Foreigners write best about other countries as they see them as outsiders and pick up on the things that familiarity makes us blind to. George Mikes, a Hungarian immigrant to the UK ages ago, wrote a couple of books about how we do things - some of it's out-of-date these days but most of it rings true even now.
I agree with him about English humour - there's a joke that the reason we have a sense of humour is because it substitutes for our lack of social skills. ;)
In England, everything is the other way round:
- On the Continent there is one topic which should be avoided - the weather; in England, if you do not repeat the phrase "Lovely day, isn't it?" at least two hundred times a day, you are considered a bit dull.
- On the Continent stray cats are judged individually on their merit - some are loved, some are only respected; in England they are universally worshipped as in ancient Egypt. On the Continent people have good food; in England people have good table manners.
- Continental people are sensitive and touchy; the English take everything with an exquisite sense of humour - they are only offended if you tell them they have no sense of humour.
- People on the Continent either tell you the truth or lie; in England they hardly ever lie, but they would not dream of telling you the truth either.
- When people say England, they sometimes mean Great Britain, sometimes the United Kingdom, sometimes the British Isles - but never England.
- Many continentals think life is a game; the English think cricket is a game.
- Continental people have sex life; the English have hot-water bottles.
The English always ask “how are you?” to which you must always answer “fine thanks!” regardless of whether you are alive and kicking or on your deathbed. Such a dialogue would be unforgivable:
He: "How are you?"
You: "General state of health fairly satisfactory. Slight insomnia and a rather bad corn on left foot. Blood pressure low, digestion slow but normal."