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Great Britain Culture Great Britain is the land where the Queen’s English is spoken, and hundreds of other dialects as well. From one small village to the next, peoples’ accents differ, and so do local customs, festivals, folklore and beliefs. For such a small set of isles, Great Britain encompasses a vast and rich collection of culture, history, poetry, art and mythology that historians and anthropologists would never get to the bottom of, even if they were given eternity to try.
Yet if there is one unifying force in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, it is football – even if the English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh teams are all squaring off against one another. Another British culture is the pub culture. While some small town bars have bouncers at the door – the English can get rowdy – there is a plethora of friendly, inviting establishments which cater to old friends sharing a few pints and having a bit of a laugh, or the whole family out on a Tuesday night to play backgammon and listen to live performances of toe-tapping folk music.
Scottish pubs, in particular, are central meeting points for lovers of traditional cant and wailing, while it is not hard to find live music in English seaside establishments further down the coast. Up north in the Lake district – and all throughout Great Britain – visitors can eat fish and chips while sipping a local brew in a stone-walled establishment dating back 400 or 500 years – it’s nothing out of the ordinary. Wales, the home of famous poet Dylan Thomas (who Bob Dylan would later take his name from) is noted for its breathtaking lyricism, and impromptu recitation of poetry is as common in Welsh pubs as it is moving.
To escape the provincialism of the countryside, of course, one need only hop on a train London-bound to experience one of the most exciting, cultural and cosmopolitan cities on the face of the Earth. To say nothing for its nightlife, London is home to an intense cultural fusion of South Asians, Eastern Europeans, people from the Caribbean, North Americans, South Americans, Africans – you name it! And despite having lost its grip on an empire upon which the sun once never set, the homestead has become a hospitable destination for people of all stripes, and the cuisine reflects this remarkably. Indian food, Ethiopian food, Jamaican food – even typical British fare for those who just can’t get enough Cornish Pasties and Fish ‘n Chips –London is a destination teeming with culture and fun, awaiting you with open arms.
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