Well, we’re off to the UK for an old-fashioned England and Scotland vacation. We expect the usual sites, Austin Powers, the Beatles, and lots of guys in skirts. Of course, we’re planning to see all the old standards, Big Ben, Parliament, Buckingham Palace, and the Tower of London. What I’m really excited about are the non-traditional sites that no one makes a point to see:
1) The British Museum of Dentistry. Not a lot of people know about this, but Britain features prominently in the history of teeth-pulling. This museum devotes all of its floor space to the chronological walkthrough of the UK’s oral history. Luckily, it’s a short tour, as the Brits have made no signficant advancements since 1746.
2) Sir Francis’ House of Bacon. Lot’s of people know of Francis Bacon as a relatively outdated British intellectual, who may or may not have written Shakespeare’s plays. What they don’t know was that his greatest invention was a little slice of pork heaven that bears his name. What better place to try a BLT than in the joint where the B was invented? I can feel my arteries clogging as I type!
3) The Original McDonalds. Most Americans think that McDonalds got its start in California in the 1950’s. Wrong! It actually began in Scotland a decade earlier when Ian and Corin McDonald added a new feature to the menu of their roadside haggis stand. They called it the Edinburger, and it featured a half-kilo of beef, three buns, and their special sauce, which was whisky. Word soon got out and it made its way across the pond to America. Sure, some changes were made–the “Edinburger” became the “Big Mac” and the special sauce became thousand island dressing, but the stand still remains. Most of all I just want to get my picture taken in front of their signature plaid arches.
We’ve got quite the itinerary to keep if we’re going to make all of these stops, but I’m confident that we can see everything we need to see, plus the REALLy good spots listed above. So, if I can get a good internet connection, I will keep updating our progress. Until then, cheerio!
