Croeso i Gymru

That means “Welcome to Wales” in Welsh.  We just returned from a long weekend in Wales.

Interestingly, the name Wales derives from the Saxon word waleas meaning foreigners. The inhabitants, who call themselves cyrmy, have managed to maintain their unique Celtic heritage despite their integration into the United Kingdom. Street signs display their message in both Welsh and English and we heard the beautiful sounds of Welsh on the streets and in the stores.

We spent Friday night in a town called Llandudno, a seaside resort in the coast of North Wales. The weather wasn’t ideal for a beach holiday, but despite the cold, the hail, and the wind, we all enjoyed our time at the ocean.

It was low tide and it was interesting to see all the rocks and mussels and seaweed hidden in the bay.

You can get a sense for the abundance of hotels lining the promenade in Llandudno. I thought it was quite nice for a resort town, which are often a bit on the tacky side. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of arcades, souvenir shops, and even cotton candy vendors, but it all has a Victorian feel to it.

Here they are dancing on the pier with a song in their hearts!