Sunday, 9 October 2011

England through the eyes of an American - Food Shopping in England!

I know most of you are expecting Alisha, but she's asked me to re-post an entry I did on my own blog about shopping in England. I guess since I am an American living in England - I see things while shopping the same way Alisha does - either that or she didn't want to make a fool of herself taking pictures at the local grocery store like I did (lol).

Shall we begin the tour?

So here we go on a tour of my local shop (beware – lots of pictures, oh and sorry about the occasional finger in the picture – I was trying to be discreet):

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When you first walk in – there are shelves of fresh sandwiches.

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Here is customer services/tobacco counter.

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They shops here have TONS of magazine options, pretty much if you are interested in it, they’ll have it – oh and this is just one section – there is a whole other wall full.

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The “pound shop”.

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The stairs go up to the Café, where weary shoppers can get a cup of tea or some generally overcooked, overpriced food.

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The Pharmacy – did you know they sell codeine and antibiotics over the counter here?

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Clothes section – right across from the veggies.

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Courgettes (zucchini), Aubergines (eggplants), and TONS of brussel sprouts.

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Takeaway food and the Delicatessen.

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The butcher and the fishmonger.

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Care for some jellied eels, no seriously??

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Even the bacon is different!!

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The Reduced to Clear section where you can find some real treasures or just real rubbish.

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The English love their lamb.

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Yummmmm bakery – they bake most of the things in the store – while dieting I just stay away.

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“American Style” hotdogs – being American, I don’t think I’ve see hot dogs in America in a tin with brine – but maybe I’m wrong – at any rate, I don’t eat hot dogs from a tin, no matter how many American flags they have on them.

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Baked Beans section – the English sure do love their baked beans.

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In America they have a section of ethnic Mexican food, here in England there ethnic section is for the Eastern Europeans, mostly written in Polish.

** I must stop here and tell a short story. About at this point in the store a woman walked up to me and Chris and said, “EXCUSE me, its against the law to take pictures in the store. Would you delete them please?” (typing cannot express the rudeness that she said it). I quickly said, “Ummmm yes…” and put the camera (phone in my pocket). Chris then said, “It isn't against the law! Who says its against the law???” I don’t think she was expecting anyone to argue with her and started to mutter, “it is against the law…” while turning up the isle. I don’t know what her problem was, I didn’t even take a picture of her (although now I wish I had). So we waited until she was out of sight and continued taking pictures… silly woman.

The tour continues:

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TONS of alcohol. Now, maybe it is just my sheltered upbringing but here in England, that much at the grocery store seems a bit excessive.

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Squash – here in England it isn't a veggie, it is a concentrated fruit drink.

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Tea – my camera lens wasn’t wide enough to get in all the options – they love their tea!

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The tills, or checkouts.

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Crisps – These are just some of them but I LOVE the names: Quavers, Skips, Wotsits, Nik-Naks, Discos, Twiglets – sounds like a different language.

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The ceiling – if you look up there you would be forgiven for thinking you are in a warehouse.

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Kitchen roll and toilet roll (paper towels and toilet paper).

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The milk here is shaped differently too (by milk, obviously milk cartons lol). I think it is so it can fit in the tiny fridges a bit better.

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Here are some puddings, and by puddings I mean desserts.

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On diet – must resist.

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Now that I live in England, I often bypass things that as a visitor, might find interesting – like this post box. Down in London people take pictures of these to show family when they get home from their vacation – here I walk past it every day. Are there post boxes (mailboxes) in American grocery stores? I forget.

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These are where they shallow trolleys go – trolleys in England aren't a mode of transportation, but a cart. And in England the wheels on said trolleys aren't fixed straight ahead, but turn all the way around. This causes problems for me because they are hard to control, but Chris hates the trolleys in America – he finds them hard to steer. I guess it is just what you’re used to!

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Crossings to help us safely return to our car.

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In the car park there are various way to recycle pretty much anything you own – clothes, books, glass, etc..

We’ve reached the end our of our tour. Are you still there or did you give up past the first 100 pictures?? If you want to get a close up of the pictures just click on them.

Thank you.... have a nice day... please come again... ta... cheers....

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