Friday, June 06, 2008

Odd Signs while abroad

We encountered a few odd signs while we were in England and Ireland.
They seemed odd to us as 'Stupid Americans' but probably make perfect sense to the Brits.

No Nothing at any time
This sign seems to say No doing anything or nothing at any time. It doesn't exactly tell us what we aren't supposed to do. There is nothing in the circle that the line is crossing out. Are we to do nothing? Or make sure we aren't doing nothing?
We eventually figured out it meant no parking, but again - confusing at first.

Great Tastes of America

We loved this one. Mostly because at Mickey D's in Ireland they were having a "Tastes of America" campaign where you could buy burgers that were supposedly from various areas in America. It gave great insight into what they thought America's tastes or flavors supposedly are.
The Miami burger - 100% beef, bacon, monteray jack cheese, lettuce onion and cheese sauce on a chili-chive bun (Doesn't that just scream South Beach to you!!?)
The New York Supreme - beef, mayo, bacon and american cheese on a sesame seed bun
The California Supreme - beef, bacon, monteray jack cheese, tomato sauce on a sesame seed bun
Arizona Grande - beef, bacon (they sure think we like bacon huh?), monteray jack cheese, mayo & peppers on a chili-chive bun
And the best was the Oreo Toffee Flurry. Labeled as a great taste of America, it's a flurry flavor you can't even get in America.

Children on the Rampage
This sign was posted outside the Old Mill in Lower Slaughter I believe. I love the word rampage. Not unruly, not disruptive, but children who are rampaging through the center will be removed. Great choice of words!

Humped Crossings/ Humped Zebras
These signs were everywhere. "Humps - next 10 yards" or "Humped Crossing".
Our favorite were the humped zebra signs. We learned that zebras were pedestrian crossings (those zigzagged lines you see on the roads). And if they were raised, they were considered 'humped'. Still, in our perverse American minds it gave way to all kinds of jokes and innuendos.

Recycled Teenagers
It's a bit hard to see in this picture, but on the chalkboard sign it says "Recycled Teenagers - over 50's" This particular pub was calling senior citizens (or the over 50's set) recycled teens. So over course, we had to get our very own recycled teens to pose in front of the sign.
Also, not so much a sign, but you could hear over intercoms and such at the train/plane stations about 'super citizens' instead of senior citizens. It brought to mind a kind of ultra-patriotic, super hero kind of Brit. Someone wearing the Union Jack as a cape and calling themselves "Britain Man".

Stonking Good!
We ran across this sign in the theater district. We don't what stonking is, but we sure do want to have some. I do think we had a stonking good time in jolly ole' London.

Mind the Gap
Seen all around at Subway Stations (or the tube or Underground as it is called there) We know it means watch your step, but we saw various versions of this all around England. "Mind your head" when going through a small door, "Mind your step" when walking over rough terrain. But it brings to mind the idea of obeying the gap or step "Mind your mother, Mind the gap".
Maybe we're just weird and overthink things.


Riding with Hitler
This was a sign in the British war Museum and apparently part of a campaign during WWII. But can you imagine the same sign today? When you ride alone you ride with Osama Bin Laden?

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