We have been blissfully disconnected from all things technological for the past few days but continue to be busy. I can't believe we have only been gone just over a couple of weeks. We have seen and done so much it feels like I've been here forever! I have even had some trouble remembering what day it is and what country I'm in...poor me!!
Wales is absolutely spectacular! We drove up the coast on Wednesday stopping at Harlech then Caernarfon Castles. The Snowdonia Mountains are incredible and there are huge flocks of sheep on every bit of grass and hillside! We went from being in the bottom of a valley to the very top of a mountain peak - so glad Dad was driving 'cause I wouldn't have been able to keep my eyes on the road!
Drove to the Isle of Anglesey yesterday and toured Beaumaris Castle then on to Conwy and the castle there. Amazing to see and many photos for my grade 4 medieval unit! I'll try to get the hundreds of photos down to something a little more manageable for them to sit through!! It does give a whole new perspective to the unit and the time period! While we were at Beaumaris, a group of school children arrived. I had a moment of longing for the Perth Road kids - until I watched them racing along the wall walks and jumping off the crumbling remains of walls!! They did eventually settle and had an art activity - sketching parts of the ruins! Can you imagine?! A field trip to a castle!
From Conwy we drove into Llandudno (learning Welsh and the Ll is pronounced - Cl...I'm getting a few snickers when I try to say place names!). It's a seaside resort with huge old Victorian hotels along the boardwalk. Had a quick bite to eat then went to a concert by the Trelawnyd Male Voice Choir. Dad's only request for our trip was to hear a Welsh choir so I was busy back in March surfing trying to find a concert that would be in the vicinity of where we were staying when we were there!! I'm so glad I found this one!! They won the Eistenfodd this year. (Don't have the spelling right so I'll have to do my "spell check" later!) It's a choir competition held in Llangollen (where we are staying) every summer! The voices were amazing - 100 men (most over 70, I think!!) and there were a few tears shed by us throughout the concert! They could fill the church with their sound or bring it down to a whisper. The chills I felt then were awe rather than cold!
For the final number, the audience joined them in "Guide Me O, Thou Great Jehovah"!! It is one of my favourite hymns and I quite enjoyed singing along with those voices! I think this has been a highlight of Dad's trip. He bought two CDs and we listened to them on the way back to our B&B. It was 47 miles but took us 1.25 hours!! We are averaging between 27-35 miles an hour with the narrow and winding roads. But, I am still glad to see the area remaining in it's natural state and not bowing to the pressure to widen roads for buses and demanding tourists!!
I am now at the Llangollen Public Library. Another perfect spring day and we are spending it in the town. We hope to take a ride on the horse drawn barge down the canal and visit the aqueduct. Plas Newydd is also in the area and has an interesting history of two women who "eloped" from Ireland in 1780 and spent the next 50 years in the centre of local Regency Society.
Tomorrow we head off to Glasgow then Aberdeen for a few days with our friends from Kingston (Liz, David, Rachel and Martin). While people have been incredibly friendly, it will be nice to see some familiar faces again!
