Little things that need explanation

Ok i've been to most of the known world in my globetrotting but europe has been off my list and during my last visit I had a few questions and would appreciate any advice.    

In no specific order:

1.  Whats up with cell phones and 0845 numbers?  Highway robbery

2.  The one food item I miss is Saltines.  I understand that salt is kind of a bad no no in UK culture but the name alone can't be the reason they don't carry it.  Besides online has anyone found it in london?

3.  Sports - yes a personal problem I admit I don't enjoy soccer and ive found a few bars thats show NFL games and MLB games.   Any secret spots I need to know about?

4.  Back bacon / Canadian bacon - Why not (what I now know is called striped bacon?).  Obviously not a huge issue at the store etc. as you can find both but in restaurants its all canadian bacon - is it a cultural thing?

5.  Portion sizes - Ok yes I realize I shouldn't expect US portion sizes.  But 2.50 pounds for a sprite that is like 3 sips is semi ridiculous.  Its also many times incredibly wasteful, they will give you bottles that need to be recycled which is great but wouldn't a drink fountain make more sense both financially and for efforts to cut down on waste?  A bottle recycled still takes up time to process which uses energy etc etc.  Why have drink fountains never come into vogue?  Im not asking for a 48 oz drink but sometimes its ridiculous for the prices.

Anyway looking forward to getting to know you all more and any help with my questions would be helpful!

Saltines? Really? There are a variety of different types of cracker here (most of them quite salty- the reason salt is considered a bad guy in the media is that people eat way too much of it in processed food), most of them significantly more flavourful than freakin' saltines! Anyway, you can get similar crackers, they're just not called saltines; cream crackers are of a similar bland dryness, you just have to salt them yourself.
British bacon is back bacon, American bacon is streaky bacon. Back bacon is the most popular form here, so it's what gets called just bacon. It's also made of awesome and I've come to like it much better than streaky bacon.
Some places have soda fountains, but there isn't really the same kind of soft drink culture here as there is in the US. It's not expected that you'll get free refills or that portions will be large. Were you getting that elsewhere in the world? I always got the impression that the US was pretty much unique in that.

I have to add my 2 cents here, because I have always missed saltines. As good as the many cracker varieties are here, nothing quite compares to peanut butter on saltines. 

This may sound peculiar to some, but I totally understand!

Outsider Tart in Chiswick carries Saltines, and Selfridges probably does.

Mobiles seem to be much cheaper here than in the US. If you're calling 0845 numbers you probably should use a landline, or skype. If you have a smart phone put the skype ap on, add some skype credit and you get cheap calls.

I like the no giant/refillable soda thing, the boy drank a ridiculous amount of fizzy drinks when he first came over, now he's down to one a day and lots of water. Much healthier.

You could get that NFL pass if you were desperate and watch every NFL game you ever want. Secret Sports? Rugby? Cricket? Roller Derby?

You get streaky bacon all the time, burgers etc normally have streaky bacon in them. You don't get that crispy american bacon in the same way you don't get thick cut fat back bacon in America.

The explanation for all of these things, is that you're in a different country. The UK is not little America, despite speaking the same language. There's all sorts of reasons for things to be different, you wouldn't expect saltines to be sold in Malaysia, so why in the UK?

Saltines? Really? There are a variety of different types of cracker here (most of them quite salty- the reason salt is considered a bad guy in the media is that people eat way too much of it in processed food), most of them significantly more flavourful than freakin' saltines! Anyway, you can get similar crackers, they're just not called saltines; cream crackers are of a similar bland dryness, you just have to salt them yourself.
British bacon is back bacon, American bacon is streaky bacon. Back bacon is the most popular form here, so it's what gets called just bacon. It's also made of awesome and I've come to like it much better than streaky bacon.
Some places have soda fountains, but there isn't really the same kind of soft drink culture here as there is in the US. It's not expected that you'll get free refills or that portions will be large. Were you getting that elsewhere in the world? I always got the impression that the US was pretty much unique in that.

Hey Saltines are the food of the gods!  Just maybe not everyones thing but the second poster got it .

I know british bacon is back bacon I was simply kind of wondering why (Culture wise)

And the Soda thing is actually pretty European from what I can tell in my travels.  Most of NA, Asia and some parts of SA have soda fountains more than I saw in london (Maybe its london?).  Nothing is meant as a criticism I am just sort of opining about nothing...

Outsider Tart in Chiswick carries Saltines, and Selfridges probably does.

Mobiles seem to be much cheaper here than in the US. If you're calling 0845 numbers you probably should use a landline, or skype. If you have a smart phone put the skype ap on, add some skype credit and you get cheap calls.

I like the no giant/refillable soda thing, the boy drank a ridiculous amount of fizzy drinks when he first came over, now he's down to one a day and lots of water. Much healthier.

You could get that NFL pass if you were desperate and watch every NFL game you ever want. Secret Sports? Rugby? Cricket? Roller Derby?

You get streaky bacon all the time, burgers etc normally have streaky bacon in them. You don't get that crispy american bacon in the same way you don't get thick cut fat back bacon in America.

The explanation for all of these things, is that you're in a different country. The UK is not little America, despite speaking the same language. There's all sorts of reasons for things to be different, you wouldn't expect saltines to be sold in Malaysia, so why in the UK?

Thank you for the saltines advice!  That actually is cool I think its my most missed food item (Even if it seems stupid).

Most of the rest of the response seems hostile - im not asking hostile questions, just kind of curious as to why things are the way they are.  I'm just asking questions for their best intent not maligning anything and Malaysia is not the UK and comparing them on nearly any level is disingenuous at best.




I was just asking some questions im not trying to provoke hostility.  I realize countries are different (For anyone else who wants to reply). 

Just things that made me curious!

My husband got some very saltine-like crackers at an asian supermarket of all places. I think they were called sky crackers? Something like that. It may be worth a check.

My husband got some very saltine-like crackers at an asian supermarket of all places. I think they were called sky crackers? Something like that. It may be worth a check.

Good to know!  I will definitely look into it!  Thanks Miss Joules.

My husband got some very saltine-like crackers at an asian supermarket of all places. I think they were called sky crackers? Something like that. It may be worth a check.

Yep, they are the closest thing that I've found to my beloved Zesta crackers here.  There are also some Italian crackers that are similar (sorry can't remember the name right now) and they can be found in supermarkets.  The package is white. 
I'm sure it sounds strange but I love saltines (especially oyster crackers) on their own. 

2.  The one food item I miss is Saltines.  I understand that salt is kind of a bad no no in UK culture but the name alone can't be the reason they don't carry it.  Besides online has anyone found it in london?

I miss saltines too. Cream Crackers are similar, but are not the same! I've bought saltines in Partridge's in Kennsington.

I am also a on board with missing saltines but even more oyster crackers!!! 

I have gotten over it but can't say I don't wish for some every time we have chilli

The ones in the supermarket are good but sort of pricy.  Can't remember the name but they are in a white box and start with a D I believe.  Also the last time I got them they were individually packaged inside the box.  Happy hunting

Most of the rest of the response seems hostile - im not asking hostile questions, just kind of curious as to why things are the way they are.  I'm just asking questions for their best intent not maligning anything and Malaysia is not the UK and comparing them on nearly any level is disingenuous at best.

I'm not seeing any hostile posts here 
Surely... just like you have the right to say 'i miss saltines'... everyone else has the right to say 'i don't miss saltines because there are so many better types of crackers over here'.

Wherever you are buying your £2.50, 3-sip Sprites... I think you can find cheaper elsewhere!

Yep, they are the closest thing that I've found to my beloved Zesta crackers here.  There are also some Italian crackers that are similar (sorry can't remember the name right now) and they can be found in supermarkets.  The package is white. 
I'm sure it sounds strange but I love saltines (especially oyster crackers) on their own. 

I love Zesta crackers!  

Sigurd, I completely understand missing Saltines. I love those and oyster crackers. I miss plain Saltines, Saltines with peanut butter, Zesta crackers with chicken noodle soup, Oyster crackers with soup or chowder and Saltines with ginger ale when I'm not feeling my best. Completely understandable to miss Saltines.


Regarding soda, I also prefer fountain soda. It has nothing to do with quantity though. I feel like soda from a bottle is flat about 5 minutes after you open in and I don't like it. So if I'm having soda, I prefer it from a fountain and I agree that the price for the amount of soda you get is ridiculous sometimes.

I'm not seeing any hostile posts here 
Surely... just like you have the right to say 'i miss saltines'... everyone else has the right to say 'i don't miss saltines because there are so many better types of crackers over here'.

Wherever you are buying your £2.50, 3-sip Sprites... I think you can find cheaper elsewhere!

I never said any crackers were better or worse.  I said I miss saltines.  Yes everyone has the right to say anything but the first poster said saltines were something like bland and was incredulous I missed them.  Great first welcome for my first post when I said nothing disparaging about UK crackers.  I just said I missed mine.  Can't we have both?

And I meant 2.50 pounds in a restaurant and I don't set those prices.  I never said in a grocery store.

The ones in the supermarket are good but sort of pricy.  Can't remember the name but they are in a white box and start with a D I believe.  Also the last time I got them they were individually packaged inside the box.

Doriano 

Sigurd, I totally get what you mean about being curious why things are the way they are.  I find myself curious about things like that all the time, especially with language lol.  I've been here eight years, it's my home and I've adjusted really well, but I still find myself wondering at times "Why do they do/say (fill in the blank) this way?" 

If it makes you feel any better, if this weren't an expat forum and you had just said, 'I'm going to the store to get saltines, yum yum!' I'd still have said the same thing (because there are many cracker varieties in the US too). I've always found them a bit crap.

You may be detecting some hostility because these seem like somewhat pointless and disparaging questions. You're pointing out rather petty differences and asking, in a way that implies inferiority of the UK, why things aren't like they are in the good old US of A. Why does there have to be a why? As cheesebiscuit says, different countries are just different and have different things and there doesn't need to be a reason. We could ask why the US doesn't have brown sauce or Heinz baked beans or Galaxy chocolate, but it would be just as meaningless. Those things aren't there because they aren't. You can find them in particular places, like you can find saltines here, but they aren't widespread and that's just how it is.

You may say that you don't intend any disparagement with your questions, but if you read them again, they all have a UK-negative element about them, and the title of your post also implies that these are inferiorities for which you must have an explanation. I'm not saying you can't miss things from home (I go to great lengths to get Brasilian food and drink items, so I do understand) or ask if/where you can find them, but if you do it in such a way that makes people feel like your subtext is, 'Why does this stupid place not have any good stuff in it?' you might find people getting a bit huffy.