br />via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rectified_Languages_of_Europe_map.png">Wikipedia</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Stick with me for a few more observations :) ...<br /><br />American news has an equal dose of local and national headlines</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>while English media tends to cover more nationwide stories than local tidbits<br />As a result, I don't feel I really know what's going on in my local community</div><br /><div>And while American epicenters for politics, finance, fashion and entertainment<br />are spread between Washington DC, New York and Los Angeles,<br /><br /></div>London is <i>the</i> heartbeat of the country in all of these industries<br />(making it such an AMAZING city!)<br /><br />And when I say 'country',<br />I may be referring to England or the United Kingdom</div><div style="text-align: center;">(for England is a country within a country)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Another oddity is<br />there are two governing bodies at work here:<br />the United Kingdom <i>and</i> the European Union<br /><br />Living in a country with a constitutional monarchy has been interesting<br />It actually seems quite efficient to share<br />the dance of international relations between the Queen and Prime Minister<br /><br />The Queen is the face of good public relations for the UK;<br />meanwhile, the Prime Minister tackles the hard political issues at home and abroad<br /><br /><div>I can't avoid mentioning that taxes and the cost of living are very high,</div><div>making it harder to save money here than in the US</div><div><br />With higher taxes comes a larger government presence<br />which provides health care for all and generous welfare for many<br /><br />The government design still feels very foreign to me,<br />and I admit I still find it confusing as to how it works legislatively<br /><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvGDM1d1nLgXZBqlFRdxFXM6fJHDAUe4R3tAsXst1XK4yGhIfwfPzGDFRBOC6V2shn9yJQ112OCC77IfYZdl2zCbbiTxWLLZ5L13NHrTiu1vH3C4L9oThyphenhyphen8-Iw1QfTpIatgz3_4D0Bl3z/s1600/global+tax.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvGDM1d1nLgXZBqlFRdxFXM6fJHDAUe4R3tAsXst1XK4yGhIfwfPzGDFRBOC6V2shn9yJQ112OCC77IfYZdl2zCbbiTxWLLZ5L13NHrTiu1vH3C4L9oThyphenhyphen8-Iw1QfTpIatgz3_4D0Bl3z/s1600/global+tax.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interactive map shows US with 35% marginal tax rate and UK with 50%<br />See more via <a href="https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/tax-tips/General-Tax-Tips/A-Global-Look-at-Personal-Income-Taxes-Interactive-Infographic/INF17032.html">TurboTax</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />Of course I knew about England's famous wet weather before we moved here<br />And to be honest, it hasn't been that bad<br />(although this year has been breaking records)<br /><br />There are so many different types of rain to experience<br />that it doesn't get monotonous<br />- fine and misty, scattered showers with 'sunny spells', occasional hard downpour -<br /><br />Thunder and lightening rarely occur<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4UCjg3V59UVD_gb8kDO8jIKBWJFfv1MsQL3Z3qUyatD5H8SDuIlZ6_7KrhWQDQN0Kqw6dg7A3KqZk0k64usZYR2fUDjjSw4Oi00cBNWHMseT9ijh9B8j_eehu3nYgthxy7hjNqfY4DwQk/s1600/rainfall+uk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4UCjg3V59UVD_gb8kDO8jIKBWJFfv1MsQL3Z3qUyatD5H8SDuIlZ6_7KrhWQDQN0Kqw6dg7A3KqZk0k64usZYR2fUDjjSw4Oi00cBNWHMseT9ijh9B8j_eehu3nYgthxy7hjNqfY4DwQk/s1600/rainfall+uk.JPG" width="513" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">England averages only 33 inches of annual rainfall<br />while Scotland & Wales receive much more (mostly in blue)<br /> via <a href="http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/rain/how-much-does-it-rain-in-the-uk">MetOffice</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />The English have an expression<br />'Just get on with it'<br />which goes hand in hand with a rainy life<br /><br />Most events carry on, regardless of rain or shine<br />In fact, you plan <i>for</i> rain<br />with a backup plan if it is sunny and warm<br /><br />But it was the winter darkness I had not prepared for mentally<br />Sharing the same latitude with Kiev (Ukraine) and Krakow (Poland),<br />the sun rises late (8:06 am)<br />and sets so early (3:51 pm) in the winter<br /><br />But the reward is very sweet with<br />LLLOOOONNNGGG days of daylight in the summer<br />(over 16.5 hours)<br /><br />And thanks to the Gulf Stream,<br />England is warmer than other countries sitting on the same latitude<br /><br />With warm-ish summers and mild winters,<br />temperatures do not fluctuate a lot between seasons<br />It is almost always sweater weather<br /><br />The mild wet weather creates the perfect recipe<br />for the most glorious gardens and greenery you'll find anywhere<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhNed7T-bKdwrkuJTmPs3BSvgWCgTmHYCzGSR_C7iCZBAe55G5jtb55T1psgT3CVQp4c6Dc8-92iWzDgUtMTYQbifZJFHhdLG1ifzbO0alovUecxxeaInvYK4r4uzyt1E-JQ9z-WYktfE/s1600/gardens+uk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhNed7T-bKdwrkuJTmPs3BSvgWCgTmHYCzGSR_C7iCZBAe55G5jtb55T1psgT3CVQp4c6Dc8-92iWzDgUtMTYQbifZJFHhdLG1ifzbO0alovUecxxeaInvYK4r4uzyt1E-JQ9z-WYktfE/s1600/gardens+uk.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A map of public gardens approximately 2 hours from London<br />via <a href="http://www.britainsfinest.co.uk/map_search.cfm/bfcategory/gardens">Britain's Finest</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />While the trees lose their leaves in wintertime,<br />the grass and hedges stay green all year<br />which brightens up the dreary days<br /><br />The mild winters bring early springtime,<br />and daffodils are starting to bloom now<br /><br />And that feels <i>very happy</i> :)<br /><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

An American Perspective: What It Feels Like To Live In England

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know I LOVE living in this country It is so beautiful and so interesting - filled with h...

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The Orient Express & Agatha Christie

<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">A murder mystery lunch on the Orient Express train was<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i>the perfect</i>activity to kick-off our book club’s latest choice,<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">‘Murder On The Orient Express’ by Agatha Christie<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiyB8YflPfxAI2mAC9aW9Bl74ua8PL4jEiVYLA6-JKestEOf5y-1gHkOREsDCQxiSQxShyphenhyphens-B9W__JUws8RbWop1EeKDhyAyRtLa8ko45zRbgSvQjfApav_qXe4O5lhgr5RtkQY2APG99s/s1600/DSC09162-003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiyB8YflPfxAI2mAC9aW9Bl74ua8PL4jEiVYLA6-JKestEOf5y-1gHkOREsDCQxiSQxShyphenhyphens-B9W__JUws8RbWop1EeKDhyAyRtLa8ko45zRbgSvQjfApav_qXe4O5lhgr5RtkQY2APG99s/s1600/DSC09162-003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Each train carriage had its own personality and history<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">I believe our car was built in 1927<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">I imagine the Titanic had a similar air of opulence and elegance</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Spectacular!<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4szr9yhzCSn3pTLUUPDL1I55dvuT-IKJknNHL3LYDnUxci1CNuLRuQoQ8P5gAWGCl1B9GERnB0fEhP2al7gRj0d5-aEcbWy4H4qpjaJQzYpbUTLxvpVg02h3aBYGr1NHz2-kveUsRALDA/s1600/DSC09165-003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4szr9yhzCSn3pTLUUPDL1I55dvuT-IKJknNHL3LYDnUxci1CNuLRuQoQ8P5gAWGCl1B9GERnB0fEhP2al7gRj0d5-aEcbWy4H4qpjaJQzYpbUTLxvpVg02h3aBYGr1NHz2-kveUsRALDA/s1600/DSC09165-003.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Departing from London Victoria Station</td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The train traveled in a loop for five hours <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">through the Kent countryside and<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">past towns such as Ashford and Whitstable<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The food kept coming with first class attention to service and detail <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwYE85uev00jFTmJSSx7w5REY6H056gPmeFQQDNrHXQ5fRrBtD0e0KXjteFwSbq_riYq6h-SCrGCfvfWPlkZt2vL7d6xiI9NpDcMWKTWgf3W3U9RDd7JWiFOdDbztuuT9hSBzY_qCjk2_J/s1600/DSC09178-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwYE85uev00jFTmJSSx7w5REY6H056gPmeFQQDNrHXQ5fRrBtD0e0KXjteFwSbq_riYq6h-SCrGCfvfWPlkZt2vL7d6xiI9NpDcMWKTWgf3W3U9RDd7JWiFOdDbztuuT9hSBzY_qCjk2_J/s1600/DSC09178-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whizzing past Kent oast houses</td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Meanwhile, we had a murder mystery to solve<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">They informed us that an English aristocrat had been poisoned during a recent dinner party<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The dinner guests/suspects of the crime walked through the train<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">giving clues about themselves and others<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">We were encouraged to ask questions to help unravel the truth<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75lWduzBxWtGsbsUcAmE3t6lR7zH3CrHwrEfOhSRN6bdCYY28aSYavLym7n-EErIhac9i2L09SZRD13UnWYxHAqcPFjYNivpVYMzCL-sH39PwEqNZEMLLmJvHKAe35xZ5qpL47qJlbepb/s1600/DSC09175-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75lWduzBxWtGsbsUcAmE3t6lR7zH3CrHwrEfOhSRN6bdCYY28aSYavLym7n-EErIhac9i2L09SZRD13UnWYxHAqcPFjYNivpVYMzCL-sH39PwEqNZEMLLmJvHKAe35xZ5qpL47qJlbepb/s1600/DSC09175-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two suspects</td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Our table figured out the who, but not the why<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">I was tickled by the unexpected twist of the motive<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The murder mystery lunch uses the same script for three years<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">It just so happened our script was retiring after our trip<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXcIh7grr1QK_3ENlP56N07AtIzlOIJosDtxJrlL7rLsA0J8cwzzvqsP1Fea3ASRbCMA-e0BsExAz8khdRHxBFq_P_b9jFy3VyDvuX63uKtJ3kp-MbmAHAUWWO-8ZzWg4Sgoe5QDrkNMX/s1600/DSC09180-004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXcIh7grr1QK_3ENlP56N07AtIzlOIJosDtxJrlL7rLsA0J8cwzzvqsP1Fea3ASRbCMA-e0BsExAz8khdRHxBFq_P_b9jFy3VyDvuX63uKtJ3kp-MbmAHAUWWO-8ZzWg4Sgoe5QDrkNMX/s1600/DSC09180-004.JPG" width="514" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">I was surprised to learn Agatha Christie is<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">the third most widely published author of all time in any language<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare,<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">the Queen of Crime has sold over a billion copies of books in English<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">and another billion in 100 foreign languages<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Celebrating its 60^thanniversary in London’s West End this year, <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Agatha Christie’s ‘Mousetrap’ is the longest running play in history<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><o:p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1uHJKREPGvZPX2r3pbGO4VvmWFDkwAps_RKf1G9afUMplFV2Th-byTfqoJFBesOwIts7eNijpkg9IhPAbyxs9pn5YmdgkXkoQWloLi6s8WrqOaKV7GwCDHzFbWNnjL6UU5e7ioYfBUSLh/s1600/Agatha_Christie.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1uHJKREPGvZPX2r3pbGO4VvmWFDkwAps_RKf1G9afUMplFV2Th-byTfqoJFBesOwIts7eNijpkg9IhPAbyxs9pn5YmdgkXkoQWloLi6s8WrqOaKV7GwCDHzFbWNnjL6UU5e7ioYfBUSLh/s1600/Agatha_Christie.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Agatha Christie<br />via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Christie#Books">wikipedia</a></td></tr></tbody></table></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Born in 1890, <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Agatha had a ‘happy childhood’ in Torquay, Devon <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">with her American father, English mother, and siblings<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Coming from an upper middle class family, <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">she was well-traveled <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">On a trip to South Africa,<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Agatha became the first British woman to surf standing up<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">During World War I, the author and playwright served locally<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">in the Voluntary Aid Detachments<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"> where she learned a lot about pharmaceuticals (and poisons) <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">while caring for the wounded</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">By 1916, she started writing mysteries partly due to a bet with her sister Madge<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">She attributed her inspiration to Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWIQSAhNLOLywxObD0TxsJvUezxZwmTaWm8VfpkBj5_dvFsFQcPxTcfGbvQvAGqQBrsbssNdQuv4vRovYIJ16ol2ovFh4nhQGqsRHPZH6ke92ttljZ1mr0M60qvy_O5H1fSfMZY8kKfehe/s1600/P_Investigates_BJ_HB_UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWIQSAhNLOLywxObD0TxsJvUezxZwmTaWm8VfpkBj5_dvFsFQcPxTcfGbvQvAGqQBrsbssNdQuv4vRovYIJ16ol2ovFh4nhQGqsRHPZH6ke92ttljZ1mr0M60qvy_O5H1fSfMZY8kKfehe/s1600/P_Investigates_BJ_HB_UK.JPG" width="262" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />via Agatha Christie <a href="http://www.agathachristie.com/about-christie/christies-life/poirot-is-born/">website</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The numerous Belgian refugees present in the English countryside during WWI </div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">led to the creation of Christie’s famous Belgian detective character, Hercule Poirot</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">On August 6, 1975, Poirot became the only fictional character to have an obituary <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">in <i>The New York Times</i> due to the character’s death in ‘Curtain: Poirot's Last Case’</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The book actually was written in the 1940s but locked away by the author until 1974</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRw0SuNdeYF4JAj2t5_vr24708J4k8g084e7u6jqEk9dmpCB-9pscrb6rCfjzfncDZ6d8Jpib9F1SiKKIBn0gOeUUbSdpE3aGgUxSD5bszeu93Bpmzr8DvBby7TAYB47JtvRjwrMTwNVK/s1600/photo+1+%25287%2529-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRw0SuNdeYF4JAj2t5_vr24708J4k8g084e7u6jqEk9dmpCB-9pscrb6rCfjzfncDZ6d8Jpib9F1SiKKIBn0gOeUUbSdpE3aGgUxSD5bszeu93Bpmzr8DvBby7TAYB47JtvRjwrMTwNVK/s1600/photo+1+%25287%2529-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newlands Corner</td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">It is worth mentioning that in 1926, <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Agatha Christie became a bit of a mystery herself <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">when she disappeared after ditching her car at nature reserve, Newlands Corner in Surrey<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">After a nationwide manhunt, <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">she was found 10 days later in Harrogate, Yorkshire without an explanation</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Then in 1928, Agatha fulfilled one of her lifelong dreams of traveling on the Orient Express<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">She traveled to Baghdad to an archaeological site at Ur<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">where she met her second husband on a subsequent visit<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXar26HjZ8q8W-n3NZTrKPe8zW0HfhWmXGYRV22CEDbYYRb-mFxlDOHWS-qpmBfgvroXnl6PYAXeoiejzaOg4kuP4bGq3KpNMTrk80Re8EvhTxwsAMiSQnl-lRXEPiqQyEa8garzQ6hjD7/s1600/Agatha_at_Petra___500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXar26HjZ8q8W-n3NZTrKPe8zW0HfhWmXGYRV22CEDbYYRb-mFxlDOHWS-qpmBfgvroXnl6PYAXeoiejzaOg4kuP4bGq3KpNMTrk80Re8EvhTxwsAMiSQnl-lRXEPiqQyEa8garzQ6hjD7/s1600/Agatha_at_Petra___500.jpg" width="632" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drawn to archaeology, Agatha visited Petra<br />via Agatha Christie <a href="http://www.agathachristie.com/about-christie/christies-life/a-new-start/">website</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">‘Murder on the Orient Express’ was written<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">in the Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul, Turkey in 1934<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The ornate hotel was built to host Orient Express passengers<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The last public appearance for Agatha Christie was <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">opening night of the film ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ in 1974<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">She said it was ‘a good adaptation’ but ‘Poirot’s moustaches weren't luxurious enough’<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The film was nominated for six Academy Awards with</div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Ingrid Bergman winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Agatha Christie peacefully passed away in her Oxfordshire home in 1976</div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">- all photos my own unless otherwise noted -</span></i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">(an unsponsored post)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">Related posts: <a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/sherlock-holmes-in-london.html">Sherlock Holmes In London</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">Murder Mystery Lunch: <a href="https://www.orient-express.com/web/uktr/journeys/4_186336.jsp?ic=oe&ip=collection&icr=bp_murdermystery">Orient Express</a> (if have a group, ask for discounted rate)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">Sources: Official Agatha Christie <a href="http://www.agathachristie.com/">website</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Christie">Wikipedia</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

The Orient Express & Agatha Christie

A murder mystery lunch on the Orient Express train was the perfect activity to kick-off our book club’s latest choice, ‘Murder On The Orient...

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