Dear Sandy, yes I think you are so right there! I lived in Winchester which used to be the Capital of England well over one thousands years ago, 9012 BC to be precise. We got a lot of American tourists there and they were fine and lovely to talk to and help out when they got lost, as they often did. I never ever met a bad one till this Texan and his poor suffering wife came into our local pub. Dressed with his hat on, a huge camera with a 'passed' sticker on it as you do. He started to criticize everything, little did he know that it is an Army and Rugby players pub, so there were some very hefty lads around.
He complained that the biggest steak he could get was 12 oz, as in Texas they eat 64 oz, then of course our beer, the weather, the shower in the Hotel, and the transport as he had to walk here (200 yards).
Then he did a definite no no, he started chatting up the Barmaid who was a pretty young lady, and he started making rather lewd suggestions to her. Thinking he was on to a good thing with her as she was being most polite, he sent his wife back to the Hotel! I do not think he had ever been in an English pub before, as in all pubs you can sense the Atmosphere, and it had changed for the worst! I was surprised that one of the lads had not made him exit via a window with a size 11 Army boot.
My old friend who was in the 51st Highland Division during the second world war calmly walked up to him and tapped him on his shoulder. The whole pub went deathly quiet, and my friend just asked the Texan if he could take a picture of the tree outside on the Cathedral green. The Texan just asked "what do I wanna do that for" and my friend replied "because it is 2400 years old, which in my estimation makes it a lot older than your Country."
The whole pub fell about laughing and this fat Texan went a lovely scarlet colour. As he walked to the door, the Rugby players stood up and slow hand clapped him out.
That Sandy is the only Texan I have ever met.
Regards.
Neil.
