Things I've noticed

Being a passenger instead of the driver, I find myself noticing more things out the windows of the vehicle I am in.  Sometimes it is odd things, like the number of bridal shops there are in Southampton (they are everywhere!) , or the Kebab/Burger places that also sell Chinese food and fish and chips.  I've discovered the different kinds of charity shops, pharmacies,  and other Ma and Pa operations like book stores, butcher shops, florists, bakeries, and fresh food shops.  Then there are the names of the pubs (i.e. Stags, The Hobbit, The Giddy Bridge, The Jolly Taxpayer, The Cowherds, The Duck Inn....) Not to mention the variety and amount of foliage and the critters that live in them (Squirrels, rats, birds).  I also started to notice the variations in types of roads, especially ones I've never heard of before.  This led me to pay attention to how many different ones there actually were.  In case you ever wondered, or if you haven't, here are the roads I have discovered. 

The first one that caught my attention was close.  So it would be *name* Close.  This is a residential street that has no through access.  We could really use this one in the states....
Then there is the crescent.  It is as you would think, a road that curves  in a semi circle. Next  is the Terrace.  So named for the terrace houses that line it. Every town has a High Street.  This is the street that has all the shops on it. Some roads are labeled for the things that are next to it like Mede, Garden, Grove, Square, Green, Esplanade and Quay (pronounced key).  Some I'm still trying to figure out (here in the UK a couple don't really make sense....) are Valley, Saint, Ridge, Mount, Chase, and Circus (i.e. Piccadilly Circus in London). You also have Park, Place, and Broadway. Hmmm Monopoly anyone? Oh wait,that's Boardwalk....Then there are the usual Avenue, Court, Drive, Lane, Road, Square, Street, and Way. However I have not seen boulevard or cul-de-sac. Maybe because these are French words. Just a guess. 

Motorways are always 'M' roads like the M5.  These are the same as Freeways.  Divided Highways are called dual carriage ways and are labeled 'A' roads.  Bypasses are ring roads and the ramps on and off of the motorway are slip roads. Almost all intersections are roundabouts and they go to the left ..... In case you are wondering they measure in miles here, not kilometers, and the normal speed limit on the motorway is 70 mph. 

So add these to the list you learned last week.  If you are having issues translating last week blog you can find the American equivalents for the words on the 'Say What?' page. 

I guess I have a strange curiosity about words. This could  help explain why I'm here studying what I am studying. But it is also fun just to notice 'mundane' things and ponder why. You should try it.  What did you notice the last time you went for a ride?