(so the grammar may be wonky...but you get the idea :p )
Spent a week - well, 5 days - in Wales and it was fab! The weather was typically Welsh - bit of everything, but thankfully not much rain so it was all good.
First stop on day one was the town of Blaenavon and the coal mining museum Big Pit. The South of Wales was known for coal mining until Margaret Thatcher stopped it (forgive me for not remembering the year - my head can only hold so much info, and dates usually don't cut it! )
We had an ex-miner take us through the mines and explain how coal mining was done and what it involved. Not only the technical aspects but the way of life. Because it was a way of life and with the end of coal mining it ended the careers of many. Not only that, but so many men suffered from a type of pneumonia due to the coal dust.
It was intriguing - how mining was originally. From women and child labour (children as young as six) to the changes made; as simple as installing shower blocks for the men, and the difference this made to their home lives.
Nothing powered by a dry cell was allowed underground - and that included my camera (sigh), reason - it affects the signalling system. Although the mine is a museum it is still classified as a working mine and so has to adhere to mining regulations. Best of all - it doesn't cost a cent! Uh, make that a penny! This is all part of the Welsh Assembly's initiative allowing free access to some heritage sites/museums.From Big Pit made our way through the Brecon Beacon National Park - oh so pretty, pity all we did was drive through it.
That's the only thing with tour's like these -they are but a taster to what a place has to offer!
Take Hay-on-Wye...my heart broke when we arrived in this town. It is known as the second hand bookstore capital and do you think I bought a book!?!Not a single one! Instead, I had to compromise by taking photographs only. Poor compenstation I tell you - being in a town with so many many book stores (more than 35) - and cheap! - and not buying a single one.
Self control - being on a budget and not having the space for any books! To make matters worse the Hay Book Festival was on and we didn't even get to go since we only had about an hour in the town.
Way way way too short - I could spend an entire weekend in that town and I'm sure there'd still be more books to browse and purchase. There's just something about the smell of books - be they old or new...and in this instance the smell of mostly old books...awesome!
Hay-on-Wye to our first overnight stop -Caerdydd. I didn't really do too much, having been there before, arriving late and it being a bank holiday.
From here we left the south and headed up north - to beautiful Welsh Country side... rolling green hills and plenty of sheep! Throw in a ruin or two, quaint small towns and the Welsh language.
It is a lovely language to listen to - as is the case with most foreign languages I guess.
Had a bit of a weather change, but at least the rain held off. We had many a-stares being in bright yellow bus with Gorgeous on the one side, Wild and Sexy on the other and something insulting for an irishman on the bonnet...We stayed in a farmhouse on the outskirts of Snowdonia. It was just us, and it was good. Group dinner (el-cheapo, working out at just over two quid a head - score!) - some cooked, some cleaned...and we all became known by a vegetable or fruit, as linked to your name, for the rest of the trip.
That night I saw my first starry sky in ages...was beautiful. And I even saw a shooting star.
From the farm house, made our way in and out of the Snowdonia National Park for the next two days. We stopped at Conwy (pronounced Conway...don't ask) - a seaside town with a castle...and Britain's smallest house. It only has two bedrooms, and no ablution facilities. It is now merely for tourists to view as it has been condemned.
Back in the Snowdonia National Park - pity it was quite cloudy; we didn't get to see the top of Snowdon. Despite this - it was, of course, still magnificent. Had a strollette (our tour guide's 
words...not mine) to a waterfall on the Watkin path. If we'd continued on the trail would've made to Snowdon...but alas, no time (and legal requirements about being led on a trail...the UK has a shiteload of paperwork for pretty much everything I tell you!)Onward to Beddgelert (pronounced Beth Gelert) - this village has the grave site of Gelert, Llewylln (Lh-owe-lyn) the Last's faithful dog.
The story has it what Prince Llewylln was out hunting but without Gelert, and he'd left his baby behind (his mother having died in child birth). While Llewylln was away a wolf came, Gelert moved the baby from his usual room, covered him with a blanket then fought and killed the wolf in an adjacent room. Gelert was exhausted by the end of it all, and covered in blood but managed to drag himself to where he hid the baby.
Llewylln comes home, sees blood everywhere, the baby not where he left it, and Gelert covered in blood (asleep) and jumps to the wrong conclusion. Draws his sword, slays Gelert and Gelert's yelps wakes the baby...and it is only then that Llewylln sees the wolf in the next room and realises that Gelert was protecting his baby. It's said that from that day Llewylln did not smile again.
So this town is in memory of Gelert.
Then it was longest place name in Britain...I'm not even going to type it out - I'll let the picture do that for you...but it means: The church of Mary in the hollow of the white hazel near the fierce whirlpool and the church of Tysilio by the red cave.
Now why someone would name a place that...they alone know...but we're told it was to attract tourists way back when. And Llangfare-P G still does.
Next stop Caernarfan, another seaside town...also with a castle. You can still see the outer walls of the castle around the town. Had supper/dinner/tea...whatever you wish to call it, in a local pub.
Good food, but I don't think I've had so much starch all in one sitting before. I had Welsh pie - minced lamb and mash potato, and this comes with a serving of chips. I opted for thick ones - which were more like roast potatoes...but so yummy! I finished most of the mash, all my chips, and most of one of the girl's thick cut chips too!
It was the Barce - Man Utd game, we just stayed for the first half (most of us not being footie fans). What I enjoyed most was sitting listening to Welsh being spoken. It was so cool :)
More driving the next day...and another ruined castle - Castell-Y-Bere. More rolling hills and plenty of sheep. At one end of the castle all you could hear were sheep - baaa, meeee - chorusing from different sides.
The town nearest to this was Abergynolwyn - you know you're in a small town when the post office is only open 9-1 Monday and Wednesday and you have to ring otherwise!
Lunch was in Machynlleth and then we made our way through a small part of the Elan Valley. The water from here gets pumped to Birmingham. Or did - can't recall if it's still the case.
Stopped in another unpronouncable small town - this time the place where Prince Llewylln the last was beheaded by King Edward's (the first I think) army...without them knowing it was him. And we saw the well where his head was allegedly rinsed off before being taken to London where it was put on a stick and paraded around
Yes, I know...it is all a bit morbid.
We slept in Mexico - seriously.
A hostel called Mexico, and had Mexican food, and it's decorated in Mexican art and crafts...nearest town was Carmathan - but not near enough to walk to...so it was just us, and I think two Englishman who were going cliff diving (or somesort) the next day.
The last day had us making our way to Caerphilly, and Caerphilly castle. I think it is the second biggest castle in Britain (after Windsor). Then it was the town of Caerleon - Roman baths, Roman barracks and Roman Amphithere - all left from the time the Roman empire invaded England and then moved up to Wales...and then the unexciting motorway back to London town
London town has been great - appears summer is here! Everyone out in shades, shorts and tees.
Next stop - the start of my month long Europe adventure: Roma!
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