Unravelling the British Class System

OK, well maybe not entirely unravelled here! But just a few pointers.

Yes, the UK has a very complex class system. It might take a whole PhD (or more) to describe it all! I am not 100% sure I agree with the class system, but it exists. And I suspect it does due to our historical context as a feudal society (and later, maybe as an empire?) Today, the class system in the UK is not 'open' - for example you are not allowed, by law or good social standards, to favour or disfavour people because of their class. But it still happens in subtle ways. And if you are a British native, you will instinctively know the small differences which show someone's class. From my conversations overseas, I think it is much more difficult for a foreigner to make these distinctions. And here are some reasons why!

1. People pretend to be other classes
This cuts both ways. Traditionally you imagine lower class people wanting to seem higher class. This still happens, and if there is money involved, you can send your child to the upper class schools etc and do it that way. Although there will probably still be small giveaways noticeable to native British people. David and Victoria Beckham are classic examples of successful working class people who have aspired to an upper class life. In the UK Victoria's nickname 'Posh' was partly an affectionate joke, because she wasn't really posh (but perhaps wanted to be!)

Also, a lot of upper-middle / upper-class people try to pretend that they are lower class. This is particularly common in young people (and celebrities!) In many circles it is considered 'uncool' to have, for example, a posh accent - so people fake their accent to sound more regional or lower class. In London we sometimes call this 'Mockney' (fake Cockney!)

2. Class is not necessarily connected to money
This met with very strange reactions from some of my Asian friends! Traditionally, class in the UK is carried from old bloodlines. So you might have people from an old, aristocratic bloodline, whose family no longer has much money. But they are still identifiable as upper-class. You can usually tell from accent (even Mockney is quite easy to spot for a local!) but also shoes, clothes, sometimes name, and other details.

Conversely, as with the Beckhams - everyone is free to make money these days, and you don't have to be from an aristocratic bloodline to do it!

3. Really posh people often look very scruffy
Consider the Queen, when she is not 'at work'. She is usually in an old tartan skirt, muddy rubber boots, a dirty jacket and headscarf. Consider Victoria Beckham, when she is 'not at work' - she looks smart and polished, in fact: rich.

There is a sort of understanding in the UK that if you are genuinely upper-class, you don't have to 'try too hard'. And (I believe like in Japan) flashiness of clothes or possessions is considered vulgar. Understated is often much more respected in posh circles, and in some cases, like the Queen's - scruffy old clothes are an obvious sign of position!

Battered-up shoes and clothes (but of certain styles and brands) are a sign of higher class. Shiny new things might not be.

Queen Elizabeth

Confused? Well I did say it could make a PhD topic! If you really want to understand how the weird British class system works, you probably have to go and live in the UK for several decades. But on a better note, and hopefully increasingly these days: anything goes!

Nifty SG device for geriatrics

Which I noticed today. Basically, oldies or the less able can tap a special card on the pedestrian crossing point, and it allows a bit more time to cross the road before the lights change. It's called the Green Man Plus card. Wish I'd had something like this when I had crutches! (Honestly, a regular road-cross can feel like a terrifying uber-sprint if you're not 100% in working order!)

A good move for the less able in SG, though. Not sure if anything like this exists in the UK now. 

Matcha of the Day: Starbucks!

Yep. In Singapore Starbucks serves matcha too (called 'green tea' on the menu). There are two basic choices: an ice-blended frappuccino; and a regular hot latte. 

I prefer the latte, without syrup. It is still pretty sweet without additional syrup, and this option allows you to better taste a slight matcha bitterness. At SG$6.70 for a grande, it's not your cheapest drink in the city, but the flavour is passable, and you'll find a Starbucks conveniently placed on most street corners!

Matcha of the Day: Nana's Green Tea

This is currently my favourite matcha drinks server in Singapore. The outfit is originally from Japan and it has both a sit-in dining area, and a take-away kiosk. 

What I like most is the fact that the matcha here is properly (dark) green and actually tastes bitter and like matcha! My absolute favourite choice at the moment is the Matcha Kanten Slushy: ice-blended matcha latte, with green kanten jelly and black soy beans in it (plus a dash of brown sugar syrup). The beans are bitter too, and it's a really yummy combo in my opinion! It kind of sits halfway between a drink and a dessert, for (to sit-in) around SG$8, including service etc. 

Nana's also serves many other matcha drink and dessert choices, plus regular sundaes and very passable Japanese savoury dishes too. Service at Nana's is patchy - varying from the very polite and friendly (generally the Japanese staff!) to the slightly surly...

Nana's Green Tea
Level 3 Plaza Singapura (new wing) 
Dhoby Ghaut, Singapore
nearest MRT: Dhoby Ghaut

Invasion of the Tropical Swallowtail Moths!

Yep, these guys - with a whopping 16cm wingspan - are fluttering and sitting all over Singapore at the moment. And you'll see them across social media here, as well as in your apartment building, garden, local park. It's the first time I've ever seen this impressive creature, so it's slightly surprising to bump into them a few times per day now!

Their Latin name is Lyssa Zampa, and it seems that occasionally there are large numbers spotted around summer months - the last flurry being in 2005. But I have yet to find out why! (Maybe the experts don't fully know?)

In general they seem to be a little bit listless; moths are generally nocturnal, so they're usually sleeping during the day when we see them.

But there is no doubt that they are rather beautiful, and for a Westerner used to very modestly-sized insect life - huge!

Culture clash: sharing food

I've been out with a couple of Japanese friends recently, and noted that they found it strange to order and eat your own plate of food in a restaurant. 

In many Asian cultures (including Japanese) it is more common to order a few mutual dishes. These are put in the middle of the table, and shared using chopsticks to transfer bits from the 'common dishes' onto a bowl or plate of your own before you eat. This is not always the case with Asian cuisine, but it is much more common. And the food (and implements) are suited to this style.

But this is not the way Western / European food is eaten. It had never occurred to me before, but some Japanese friends actually feel uncomfortable 'not sharing' while eating Western dishes. I guess because it probably seems a bit ungenerous, compared to the Asian style. I had just taken it for granted that Asian food is shared, European food is not. And in fact, when it comes to Western dishes, to suddenly group-share a bowl of pasta or a serving of roast dinner makes me feel uncomfortable too! Because that is not how it is supposed to be eaten.

Again, there are one or two exceptions in food from Western Europe (fondue, giant pizzas?) But in the UK, 99% of the time we eat our own, individual, plates of food. This is especially the case in restaurants. Each person will order what they want to eat and pay for from the menu, and you and your companion will eat your own chosen dishes while chatting etc. Sharing a main course would be positively odd to us, and for most Western dishes, the servings are designed with a selection of meat, carbs, veggies for a single diner. In fact, sharing it is an unhygienic prospect too: chopsticks don't touch the mouth / lips - but digging into a main course with different sets of knives and forks is definitely not a pleasant thought - and probably a delight for hepatitis and the cold and flu viruses! (Occasionally couples, or parents with children, might eat from the same plate - but other groups would not.) 

At home, you might all have the same food from a common pot - but the pot will stay on the cooker (where it can keep warm). And each person will be served his/her individual plate of food from it to take to the table. For a roast dinner or a summer salad table, some items might be put on the table for people to take from - but we use special 'clean' serving spoons to transfer food onto our own plates. For people to 'eat from it' using their own knives and forks would be considered very rude indeed!

Individual serving of a UK roast lunch!

In a way, the Western eating tradition seems less social as there is less sharing. (In a restaurant, we still  might share a bottle of wine, basket of bread, or 'accessories' however!) But apart from the hygiene aspect, in the modern day, many people have food preferences and allergies, which actually makes individual eating out far more practical too. In fact, eating style is probably very reflective of the way different societies are organised: Asian cultures tend to be very focused on the group; Western cultures are more individual. There is nothing wrong with either.

Overall, I think the rule-of-thumb is to eat each geographical cuisine as it is designed to be eaten, and enjoy! 

Hmmm...

I note that, although I have to do all my blogging using Firefox (to enable photo uploads etc), none of the new posts are showing up on Firefox. But they're all visible on Explorer. 

Anyone got a clue as to why this is happening?

I enjoy blogging, but using the Blogger platform has become a very trying experience. I'm having to have several screens open with different browsers in order to post these days!