Bore Da

Not only knackered, but sick! I didn't want to admit it because it might become more real, but I was attacked by an aggressive sore throat in Shrewsbury. I gargled it to the death but it left me feeling weak and ucky. However I don't take sickness lieing down, so off I went to create havoc and mayhem in the local villag... no, that's a different story. In THIS story, I went on the bus to see Harlech Castle where I met Luke, who was being rewarded for good behaviour at nursery school by going on a outing with his mum, Jane. They got off the bus with me and offered to show me the way to the castle. Luke began singing his Good morning song, in Welsh (Bore da, pronounced bo-RAY-da means Good Day in Welsh), and I liked it so much that I of course reciprocated with Rubber Duckie, which Jane and Luke had never heard!!! Amazing! There are more differences between our countries than buildings and currencies! Anyway, that was great fun, and I got a photo of Luke posing in his medieval knight's outfit on the battlements of the castle. The upshot was that when I left the castle an hour later, I realized I'd been singing instead of paying attention, and didn't have a clue how to return to the bus. Lost. Didn't remember a thing except the car park across the street, and that was enough for the kind stranger to direct me.

The best thing about Barmouth was an amateur play called Gulliver, about Jonathon Swift and his fear of insanity. Absolutely terrific! Four actors brought all the characters in Gulliver's Travels to life. I don't know whether it could be acquired for HITS to have a read... worth a look if it's possible.

After Barmouth, I took a steam train to Blaenau Fflestiniog (no, I can't pronounce it). Met Richard from Holland on the train, who was volunteering on the railway for 3 weeks... told me anyone can volunteer and gets free board, so that would be fun to do another time... Then on to Bettwys-y-Coed near Snowdonia. I took local buses through the mountains, and so enjoyed seeing the tiny villages and hearing everyone chatting in Welsh... everyone seemed to know each other.
Then dropped into Conwy on my way to Holyhead and the ferry to Ireland, which is where I am now, in an internet cafe in Dublin, and hoping to hear some Irish music and dance.