Warwick Castle Visit

Castles always bring me back to Disney-driven childhood fantasies of being a princess carried off by a handsome prince on a white horse, so I was thrilled when a coupon/voucher offering 2-for-1 admission to Warwick Castle arrived in the mail a few months ago. Although D grew up near here, he had never been to visit it as a child, so he was interested in it too. The castle, which claims to be England's best preserved Medieval castle, is only 25 minutes drive from where we live in southern Birmingham, so when New Years Eve day arrived bright and sunny, we decided to drive over and give it a go.

When we first entered the grounds around noon it was still fairly quiet, but I was nervous that the whole experience would be boring for adults since there seemed to be prams everywhere, and a Disney-esque quality to some of the displays. Luckily, once we passed through the courtyard and entered the main castle building through the Great Hall decked out with Christmas decorations, I was pleased to see the traditional hallmarks of a Norman castle in full display--swords, armor, massive antique furniture--and not a Swashbuckling Micky Mouse in sight. Many of the rooms featured wax 'mannequins' dressed in period clothing and they were so life-like that in my photos the rooms appear to be filled with costumed performers!

We wandered through all of the rooms in the castle, then walked up the "Mound" to the original castle ramparts for a better view of the grounds. Behind the castle walls we watched as the falconry master flew several hawks and falcons over our heads and demonstrated medieval hunting techniques using birds of prey. Following the demonstration we wandered through the Peacock Park and got closer to a dozen peacocks than I have ever been in my life! After a stroll along the castle waterfront, and through the old water-wheel/electric mill, we hiked back up to the castle entrance and took the stairs up onto the castle ramparts.

Winding up about 100 stairs in the highest castle turret was a little claustrophobic, but the view was worth it--we could see all of Warwick town and the surrounding villages. All in all it was a great way to spend a couple of hours--even on a bitterly cold day.

Since it was New Years' Eve, we didn't want to stay too late, but went for a late lunch at a charming pub in Warwick village called The Zetland Arms Hotel before heading home. The room was cozy and the food turned out to be fantastic--D had a plate of faggots & peas with mashed potatoes, and I had a grilled sausage & stilton cheese panini sandwich. We were two very satisfied customers!

Bonus #1: The castle admission office was doing a promotion giving away a voucher for an extra visit in 2010 with every adult ticket purchased in 2009, so I can go back again in the spring when it's warmer.

Bonus #2: I got to ride away from the castle with my very own price charming beside me.

Wherefore art thou Shakespeare?

I admit it. I actually paid 17 GBP to ride around on one of those super-touristy, hop-on hop-off, double-decker tourist buses on my first visit to Stratford-Upon-Avon with D in February, and I had a good time. Normally I try to stay away from those types of tourist traps, but in this case we only had a few hours of the afternoon left to see the city, and it was freezing cold out, so the idea of finding our own way through the town and possibly getting lost was about as appealing as frostbite. On that visit D and I didn't pay to visit any of the Shakespearean homes, but we did at least see them all from the outside. We passed by the vacant outdoor tables of cozy teahouses, past sleepy canals with boats shuttered and docked for the winter, and past white-washed Elizabethan buildings fronted by the characteristic raised, black wooden beams.

After I moved over to England in June, I went back a few more times during the summer. On the first summer visit I took part in a city walking tour organized by Stratford Town Walk, that started near the waterfront and meandered past most of the city's major landmarks during the 2 hour stroll. Our guide was quite well informed, and after 2 hours, I knew lots more about the city's history and felt like I could navigate the town fairly easily on my own. Being on my own, I decided against lunch and instead stopped into Benson's Tea Room and had a delicious cream tea while reading my book.

One of the benefits of the Stratford Town Walk was that we were given 5 coupons/ vouchers good for discounts at several dozen restaurants and tourist establishments around town, including the Shakespeare homes operated by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Using one of my vouchers I bought a ticket to visit all five Shakespeare homes (good for 1 year) on the next visit back (for GBP12 instead of the normal GBP 17 price). In about 3.5 hours, I was able to visit three of the homes: Shakespeare's Birthplace, New Place and Hall's Croft. The Birthplace was the most interesting of the 3, with live guides in some of the rooms giving you information about what you saw inside, and costumed actors out in the gardens performing scenes from some of the Bard's most famous plays. Hall's Croft was also fairly informational and well-signed, but New Place was a little on the boring side. If you only have 1 day in Stratford, focus on the Birthplace and adjoining museum and skip the remaining homes. Since my ticket is good until next July, I decided to leave the last 2 houses, Anne Hathaway's Cottage and Mary Arden's House, until sometime next year.

Today I went back for a little mooch (i.e., English-speak for 'a look around') in some of the boutiques and shops in anticipation of Christmas and came across a few cute places:

- Vinegar Hill (http://www.vinegar-hill.co.uk/) a cute shop with jewelry, decorative accessories for the home, party accessories, cookbooks, journals and other small gifts.

- Aspire (http://www.aspirestyle.co.uk/catalogue) a funky shop selling fashion, jewelry and gifts

- Havilands Tea Room (5 Meer Street, Stratford Upon Avon, CV37 6QB), a cute delicatessen with attached tea room - great home-made sausage rolls for 60p!

- Revital Wholefoods (http://www.revital.co.uk/Revital_Health_Shop_Stratford_on_Avon) found a great well-priced selection of organic and asian cooking staples (some of which I'd only seen previously in London), as well as the usual vitamins and supplements.

- Chadds Sandwich Bar (6c Union Street, Stratford Upon Avon CV37, Tel:+44(0)1789 294 044) discovered the most delicious, fresh baguette sandwich I've had yet in England: Thai Red Curry Chicken Sandwich with cucumber, onion and lettuce on a wheat baguette for GBP 2.50. The filling was tasty and the bread was still warm from baking in the oven. Far better and cheaper than Baguette du Monde, Greggs, Subway, Pret a Manger, or any of the other chain shops!! I'm gonna try and replicate the sandwich filling at home and make my own.

English Words Explained!

One of D's favorite sayings when we're turning in for the night is "You coming up the apples?" It took me about 2 weeks to figure out that this was short for "You coming up the apples & pears?", which was actually Cockney rhyming slang for "You coming upstairs?"

Without even touching on the difficulties of understanding Cockney rhyming slang, I wanted to run through a few of the most commonly used English words that differ from US terms, or are not used in America at all. I plan to add to this list whenever I hear a new word, so keep checking back or subscribe to an RSS feed for this page!

People & places

Babb = darling, dear (for a woman), used informally

Son = buddy, pal (for a man), used informally & for those older than you

Bloke = man (informal)

Brummie = someone from Birmingham, England

Bluenose = a supporter of the Birmingham Blues Football Club

Jock = someone from Scotland

Geordie = someone from Newcastle region

Manc = someone from Manchester region

Cockney = someone from East London

WAGs = wives and girlfriends (usually of football/soccer players)

The Old Bill = the police

Bobby = a policeman

Gaffer = (slang) old man; (informal) boss, football manager

Pikey = a derogatory word that used to refer to Irish travelers; now generally used to refer to someone whose life is characterized by itinerancy, theft or regard for authority, without reference to national origin

MOT = Ministry of Transport (like DMV in America), MOT Test = annual vehicle roadworthiness test

OAP = Old Age Pensioner, senior citizen

Poof = derogatory reference to a homosexual male

Off-license = store for the sale of alcohol to take away and consume at home; liquor store

Clothing

courts = high heeled pumps

jumper = sweater

vest = tank top

trainers = running shoes or sneakers

body = bodysuit (usually with snaps in crotch)

braces = suspenders

pants = underwear, underpants

kecks = underwear

knickers = women's underpants

Y-fronts = men's briefs or jockey shorts (i.e. tighty-whities)

trousers = pants

nappy = baby's diaper

plaited = braided

swimming costume = swimsuit

suspenders = garter belt for holding up ladies stockings

wellies = rubber rainboots, Wellington boots

Items or Things

fag = cigarette

rubber = eraser for pencil

flat = apartment

pavement = sidewalk

petrol = gasoline

bin = wastebasket

queue = line up

arse = buttocks

pram = stroller, baby carriage

pushchair = forward facing stroller for a small child

dummy = baby's pacifier

artic lorry = semi trailer truck

blues & twos = slang for an emergency vehicle w/ lights & sirens

bog roll = toilet paper roll

boiled sweet = hard candy

building society = a savings & loan association

fanny = a woman's genitalia (i.e., the English say "bum bag", never "fanny pack" for a bag worn around the waist)

butty or sarnie or sarny = a sandwich

caravan park = trailer park

coach = bus

carriageway = lanes of auto traffic on a road

central reservation = lines dividing traffic on highway (i.e., median strip)

cashpoint = ATM

council flat = public housing

dole = welfare

dosh = (slang) money

dress circle = seats in the first balcony of a theater (balcony or loge)

stalls = seats in the ground floor level of a theater (orchestra section)

estate car = station wagon

flannel = washcloth (for the face)

fairy lights = Christmas lights

fortnight = 14 days, or 2 weeks

fringe = bangs, describing the hair covering the forehead

hash sign = the pound key (#)

high street = the primary business & shopping street in a town

hob = stovetop burner; the hot surface on a stove

pelican crossing = pedestrian crossing with traffic lights operated by pedestrians

varruca = a wart on one's foot, a Plantar wart

Actions & emotions

argy-bargy = (informal) pushing & shoving or outright fighting

blag = (v.) to obtain or achieve by deception, to bluff, to rob or (n.) a tall story, bluff

chuffed = proud, pleased or satisfied

to 'pull' or 'cop off with' = to successfully engage the company of a potential sexual partner, or to fornicate with

to snog = make out with, to French kiss

to fancy = to like someone or something, to have a desire for

fit = highly attractive, hot

have a kip = take a nap

minging = dirty, rotten, smelly, unattractive

parky = cold, usually with reference to the weather

to row = to have a fight

skint = out of money, broke

to slag off = to badmouth, defame or speak badly of someone

take the piss/take the mickey = to make fun of someone, or to transgress beyond what's acceptable, as in "the increases in car taxes are taking the piss"

to go 'tits up' = to suddenly go wrong (mildly vulgar)

to whinge = to complain or whine about something

Profanities and Vulgarities

sod (as in "Sod it!"), sodding = f--k, f--king

Sod off! = Get lost, go away

bugger (n.) = a--hole, jerk, or more innocently ('a cheeky bugger' = a rascal)

bugger! = Damn! or Shoot!

bugger it (v.) = screw it

I buggered it = I screwed it up

We're buggered = we're thwarted, in a predicament, screwed

Bollocks = literally refers to male testicles, used as "Bollocks!" (i.e. "Dammit!") or "That's a load of bollocks."

git = a scumbag, idiot or annoying person

tosser or wanker = a no-good waster, a jerk

Black Country Speak

After having been told that the dish D requested last month (faggots & peas) originated in the Black Country region of the West Midlands (called faggits & pays there), I followed up with D's stepfather, Ian, who provided me with a wealth of information on the Black Country dialect. Even though the region is about 30 minutes from where we live and the language is technically English, on nights out with his former Black Country co-workers, Ian reports that he often couldn't follow a word of what was being spoken. Here's why:

"Ow we spake" (Black Country Dialect): Compiled from various sources by Ian Beach

The dialect of the Black Country area remains perhaps one of the last examples of early English still spoken today. The word endings with 'en' are still noticeable in conversation as in 'gooen' (going), callen (calling) and the vowel 'A' is pronounced as 'O'as in sond (sand), hond (hand) and mon (man).Other pronunciations are 'winder' for window, 'fer' for far, and 'loff' for laugh - exactly as Chaucer's English was spoken. This "dictionary" is Black Country in general and not particularly Sedgley in origin. Local dialect was (and probably still is to a lesser degree) quite distinctive between the different towns and villages of the Black Country.

Dialect Word	Meaning
Ackidock	aqueduct
Agen	again
Airk	as in belly ache, stomach ache etc.
Ait	eat
Aks(axe)	ask
Anunst	against, next to, eg "The housen anunst hisen"
Ar	Yes as in "Ar I am"
Ay or A	haven't or isn't. "Is it just the way we speak or lazyness which enables us to phase an entire sentence in single letters such as I A A I (I haven't, have I)."

Babby	Baby
Backerds (backeds)	Backwards
Barly	a truce. Sometimes "Arley-Barly" is used. (Possibly a corruption from the French "Parlez" to talk?)
the Baggies	West Bromwich Albion Football Club
Bai or bay	am not, eg "I bay gooin' ter tell yow agen"
Bally	Belly, stomach
Bamboozle	puzzle, bemuse
Barmpot	A silly person
Barmy	Daft, silly
Bawk	hinder or confuse. Probably from 'balk'
Bay or Baynt	am not
Beezum	a broom of birch, also playfully used to refer to a pert young woman
Bibble	A pebble
Bin	been, have been, are, have I bin affirmative reply to question
Bist	are, eg "how bist yow?" = How are you?
Bisn't	aren't, opposite of Bist. E.g. "Bisn't gooin up the shaps?" for "You're not going up the shops?"
Blaberen	to talk idly
Black Bat	Black Beetle
Bladda or Bladder	Balloon
Blart	cry - from "the bleating of sheep"
Blether	to talk nonsense or talk incessantly. "Blether yed" blether head = someone who talks nonsense (fool)
Blobmouth	blabbermouth eg "'Ers a right blobmouth. Tell 'er terday, the world knows tomorrer"
Blubren	crying, eg "Ar kids blubren agen"
Bobhowlers	Any large moth
Boffle	hinder
Bonk	bank or small hill. Pitbonk = hill made from mine waste
Bost	broken or burst, past tense ‘Bosted’
Boster	something big or possibly something good
Bostin	literally "bursting" but actually "very good indeed" e.g. "We 'ad a bostin time" or "Ers a bostin wench"
(on the) box	off work, sick
Bowk	A very large recepticle like a skip
Breffus	breakfast
Brummagem	Birmingham
Bunny-fire	bonfire
Buz	Bus

Caggy or caghanded	left-handed - all the best people are!
Cag-mag	Bad or rotting meat
Camplin	gossiping
Cant(in)	gossip(ing)
Catlick	hasty wash
Caw or cor	cannot, eg "I cor goo the'er terday"
Chawl	Pork
Chops	mouth or cheeks
Chimdy or chimly or chimbly	chimney
Chuffed	pleased
Chuck	Throw
Chuky or chooky	chicken, fowl (children's word) also Chooky Egg
Chunter	grumble under one's breath
Clack	uvula, eg "Just stop yer clack"
Clarnet	idiot, fool. "Yo' daft clarnet!"
Clane	Clean
Clemmed or clammed	starved or hungry
Clobber	clothes or possibly to hit someone
Clomber	climb
Cocka/Cocker	mate, friend
Cockaver	a smack
Codge	a poor job, eg "He's made a right codge of it"
Cog-nogger or Cog-nocker	Thick Sandwich (variation on Noggin)
Coddin	joking, kidding, e.g. "Goo on, yum coddin me"
Coost	could you?, also negative "thee coosnt"
Coot	coat
Cor or cort	can't
cork-aiver or cog-winder	a good punch
Cost	can you ?, also negative "I cosn't" - I cannot
Cotter	have no cotter with 'im (have nothing to do with him)
Crack	fun, entertainment
Craw	crop of a bird, as in "that sticks in my craw" - I cannot believe it
Croddle	huddle together
Craunch	crunch
Cuckoo	Sweetie (affectionate term)
Cuff	a cough
Cut	canal
Cutherin'	to huddle together, Cuddling?

Dahb	daub, smear
Dare-cent	dare not
Day	did not, eg "I day see 'im comin"
Desay	dare say, very likely
Dishle	cup of tea
Ditherin'	meaning to shiver with cold, or to hesitate.
Dock	to stop or hold back wages
Doe	do not, reply to question "I doe"
Dollop	large quantity, usually of food
Donny	hand (children's word). Possibly from theFrench "Donnez" to give?
Dowl	down, soft hair on the face
Drap	Drop
Duck	evade, dodge
Dun	Do, as in "What dun yo want?"

'E	he, pronoun used to describe the husband or household head
Ess'ole	Fireplace. I think this may be a corruption of 'ash hole'

Fairce	face
Faggots	Black Country dish made from pig's organs, onion, sage, bread crumbs
Fai(r)ther	father
Fettle	excellent condition
Fittle	food, victuals
Fizzog	the face
Flen	fleas
Flics	cinema
Flirter	catapult usually made from elastic (rubber) bands
Fode	Enclosure. A back yard to a house
Forid	Forehead
Franzy	irritable, particularly fretful children
Frit	frightened, eg "doe be frit"
Frowtsy	dishevelled
Fun	found
Fust	first

Gaffer	master, employer, perhaps husband
Gain	Useful, As gain as a glass eye
Gamgee	Cotton Wool. From its inventor Dr. Samuel Gamgee, who originally called it "gamgee-tissue." Dr. Gamgee was born in Birmingham.
Gammitin	playing the fool
Gammy	lame
Gamp	Umbrella (after a Dickensian character named Mrs Gamp who always carried a large black umbrella)
Ganzy	guernsey, jumper, cardigan
Garn	Go on
Gawby	a simpleton
Gawk	an ill dressed person, or to stare eg "Who am yow gawkin' at ?"
Gawp	open mouthed, staring
Gleed or Glede	A cinder.
Gob	to spit, or the mouth itself, eg "Shut yer gob" or "'Er's got a right gob on 'er"
Goo	go, eg "Am yow gooin' ter the flics?" = Are you going to the movies?
Graunch	"To suck a hard sweet and rattle it in ones teeth" for example ". ..'ark at 'er, 'ers 'avin a grate time with that sweet - graunchin' it."

Haiver	something big, eg "It's a real haiver"
Hoss road	The street. "Get out the hoss road!" = Get out of the way!

Ivver-ovver

hesitate, eg "Stop yer ivverin' an' ovverin' an' get on wi'it"

Jeth (jed)	death (dead)
Jiffy	brief moment, eg "E woe be a jiffy"
Joobus	suspicious, dubious

Kay-li	Sherbet powder (confectionary)
Kaylied	Drunk
Kay	Key
Kell	the lining around a faggot
Keckle	Kettle
Ketch	catch
Kissa	the face

Lamp	to beat or thrash, eg "Ee giv' 'im a right lampin'"
Larrupin' or larussin'	Also to beat or thrash, eg "Ee giv' 'im a right larrupin'"
Lather	ladder
Lather	upset or excited as "In a bit of a lather"
Lezzer	a meadow. From the old english Leasowe
Lickle	little
Lief	as soon as
Loff	laugh
Lommock (or lummock)	clumsy, lumbering, eg "Yow big lommock"
Lover	common term of endearment to children - m'lover
Lugole/Lughole	Ear or ear hole
Lungeous	play roughly, inclined to horseplay

Madden	to make wild, annoy
Maitrum	matron (of a hospital)
Maulers	hands
Maunch	to chew carefully (as with no teeth)
Maygrums	Faces as in Pullin' maygrums = Pulling faces.
Miskin, Midden or Mixen	Rubbish heap or dustbins (garbage bin) From the Anglo-Saxon for dung
Moach or mooch	to idle about in a bored fashion or search
Mucker	confusion, e.g. "All of a mucker", can also mean a mate as in "me old mucker"
Mun	must
Myther	to bother, to irritate, or be irritated by

Nairun	none, not one
Naither	neither
Natty	tidy, neat
Niggle	to find fault in insignificant things
Node	known, eg "I've nowd 'im for 'ears"
Noggen yedded	stupid
Noggin	thick piece of bread or the head
Noo	new
Nous, Nowse	"Hav yo no nous?" meaning are you dumb or have no intelligence
Nuss	nurse, eg Nit Nuss (checked school children for head-lice)

Ockerd	awkward
Ode	old, eg "Th' ode lad" - the devil
Odge	push, eg "Odge up" - move up a bit
'Ommer	hammer
'Ond	hand
Ood	would
Ooman	woman
Oot	will you
Opple	Apple
Oss	horse
Ote	hold, eg "Ketch ote on it" - take hold of it
O'thatnin'	in that way
O'thisnin'	in this way
Ow	how
Owamya?	how're you?
Ow bist?	How are you?
Owern	my husband, my son, my daughter, often used by women to denote member of family, e.g. “Owern Judy”

Pail	Beat as in I'll give yo' a pailin'
Pie-can	Silly, daft as in "Yo' pie-can"
Piece	Slice of bread or a sandwich, often spread with jam or dripping
Pikelet	Crumpet
Pisey	Spiteful
Pon	Pan, as in saucepan
Poorly	sick, ill. 'Ers proper poorly
Puk	pick, as in pick up
Pus	purse
Purler	A fall as in "cum a purler" fall down

Reasty	Off, as in food gone bad or dirty as in "Your hands are reasty".
Rennin	Raining
Riffy	Dirty or unclean

Sad	heavy, as in bread that does not rise.
Saft	stupid, soft (in the head)
'Safta	Shortened version of "this afternoon." eg. See ya this safta.
Saided	sated, glutted remains left after rendering lard
Sailin'	Ceiling as in "up on the sailin"
Scrag	To beat up as in fight
Scrawmp	To have a good scratch
Scratchings	Black Country delicacy - pork rind deep fried
Scrumpin'	pinching fruit (usually apples) from someone's orchard
Shek, Shekin	Shake, shaking
Siden	Out of perpendicular, crooked. See photo of the Glynne Arms, aka The Crooked House or Siden House
Skraze	graze, scratch
Skrobble or scromble	a tangle of wool, string, and the like
Sheed	to spill a liquid
Shed	spilled/spilt
Siken	to sigh (from the Old English 'Sican' )
Spake	speak
Splod	flat-footed
Spockle	to cover with drops of moisture
Spottle	splash
Soople	to soften, make supple
Steen	stew jar or earthenware pot
Suff	sewer or drain, eg "Up the suff" - down the drain
Suck	Sweets (candy to the Yanks, lollies to the Aussies)
Sup	to sip, a sip, drink
Sustifikut	certificate
Swaits	sweets
Swelth	swelling
Swilker	to spill or splash
Swole	swollen
Swopson	a heavily built woman, used in a semi-humorous sense

Tack up	improvement in the weather, eg "It'll tack up tonight"
Tacky-bonk or Tocky-bonk	a pit mound
Tararabit	Bye for now
Taters	potatoes
Tai(tay)	tea, also "it isn't"
Tek	take
Tek after	to resemble, look like physically, mentally, or emotionally
Tewthree	a few, two or three, always used as a noun preceded by "a"
Thaten	that one
Thissen	this one
Thrial	group of three, used only in the card game of Cribbage
Thrape	thrash. Give I'm a good thrapin'
Tiswas	Confused, "getting in a tiswas"
Tizzicky	having an irritating dry cough
Tittle	tickle
Tranklements	small possessions, bits and pieces, paraphernalia, precious possessions.
Trapes	walking aimlessly about, e g "Trapesin' in an' ott like a dog at a fair"
Trussen	to trust
Tummy	a snack, especially a collier's mid-morning snack
Tunky	a fat pig, eg "As fat as a tunky"

Unkyoothe

uncouth

Volve

valve

Waggin	Playing truant from School
Wag Mon	The council official employed to round up errant children who were "Waggin"
Wammel	Dog
Wassin	Throat. "Get it down yer wassin" From the Old English "wasend" meaning gullet.
Weem	We are. Eg. "Weem gooin out tonight" - We're going out tonight.
Welly	nearly, eg "Welly clemmed to jeth"
Wench	girl, still commonly used by parents towards daughters. From the Anglo- Saxon "Wencel" meaning child
Werrit	Worry
Whimsey	pit head winding gear
Wick	Nerves - as in 'Yow'm gerrin' on me wick.'
Wik	week or weak
Woa	won't, eg Yow woa
Wool	whole, often of a brick : "A wooly 'un"
Wool	will, eg Yow wool
Wurse or Wuss	Worse
Wum	home. "I'm gooin' wum"

Yamp(e)y	Useless, hopeless (as in "He's a yampy player)
Yawle or Yaup	bawl, shout or cry loudly
Yed	head
Yo(w)	you
Yoewer	your

Zowk	yelp, cry out
Zad	the letter Z