English Landmarks

Remains of Hadrian's Wall

The English landscape is filled with many structures over the years. Even from around 100 A.D. things like Stonehenge and Hadrian's Wall were already standing. Stonehenge being a mysterious construction because people do not know its exact purpose. Some believe it to be a time machine of sorts, or at least that's what its purpose was. Hadrian's Walls' purpose is known because during the time the Roman empire owned what is today the entire United Kingdom. They had the wall built to keep invaders out and it was surrounded by troops who patrolled it at all times.

There are many famous cathedrals in England as well. One of the most well-known being Westminster Abbey. The chapel was built in 1245 under the rule of King Henry III. The windows are filled with priceless stained glass paintings and large statues of different people from the Anglo-Saxon era. The abbey did exist before 1245, in 960, but it was redesigned in a Gothic-type style. Every King since 1066 has been crowned here with the exception of Edward V and Edward VIII who ruled with never being crowned.

Popular Music from England

During the 60s, 70s, and 80s, many of the world's biggest bands were started in England. One of the foremost names being the Beatles. The Beatles started in Liverpool, England, in 1960. John Lennon and Paul McCartney met in their teens and created what would later be known as The Beatles. In the same decade, in 1968, Led Zeppelin formed out of Jimmy Page, John Bohnam, Robert Plant, and John Paul Jones. These two bands revolutionized the rock genre by combining the intensity of hard rock with the finesse of British folk music.

Common Opinions

Some common opinions about England is that everyone there has really bad teeth. Or that they're still ruled over by the Queen and sit around sipping tea all day. Although from personally knowing a few British people, the tea thing is mostly true. The truth is the people of England are run by a parliament whose lead by the Prime Minister. The Queen has as much power in Canada than she does in England, but the monarchy itself only exists for ceremonial and tourist reasons. Another popular opinion about England that's factual is that the weather is dreary and rainy most of the time. A common misconception is that all British people get free universal healthcare. This is partially true. If you were to get into an accident and break your arms, legs etc. and have to be taken to the hospital, that would most likely be taken care of free of charge. On the other hand, if you have a long-term illness and are bedridden in hospital, you will probably be charge for all the medication and treatment. Basically they have an approval list of what is and is not accepted as needed to use emergency funds. Another popular opinion, mostly among other Europeans, is that all British people have this sense of superiority over other cultures. An example would be someone that they would call a chav, which is someone that's more than likely a teenager with a  lower class background who is just generally a juvenile delinquent.

The "Chavalier"

England

Every since I was around the age of 17 I've been very interested in the country of England. England, whose capital is London, is actually part of the United Kingdom, which was first formed in 1536 with the joining of England and Wales. It wasn't until 1707 that Scotland joined the union, and later yet Ireland chose to merge in 1801. Interestingly enough though, in 1922, Southern Ireland decided to become independent and is no longer considered to be part of the United Kingdom. When referred to as "Great Britain", that secludes Northern Ireland is only talking about England, Scotland, and Wales. England specifically comprises 84% of the countries population, with the majority being in the southeast and southwest around London. It started when I would be playing video games online and there was VOIP (voice over internet provider) services that were massively used by the players. I talked to many people from all over Europe, but the people I got along with the best were the British people. Ever since then I got to know a good number of people who I talk to regularly and have known for years. Becoming more and more interested in the country I began looking up maps and pictures of popular tourist sites and such and I thought it just looked like a cool place to be. Obviously it's a very old country with a lot of interesting landmarks. London, for example, has a giant Ferris wheel called the London Eye, and Westminster Abbey that has been the place where the British have crowned their kings and queens since 1066.

London Eye