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Prime Minister Liz Truss makes a statement outside 10 Downing Street

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A normal name, not from the outside and not even a detached house is where the official residence of the Prime Minister is located. An example of traditional fiction is that Prime Ministers are not especially important people.

Downing Street, a place where the cabinet meets and works, the PM lives ‘above the shop’ on the top floor. An interesting fact, the Chancellor of the Exchequer lives next door at No.11 and the Government Chief Whip at No.12. So they are closer to the common than I thought.

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I used to think that the British is unromantic due to their reputation but after the story of Gretna Green, that’s change. Its romantic reputation began in 1754 when marriage for people under the age of 21 without permission from parents was banned in England. In Scotland, however, this permission was not required and Gretna Green was the first stop across the border. The laws no longer is apply but its reputation is secure. On St. Valentine’s Day, more than 40 people get married at this place.

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The first real association of St. Valentine’s Day with romantic love, or ‘love birds’, derives from Geoffrey Chaucer’s Parlement of Foules. By 1601 St. Valentine’s Day appears to be an established part of English tradition, as William Shakespeare makes mention of it in Ophelia’s lament in Hamlet:

To-morrow is Saint Valentine’s day, All in the morning betime, And I a maid at your window, To be your Valentine.

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Before a proposal for a new law starts its progress through Parliament will have much discussion. I’m surprise it have to through many steps. If it is a government proposal, either a Green Paper of White Paper or both will have been published, explain ideas. After that, lawyers draft the proposal into a bill and begin in the House of Common where they go through stages
1. First reading: formal announcement, no debate
2. Second reading: The House debates the general principles of the bill, take a vote
3. Committee Stage: A committee of MPs examines the details of the bill, votes on amendments
4. Report Stage: The House considers the amendments
5. Third Reading: Amended bill is debated as a whole
The bill is sent to the House of Lords, where it goes through the same stages and after both Houses have reached agreement, the bill receives the royal assent and becomes an Act of Parliament.

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Other countries sometimes experience a coldness among the British but there is a key between this: being friendly in Britain often involves showing that you are not bothering with the formalities. This means not addressing smartly when entertaining guests, not shaking hands when meeting and not saying ‘please” when making a request. Strange it is, because those imply that you are in the category of friend. And the word ‘please’ is to observe formalities and therefore distancing, the same is true of shaking hands. Most people would do it only when being introduced to a stranger.

Observing formalities and being formal in everyday life depends on whether a person is playing a public role or a private role. When people are ‘on duty’, they have to obey some quite rigid rules. A male bank employee is expected to wear a suit and tie during work time however, on his lunch break, walking through the street with his tie around his waist and his collar unbuttoned. It’s amusing but he can indeed look how he likes since he is no longer ‘at work’. This helps me know how to treat the British and avoid being rude.

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Lady Diana Spencer receiving a kiss from a friend at a polo match 

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Habit of reserve is breaking down. More people now kiss when meeting a friend (both women and men do this)

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Through learning, I found that the British like stability. They might be different but they don’t like to change their habits. The love of the countryside is another aspect of British conservatism, it represents stability. They have an idealized vision of the countryside and to them, the countryside means peace, beauty, health, and no crime.

One interesting fact is that Britain was the first country in the world to appoint a government-sponsored conservation body (the Nature Conservation in 1949). There also large areas of the country are official ‘national parks’ where almost no building is allowed. Maps can be bought that mark the routes of the public footpaths in the country. Even when they can’t get into the countryside, the British spend a lot of their time with ‘nature’. They grow plants. Gardening is one of the most popular hobbies in the country. With all the pollutants these days, seeing people connected to nature is wonderful and I think this habit, this idea should be propagated more in the future.

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The Queen dubs Dr Charles Alexander Fleming as a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1977

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Seeing in myths stories and movies how the king or queen gives a title to a person seems to be a proud thing. Twice a year, an Honors List is published and the people with names on it are summoned to Buckingham Palace. The King/Queen will present them with a token which entitles them to write KG, KCB, MBE referring to ‘Knight of the Order of the Garter’.

It’s a tradition that the monarch honors a person as a reward for some service. These days, the decision about who gets honor is taken by the Prime Minister. A high proportion of honor is given to politicians and civil servants but they are also given to business people, sports stars, rock musicians, and other entertainers. The Beatles was the first pop musician to receive that honor in 1965. Another thing when the Queen gives honor, The Queen traditionally glove-free. The role and value of monarchs are still there and continue to be a symbol of Britain and this tradition remains important to British mental health including providing a sense of stability and helping them connect with their roots.

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“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.”-Henry James, a great novelist

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The next thing famous in Britain is tea. The standard black tea served strong and with milk remains an indispensable aspect of most British households for most of the twentieth century. These days, sales of coffee are larger but tea still accounts for a third of all liquid refreshments taken. It’s considered a basic staple and British habit to have tea. I can see that British people care about their traditions, keeping it a habit from 350 years ago till now. Tea drinking is also a healthy habit and a close way to connect with people and relax after a long day at work because people tend to have it in the evenings.

Traditional afternoon tea consists of a selection of dainty sandwiches scones, served with clotted cream and preserves. Cakes and pastries are also served. Nowadays however, in the average suburban home, afternoon tea is likely to be just a biscuit or small cake and a mug of tea

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Shakespeare earned a living as an actor, before his first poem ‘Venus and Adonis’ was published in 1592.
I heard his name so many time on television, people sometimes compare him with these day artists. He had authored 15 of the 37 plays attributed to him, between 1594 and 1598 William’s considerable output, which included six comedies, five histories as well as the tragedy Romeo and Juliet and the Merry Wives of Windsor, took the London theatre world by storm. The different types of plays are separated into histories, comedies, tragedies and tragic comedies

People think of Shakespeare as an artist, a poet, a playwright, but I found that he was pretty good businessman, he knew his market and how to cater to that market, made shrewd real estate investments. King James appears to have been so greatly impressed by Shakespeare that he conferred his own royal patronage on him and his partners; they became the ‘King’s Men’

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Stars,hide your fires;
Let not light see my black and deep desires

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Elizabeth I comments on marriage were straight to the point

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“I should call the wedding-ring the yoke-ring!”

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The full English breakfast consists of fried eggs, sausages, back bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms, fried bread and often a slice of white or black pudding. It is accompanied by tea or coffee and hot, buttered toast.

The Ulster Fry includes Irish soda bread; the Scottish breakfast boasts a tattie scone (potato scone) and even maybe a slice of haggis; the Welsh breakfast features laverbread

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I’m a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes and have done some research about the man who creates the incredible detective.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a prolific writer producing a huge body of work in his lifetime, covering a variety of genres ranging from crime, history, science fiction, and even poetry. Arthur wrote 25 Sherlock Holmes stories between 1885 and 1895. Nevertheless, by December 1893 he would decide to write Holmes and Professor Moriarty out of the stories as they plunged to their deaths in “The Final Problem” to focus on his other literary projects. This decision did not, however, sit well with the general public, and eventually, Conan Doyle was forced to revive Sherlock Holmes in the 1901 novel “The Hound of the Baskervilles”.

In 1902, he was knighted by King Edward VII in recognition of his efforts in South Africa. It’s funny how he is very closely associated was the supernatural. Even though he write fiction using logic to solve crimes still he found solace and meaning in his spiritualist work and completed a portfolio of literature that stood the test of time, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle passed away in July 1930 from a heart attack.

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"Know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a King of England too"

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To mention monarchs, the one I think is the best ruler is Queen Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII. She was the first of three long-reigning queens and was popular by the name “the virgin queen”. Without a king, she can still establish a long reign with skillful diplomacy and help grow the spirit of patriotism in the country.

Even though never married, she used its possibility as a diplomatic tool to keep her throne and help her people. I found some extraordinary speech she gave “Know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king of England too”. Being a powerful woman and the most intelligent monarch is the most amazing thing about her.

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Fashion in Britain history is so beautiful start with the basic medieval garments: a tunic, probably of wool, slightly fitted with a high neck and long sleeves, usually worn over a linen shirt.

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The name Big Ben refers to the largest bell inside of it. Big Ben is right in the city of London, part of the Palace of Westminster and not too far away from Buckingham Palace. This way, the Queen can actually see the Clock Tower from her residence. The name came from Benjamin hall and the bell in the clock tower of the British Houses of Parliament with a massive weight 30 tons. It’s sound very well-known because it has often been used in films. I usually see it on British television and radio company use it to introduce news broadcasts. People usually think Big Ben is the name of the clock, or of the tower itself.

With research, I found that this clock has survived 2 world wars and has been ticking almost nonstop for over 150 years. When the hammer hits the side bell, it produces a music note. Every 15 minutes, the Quarter Bells play part of what's known as the Westminster Chimes. Then, once every hour, these Quarter Bells are followed on the largest bell, Big Ben.

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This is one of the oldest and famous building in London. An ancient fortress at the north Bank of River Thames of the city and a popular tourist attraction. It’s best-known as a prison that many famous people are accused of crimes against the King and Queen.

The building of the Tower begun in 11th C. by William the Conqueror and completed in 13rd C. and in 1988, this tower made a World Heritage Site. The last monarch to live there was James I on early 17th C.

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We shall then defeat the whole lot of them in one go!

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April 1, 1698 Washing the Lions. Pandemonium broke out when hundreds showed up, only to realize they’d been pranked.

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Until 1686 when the writer John Aubrey referred to “Fooles holy day”. It would appear however that by this time April Fool traditions were well established in Britain.
This unlikely event was a popular prank in London during the 18th and 19th centuries. Unsuspecting gullible folk were invited to view the annual ceremony of the washing of the lions at the Tower of London.
Nowadays when someone has an April Fool trick played on them, the prankster will generally shout “April Fool!”

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A magnificent, thick gown made of gold brocade was worn by women in the 1490s. With a low waist and high neckline, this line foreshadows the harsh designs of the early Tudor court. The train on the skirt is pinned up at the back for ease of walking and to show off the fur lining. Sleeves are funnel-shaped and fur-faced in a new trend.

They wear a hood over a wired and jeweled under cap that nearly completely hides their scraped-back hair, with a cape that hangs like a curtain and has the front twisted up and stiffened. The toes of shoes are very wide. The materials are expensive and heavy. Wearing this kind of gown must be exhausting.

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The Sign of the Four, ch. 6 (1890)Sherlock Holmes in The Sign of the Four (Doubleday p. 111)

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How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?

A famous line taken from the film adaptation of one of a series of novels about the fictional sleuth Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr Watson. These books would earn Sir Arthur Conan Doyle critical acclaim and make a permanent impact on the genre of crime fiction.

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Halloween or Hallowe’en is now celebrated across the world on the night of 31st October. Modern day celebrations generally involve groups of children dressed in scary costumes roaming from house to house, demanding “trick-or-treat”. The festival symbolized the boundary between the world of the living and the world of the dead.

It was believed by the Celts that on the night of 31st October, ghosts of their dead would revisit the mortal world and large bonfires were lit in each village in order to ward off any evil spirits that may also be at large.

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The short sleeves and low, rigid bodice make her lace and ribbon-trimmed shift very visible. The skirt is designed to be worn open, revealing the beautifully trimmed petticoat. False curls were occasionally added to the wide-dressed hair.

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England celebrate winning the Women's EURO title

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Take a look at the sports pages of any British newspaper and find ten percent of the space devoted to the sports played by women. In the past, I used to see women only appearing in individual sports such as athletics or tennis but now it’s changing. At the turn of the century, women’s team sports were catching up. Fascinating that football now is the most popular sport for British women, overtook netball.
A surveys in 2007, there were more than 7000 female football teams. Increased coverage has been assisted by the fact that in recent years, the England women’s team has been more successful in international competitions than the England men’s team. These changed attitudes mean that women football players are no longer vulnerable to the stigma of being ‘un-feminine’.

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The Scotland's most iconic locations is situated at the top of Loch Shiel in the west highlands of Scotland. It was completed around 1898 and was featured in Harry Potter films.

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The gentleman (sitting middle, below) wears a long frock coat, while the other gentlemen wear formal dress or lounge suits. The ladies are all wearing huge, trimmed hats typical of the era.

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Guy Fawkes gets an outing in Lewes, Sussex

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November 5th is the day which celebrates a famous event in British history-the gunpowder plot. At the beginning of the seventeenth century, a group of Catholics planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament while the king was in there. One of them, Guy Fawkes was caught with gunpowder in the cellars under Parliament before doing it. He and his fellow conspirators were all brought to trial and then killed. At the time, the failure of the gunpowder plot was celebrated as a victory for British Protestantism over rebel Catholicism.

Interesting how in modern times, Catholic children celebrate it just as enthusiastically as Protestant children. On Guy Fawkes Night, there are bonfire parties throughout the country, at which the ‘Guy’ is burnt. Some people cook food in the embers of the bonfire, especially chestnuts or potatoes. By the end of the evening, British cities smell strongly of sulphur. A unique holiday in Britain it is

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Edward I presiding over parliament in c.1278.

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Edward I, known by many names including, ‘Edward Longshanks’, ‘Hammer of the Scots’ and ‘English Justinian’, reigned as King of England from 1272 until 1307.

Researching into Edward I and I think one of Edward’s greatest legacies is the birth of the English Parliament; under his leadership the meetings became increasingly frequent, amounting to around forty-six occasions during his thirty-five year reign. He is ambitious man, aiming at a united Britain, he defeated the Welsh chieftains and created his eldest son Prince of Wales. By 1296, Edward had invaded Scotland, imprisoned Balliol in the Tower of London and put the Scottish people under English rule. In this period he earned his nickname, ‘Hammer of the Scots’.

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A fitted "walking dress" with "leg-of-mutton" sleeves, a tight bodice, a little back frill, and a smooth flared skirt are worn by the lady.

For nearly four decades, the gentleman has worn the top hat and frock coat that have become traditional formal attire. Black has long been accepted as the standard color for formal attire.

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Joe Root hit another sparkling hundred in 2015

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When mentioning sports in Britain, most people will think of football but I have an interest in cricket. People refer to cricket because of the very associations that it carries with it, it’s much more than just a sport, it symbolizes a way of life- a slow and peaceful, rural way of life. It’s special because it combines competition with the British dream of rural life. Once again I can see the British like stability.

A game played on the grass by two teams of eleven players. Players score points called runs, by hitting a ball with a wooden bat and running between two sets of vertical wooden sticks, called stumps. The images of a sunny summer afternoon, the smell of newly-mown grass and sound of leather (the ball) connecting with willow is what makes it important. Cricket can take a terribly long time but the British are still passionate about it. Therefore, I think cricket is the national English game in a symbolic sense.

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These cakes are a real vintage British dessert: They’ve been popular in Wales since the 1800s. Welsh cakes are made from flour, butter or lard, currants, eggs, milk, and spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. They can be served warm or at room temperature

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The Great Glen in the Scottish Highlands is a rift valley 60 miles long and contains three famous lochs; Lochy, Oich and Ness. The most famous of these is Loch Ness because of the monster said to ‘lurk’ in its deep waters. It is deeper than the North Sea and is very long and very, very narrow and has never been known to freeze.

There have been numerous sightings of the monster, affectionately known as ‘Nessie’. I think Nessie provides us with a mystery, think about it in the 21st century where there is an explanation for everything, it is pleasing to think that there are still mysteries like the Loch Ness Monster

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The Fairy Glen in Snowdonia National Park, Wales 

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It's a region in northwest Wales that is known for its mountains and lakes. The highest peak in Wales, Mount Snowdon is located in the park with an elevation of 1085 meters. You can hike on up there or you can take the Snowdon mountain railway to the top

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'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;'
-Clement Moore

When I’m young, I often watched movies and saw Santa Claus come out from the chimney, giving children gifts and presents. I was so curious about this holiday event and the book Britain for learners of English has helped me solve the mystery. I found that this is an occasion for families, a secular celebration, and people are often really happy and relieved when it's Christmas. Most people buy presents or send Christmas cards to the other members of their household and relatives, especially children. This tradition is similar to our Vietnamese Lunar New Year when family members gather around, and make wishes for the new year and children often get their lucky money.

What I think is fascinating about Christmas is how they receive gifts and the role of Father Christmas (Santa Claus) in giving gifts to children. He came down the chimney on the night of Christmas Eve (24 December) and that night children often lay out a Christmas stocking at the foot of their bed. They expected to see stock filled with presents the next day. The presents usually are from their families and these children without knowing will be so happy and tell their parents about it. This helps build a connection in the family and is a way for showing love.

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Animals are involved in sport in Britain in other ways too. Horse-racing is so well-established that it is often referred to simply as ‘racing’ and it’s a very popular sport with meetings being held every day throughout the year. The former became known as ‘the sport of kings’ in the seventeenth century, and modern British royalty has close connections with sport involving horses. It is said the chief attraction of horse racing is the opportunity it provides for gambling.

Ascot, a small town in the south of England, becomes the center of horse-racing world for one week in June. It's called Royal Ascot because the Queen always goes to Ascot. She has a lot of racehorses and likes to watch racing.

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Golf originated from a game played on the eastern coast of Scotland, in an area close to the royal capital of Edinburgh. In those early days players would attempt to hit a pebble over sand dunes and around tracks using a bent stick or club.

The popularity of the game quickly spread throughout 16th century Europe thanks to this royal endorsement. The game of golf officially became a sport when the Gentlemen Golfers of Leith formed the first club in 1744 and set up an annual competition with silverware prizes. The rules for this new competition were drafted by Duncan Forbes. Rules that even now sound so familiar to many;

…’If your ball comes among water, or any watery filth, you are at liberty to take out your ball and bringing it behind the hazard and teeing it, you may play it with any club and allow your adversary a stroke for so getting out your ball.’

At this time golfers were using hand-crafted wooden clubs usually made from beech with shafts of ash or hazel, and balls were made from compressed feathers wrapped in a stitched horse hide.

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It's the most iconic place in Northern Ireland, the road lined with beach trees planted in the 18th century. This beautiful avenue of beech trees was planted by the Stuart family.

It was used as failing location for the Game of Thrones

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Mentioning of fairies, I remember Tinker Bell and her life helping Peter Pan. There are many myths about fairies. When belief in fairies was common most people didn’t like to mention them by name and so referred to them by other names: the Little People or the Hidden People.

The oldest fairies on record in England were first described in the 13th century. Brownies and other hobgoblins  are guardian fairies. They are useful ones and do housework and odd jobs around the house. Most of the nature fairies like Pixie are perhaps descendents of pre-Christian gods and goddesses or are the spirits of trees and streams.

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Matthew Hopkins, Witch Finder General. From a broadside published by Hopkins before 1650

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Research into England history and I'm terrified by the truth. 400 years ago, mass trials and executions erupted across the country and the reason for the chaos and violence, witches. People were convinced their sank ships brought famine and disease murdered and maimed because witches worked for Satan. Between chaos of war and rigid Puritan beliefs created the perfect conditions for witch hunting. Most supposed witches were usually old women, and invariably poor. Any who were unfortunate enough to be ‘crone-like’, snaggle-toothed, sunken cheeked and having a hairy lip were assumed to possess the ‘Evil Eye’ ! If they also had a cat this was taken a proof, as witches always had a ‘familiar’, the cat being the most common.

Matthew Hopkins theories of deduction were based on Devils Marks. A wart or mole or even a flea-bite he took to be a Devils Mark and he used his ‘jabbing needle’ to see if these marks were insensitive to pain. Matthew also starting to hit people where it mattered in their pockets.
Perhaps Hopkins truly believed he was doing God's work, but he was also a ruthless opportunist who used the persecution suffering and death of innocent people to make his name and fortune.  What a tragic story!