The Thing about Knobs

Now this entry could come across as immature and rude, but you have to understand how names and words have different references in different cultures and places.

This is up on the Blue Ridge Parkway and we're about to enter Ferrin Knob Tunnel. In the UK "Knob" is playground (schoolyard) slang for 'penis'. So, when looking at maps and Google Earth for the USA, especially these hilly and mountainous areas, there are lots of knobs named. Green Knob, Ferrin Knob, and yes, there is a Big Knob somewhere.

The added humour here is this Knob Tunnel... I hope I don't need to explain how that could be interpreted!

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.

Engaging American Culture

So, after Waffle House, we had time to kill. It was Easter Sunday and we were meant to be attending an Easter Sunrise service at a lake in some woods nearby.

Time to go shopping! Yes, Wal*Mart time it was. 3:30 in the morning, I bought my first CD in the States. Such a good price, and a double CD and DVD of Garth Brooks, whom I love.

America is a BIG country, so, yes the stores come big too it seems. I think this store was in or near Pendleton South Carolina.

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.

Welcome to the House of Waffle

I've never flown for more than about one hour before. So having flown five hours west, I was five hours behind my body clock. Cue midnight munchies.

At 2am my body says "it's 7am, time to wake, get some breakfast". Hmmmn. I couldn't settle, so we ended up heading out to a Waffle House. Again I'd never heard of these before, but came to see them everywhere.

So here is my first American Breakfast. Omlette, toast and hash browns. Yes, if you're English those ARE hash browns on the left. If you're American, English hash browns are like the ones in McDonalds. Hang on. Isn't McDonalds an American export? Anyway, that was something of a cultural shock. Very nice though. For a hungry tummy at 2am, it did the job admirably.

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.

Lots of Crazy Crap on the Walls!

At Cracker Barrell, I suddenly recognised some American Culture which had previously been brought to me courtesy of The Simpsons. There's an episode where Mo transforms his diner to a more themed establishment with 'lots of crazy crap on the walls'. When it's a client's birthday or celebration, members of staff will gather round and sing a mad celebratory song, which certainly isn't English!

Well, here at Cracker Barrell, there was lots of crazy crap on the walls, and a table nearby us was celebrating something. Then a number of staff gathered around and started singing maniacally for the prinicipal celebrant. This IS the Simpsons incarnated!

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.

I wanted an iconic American dish!

Well, my first meal in the US had to be something typically American, something iconic. So, here it is - a burger and fries (NOT chips - that's another matter!). Yes, it was an awesome burger, courtesy of 'Cracker Barrell'.

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.

I am English. Tea should be hot!

Now, new country, new ways. When in Rome etc etc. So I'd asked to sample some typical American dishes and drinks, and was told that this was a good ol' Southern Drink. Sweet tea. Cold. Sugary, and stacks of ice. Well, I tried, you know. A couple sips was enough for me to recoil in horror and realise that being English (well, yes, personal taste too) had conditioned me to feel that tea should be hot, usually with milk, and drank from ceramic cups / mugs.

This was at a 'Cracker Barrell'. I'd never heard of it, but was told it was an American institution of sorts. Taken in South Carolina, and if I recall correctly there was a huge apple or pear nearby unintentionally (or maybe not) resembling a gargantuan naked ass (or arse, if you're English).

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.