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Old 16-06-2008, 12:38 PM
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Default Misconceptions from a Foreigner

I have finally made a great realization. The large "shanty-towns" outside of Strasbourg and other European cities are actually allotments! While on foreign exchange in France I saw all these like little settlements and being naive I thought they were gypsy shanty towns!!!!! Each allotment had a substantial shed and when I saw the pictures of (Simon's?) shed in the plot thickens, with the potbelly stove, I finally realized. I think it's great y'all have those sheds that are nice enough to have tea in. Much better than community gardens here. My mum had a plot when I was a small, it was right rammed up against the railroad tracks.

I also love the London Heathrow airport. The signs remind me of Sherlock Holmes!!!
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Old 16-06-2008, 12:48 PM
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My allotment is right next to the rail lines, and I don't have a shed. I must be a foreigner!?!

I would dearly love a shed, just so I could spend a bit more time down on the plot "tinkering". As it is, as soon as the rain starts, play stops.

Heathrow Airport is a nightmare of a place - hideous airport that is a pain in the @rse to get to, and away from. We have far nicer airports, honest.
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Old 16-06-2008, 12:53 PM
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Oh my god, that's funny!!

It'll be my new phrase now "I'm going to potter down my shanty town for a few hours, see you later"
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Old 16-06-2008, 12:58 PM
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Ha!!!...Love it!
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Old 16-06-2008, 01:34 PM
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Heathrow has a special place in my heart, after all you're not in Europe until the wheels actually touchdown in that place, besides, during a four hour layover it doesn't matter if it takes two hours to go from one gate to the next.

I swear I had nightmares about being run over by the MetroNorth train, of course I was a child and very impressionable, but all the joking about my dad tying me to the railroad tracks didn't help.
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Old 16-06-2008, 02:09 PM
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Dads are good like that.
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Old 17-06-2008, 06:15 PM
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Heathrow in EUROPE!!! There's a lot of people in the UK wish it WAS in Europe
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Old 17-06-2008, 06:26 PM
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See! I am FULL of misconceptions!
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Old 17-06-2008, 07:18 PM
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But you've got a really cute dog, so we forgive you.
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Old 17-06-2008, 09:07 PM
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Lol
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Old 17-06-2008, 09:30 PM
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we live almost under a 'stack' for Heathrow (about 16 miles away) special place is not a phrase often used around here we also live right beside a mainline train into london waterloo, rush hour (from 6am to 9.30!) trains every 6 mins (lovely)

At least my 'shanty town' is quieter
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Old 17-06-2008, 09:48 PM
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Our allotments are twinned with Soweto!
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Old 17-06-2008, 10:16 PM
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Must admit, we went to London for a holiday last year, and I loved looking at the allotments when we went past them on the train. They are a site to behold
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Old 17-06-2008, 11:16 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lzyjo View Post
Heathrow has a special place in my heart, after all you're not in Europe until the wheels actually touchdown in that place, besides, during a four hour layover it doesn't matter if it takes two hours to go from one gate to the next.

I swear I had nightmares about being run over by the MetroNorth train, of course I was a child and very impressionable, but all the joking about my dad tying me to the railroad tracks didn't help.
Sorry I am lost now...what has the wheels touching down in Heathrow got to do with Europe?

Europe starts 82 miles south of Heathrow.

When the Wheels touch down you are in England.
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Old 18-06-2008, 08:45 AM
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See for me I love JFK Airport...well loathe might be more the word when queuing up for 2 hours to get through passport control - I love getting out of it anyway, and getting on the funny unmanned train to get to NYC. But I can see where you are coming from.
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Old 18-06-2008, 09:03 AM
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Sorry to stray slightly from the original subject, but for me the one thing that fascinates me about airports - large ones in particular, is the way that time is vital, yet irrelevant at the same time.

I've done this several times before (when killing time funnily enough). Sat in the departure lounge watching people milling about, thinking to myself how strange it is that all these people are in the same place, but at different times - if you get my drift. Particularly so when large time zone differences are at play.

It occured to me the first time sat in Frankie & Bennies at Gatwick, looking at the menu and ordering breakfast. It was breakfast for me, but I'm sure the dude on table 5 was ordering it as supper, and the lady in the booth over on the left was ordering hers as afternoon tea.

Time seems to have a somewhat fluid concept in airport departure lounges, well it does to me anyway...
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Old 18-06-2008, 09:46 AM
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I know exactly what you mean; they are pretty timeless and it starts to mean nothing after a while.

My first time in NYC I woke up at a silly hour over there. Went out around the city and the only people about were street cleaners and taxi drivers. Times Sq - completely deserted. Watched the sun come up through the skyscrapers and went back to the hotel to have a snooze and got up to have breakfast when the locals were eating lunch. Very confusing.
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Old 18-06-2008, 09:46 AM
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Shanty towns! Good expression. I love passing allotment sites on the train (or in the car - I don't drive so I'm always able to crane around.) I love seeing what people are growing!
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Old 18-06-2008, 01:53 PM
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I once missed a flight after a six hour wait. There's is definitely a time warp within airports, they are kind of like casinos or bars in that way.

zazazen, yes I love the AirTrain!!! But I don't like two hour waits.

Yes, I am stupid and American. But at least NOW i know that the UK is NOT in Europe for sure and certain.

There are few things that equal the excitement of travel.

I meant it as a compliment really, that the sheds are so nice I thought the were houses, albeit small ones. I think some of them had swimming pools?! Of course I was blown away by the landscaping of the tiny yards....I really couldn't figure out what they were and I saw them twice a day for four months!

And that dog is lucky he is as cute as he is, or ........things might be different.
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Last edited by lzyjo; 18-06-2008 at 01:54 PM. Reason: bad grammar
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Old 18-06-2008, 02:31 PM
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Since when has the UK not been in Europe? Which continent is it in now if not Europe?

(I know we like to try to be the 51st state of America, but Europe is where we are)
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Old 18-06-2008, 02:50 PM
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We are part of the European union yes, but not part of Europe.
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Old 18-06-2008, 03:27 PM
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I think a lot of us just wish we weren't part of Europe, then we wouldn't have to enter the Eurovision Song Contest & lose every year!
Izyjo... swimming pools? I think maybe they were shanty towns you were looking at, don't think any of our allotment holders over here have swimming pools on their plot!?
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