I've settled into the charming town of Barnstaple in southwest England, and had a few moments to roam before engaging in research.
Barnstaple is pretty large, relative to the surrounding communities. Seeing indications of an air ambulance service somewhat verified that. The only other world location I've come across that is in Australia, which made perfect sense, given its vastness, but was surprised to find such a service here.
Next in my roamings was a wander down shop-lined streets and alleyways. It's fun finding building cornerstones with dates on them, and storefronts whose names reference previous or shared tenants. Previous names are often covered over or removed back in the states, whereas they are almost embraced here for their connection the the past. This former tobacco shop is a toy and gift shop now.
And then there are the business with connections to American corporations. The signage and lettering here easily connect the British restaurant chain Wimpy to the American parent company Burger King.
Grocers are another fun place to pop into, as they reflect what sells in the region. Of note here was the diet hard seltzer, because getting a buzz shouldn't ruin you figure.
There's also the product names, which have been adopted to the Queen's English. Asking for pork cracklings my get you a confused look, but pork scratchings? Yeah, we've got that!
Dialect differences were evident from start as we drove from the airport. Yield instead of Give Way. Roadside Assistance became Await Rescue. Something Americans haven't experienced yet (from what I know), but I've sen in Commonwealth countries, are Average Speed Cameras. The are set miles apart, and record you time entering and leaving that stretch of road. If the times are too close together, surprise! You've won a speeding ticket!
My favorite find was the old marker for a Day School and Gospel Hall, that is now a bar and The Tavern. Which is where I'll take my leave for a pint. All in all, an entertaining time capsule walk through time and trend.
Note: All images were taken by the author. No one objected, but some were amused.
