To Padraig and others with constructive comments and information, thanks. My intent, always, is to learn and to not offend deliberately. When I came across the wording in Steves I was puzzled by it so, thus, went to Fodor only to find the same wording. As I am a hopeless Anglophile and have a special love for both Scotland and England (and have visited both multiple times), it seemed a curious distinction to make as I'd not seen it before.

We'll be making a return trip to England and Wales next year and our first visit to Northern Ireland. Hence, I'm trying to become an informed visitor.

You meann I'm a citizen now. I grew up as a subject and at some point I changed. Gosh I bet its not called the Common Market now and is soemthing like the European Union.

So weird

I just checked by old passports. Looks like I changed status about 15 years ago. Provinces, we call them countries, though I'm not sure if we will be able to afford in 2011

I forgot to mention the other option: Norn Iron.

Padraig, Norn Iron is clearly one of the things Steves got right. He tells us about that sobriquet in his book and we have been practicing it assiduously. Sort of like Balmer, Merlin, inn't it?

Cheers,
BigBlue

Don't forget Canada! We're a "dominion" you know. ;)

What about Narnia??

BC