Hot, hot, hot!

[Unframed Dave]

We've been in Northern France for the last couple of weeks. Normally, I'd be eyeing up the birds enthusiastically. With temps in the low 30s over the last 7 or 8 days, my enthusiasm has wandered elsewhere. Mostly Belgian beer, shade and breeze.

Is this an age thing, I am nearly 60 after all?

 

[iamdlewis]

In the low 30s, if the humidity is low then I would say yes, unless you got good shots of basically everything worth getting better shots of. It is your vacation so spend it however you want and don't feel bad about it.

 

[THXGEEK]

Alcohol might just be the missing-link to surprisingly creative ICM of BIF...

...YMMV, of course.

(PS, please be strapped/secured to your gear if you proceed down this path.)

 

[Richard A]

Low 30s is just an average summer day here. We actually had a more or less normal summer this year after it being milder than normal for about the previous four or five. I turned 65 a couple of months ago and have found that I can't handle the heat as well as I used to. Having said that, the cold doesn't bother me as much. It's really cold here today! 12℃!

My enthusiasm for beer hasn't waned. Whatever the weather.

 

[iamdlewis]

It's really cold here today! 12℃!

Usually for cold temps I would suggest that you always go with a base layer and then add in a downed jacket of at least 600 but for that extreme you are seeing I'd probably say a hoodie is enough. Hope you can make it through such rough weather.

 

[Unframed Dave]

That's the thing, we're used to cold, wet drab and grey. We moan about it endlessly, then when the sun comes out for more than 48hrs, we moan about that too.

It's the British psychi.

I'm home now and it's 33. Heady stuff.

Dave

 

[Chris 3754]

I read Sherlock Holmes as a kid with all the gloomy/foggy nights, then heard about all the bad English weather over the years. Also heard all the complaints about terrible English food. On my trips to the UK the weather has always been great and the food is excellent. I believe this is all an English conspiracy to keep us Americans out. Some really nice people too. No worries about an American invasion, we got all we needed 250 years ago…sorry could not help myself with the last comment it is a big anniversary after all

 

[Unframed Dave]

See now, I've been to 'Merica a few times. Detroit more times than I'd like for work, (I will never forget St Patrick's day), a road trip from Orlando to key west, and New York, (the wings on Statten Island were to die for).

I've watched every documentary on your country there is: cheers, big bang, Frasier, parks and rec, Superstore, Modern family, young Sheldon, the middle, Raymond, curb, the office, Seinfeld, etc.

Just recently, I've learned more about your politics than my own homeland.

Your weather is better, absolutely, but I reckon it depends where you are, but food, everyday food that is, we win hands down. To start we have proper chips, maris piper potatoes, lovingly caressed in bubbling washes of beef dripping. Not some skinny, French (actually invented by the Belgians) sticks of carbohydrate. Then there's the Sunday roast, as Carly sang, "nobody does it better", and bacon, proper bacon, from the animals back, cut thick for bite and griddled until crispy and finally, tea, made with just boiled water, in pots, using leaves, served in China cups. Not a T bag, in a mug with hot water from the tap!

Sorry, I have no idea where I'm going with this, my wife's driving, I'm bored and hungry. This isn't helping with the latter.

We don't have biscuits and gravy from red lobster though, which is a shame, I like them.

In all seriousness, I like to travel, I started young with work and developed a lust to taste everything there is. So far, I haven't found a winning cuisine, there's good and bad everywhere, we have jellied eels for some reason.

So there you have it. I guess. Whatever it is.

 

[Chris 3754]

Not sure where you went with that either LOL. I remember George Bush, the second one, who was famous for his “Merica” pronunciation speaking alongside Tony Blair during a press conference. All politics aside, I remember saying to myself we’re neanderthals after hearing them both speak. As the old saying goes, our countries are only separated by a common language. Like you, board at the moment while getting my pickup truck serviced, you do know what they are in the UK…LOL.

 

[Chris 3754]

The size of our pickup truck and/or lawn tractor is in direct inverse to a certain male body part.

 

[iamdlewis]

but food, everyday food that is, we win hands down.

my wife's driving, I'm bored and hungry. This isn't helping with the latter.

Clearly that is the hunger speaking. I'll give you the win for the tea (mostly because it's all bad) but everyday food? We invented and perfected the hamburger, we perfected the pizza, we created the Philly Cheesesteak, the fajita is ours, heck spaghetti and meatballs is ours and American's have the literal weight that proves our everyday food is better.

Also you might not want to suggest to anyone from NC west to CO and south of that line that you do a roast better because if you think we fight for freedom hard you most certainly don't want any part of a "who cooks cow best" discussion with any of them.