United
States
: Introduction
[This section is in the earliest stages of development: 26 December 2006 ]
Tempted, lured and enticed by movies such as Singin’
in the Rain, I have dreamt of visiting the
My visits to the US have influenced me greatly. I admire the energy and committed busyness of many of the places I have seen. There is more of a 'can do' attitude, rather than a 'make do' attitude. There is less of a sense of things having to be because they have always been that way that exists in the UK, and in other parts of western Europe. Everywhere that I have visited there is a much greater sense of cultural diversity than in most parts of the UK.I also love the prevalence of the internet - the US feels very 'switched on'.
I like some US language usage, and have adopted it, such as cellphone instead of the British mobile; elevator instead of the British lift; movie instead of the British film. On the other hand, I do not like sidewalk instead of pavement, bathroom or restroom instead of toilet, or gas instead of petrol(eum). Neither do I appreciate the illogical dating format that is nearly unique to the US; the use of imperial rather than metric measures; nor the use of a non-standard paper-size.
New York and New England
Washington DC
Florida
Illinois
Colorado
From all the photographs I have seen, including the wonderful photomontages created by David Hockney, and all documentary movies I have watched, and the reports I have heard, the Grand Canyon is unmissable. I should love to fly a small Piper over the area, perhaps at dawn.
West Coast
My brother said that San Francisco is one of the nicest cities he had visited, so I should like to go there. I enjoyed watching Sideways, and wonder whether northern and central California are worth a visit. I am reluctant to visit Los Angeles, and have little interest in Beverley Hills. However, I do feel drawn to the movie industry in Hollywood. I wonder if the dinosaur facility in San Diego, as shown in Jurassic Park II, is open to the public.
