Friday, September 22, 2006
WHAT WE DONE ON OUR BREAK, VOLUME TWO
Visited North Wales.
The first time I travelled through the heart of North Wales was on a coach trip, destination unremembered, when I was about nine years old, and it was a pretty overwhelming experience.
Afterwards, my mother was liable to tell her family and friends "it was the first time that **** thought that there might be some greater power controlling everything, because the scenery was so beautiful".
... which might have been taking it too far.
I mean, I'd not actually travelled anywhere during my childhood. In the 1960's and 70's, if you came from a working class family you went to the same holiday destination, year in, year out, in the same way that you always supported the same football team. To do otherwise was unthinkable. We didn't have a car, so a bus drive to Walsall Illuminations was as exciting as it got until I became a cosmopolitan lower middle class "ooh, we're going on a city break to Budapest ackcherleee, it should be absolutelee fascinating" insufferably smug twat about two years ago.
So North Wales - which wasn't actually very far from my West Midlands' home - has always seemed impossibly exotic to me.
I know I have a closed mind, but to me there's nothing more perfect than looking out over the coast from Llanddwyn Island on a sunny afternoon.
... but then I haven't visited Echo Beach ...
Comments:
North Wales is a beautiful place. We haven't done that side of Anglesey yet though and I'm wondering what the access is like on that bit because S can't do the long walks too good and Multimap's not that helpful.
That was way too normal a post.
That was way too normal a post.
# posted by 
: 11:57 am
: 11:57 am
"but then I haven't visited Echo Beach ...
"
Funny that Bettster - I've never been to me...
Where's Geoff's confounded Castster got to, btw...?
(Ackcherlee - excellent!)
"
Funny that Bettster - I've never been to me...
Where's Geoff's confounded Castster got to, btw...?
(Ackcherlee - excellent!)
Richard - Newborough Warren and beach are pretty accessible. Llandwyn Island is about half an hour from the car park, but there's miles of beach which in itself is really nice and usually pretty quiet.
Robert - "I've been to Nice and the Isle Of Greece" ... "I've stayed in a van on the Isle Of Man" more like.
Geoff's first podcast is likely to appear at the same time as the debut major label album by Low Breasts (provisional working title - UHT on HRT).
Robert - "I've been to Nice and the Isle Of Greece" ... "I've stayed in a van on the Isle Of Man" more like.
Geoff's first podcast is likely to appear at the same time as the debut major label album by Low Breasts (provisional working title - UHT on HRT).
re beaches in general. I approve of beach pic posting. Wales looks like Ireland except the sun is shining.
re Echo Beach a blast from the past lovely
re Echo Beach a blast from the past lovely
# posted by : 4:40 pm
: 4:40 pm
oh, thats beautiful, betty.
i don't see the whales, though.
ha! you see what i did there? i said, 'whales' when....um, yes.
i don't see the whales, though.
ha! you see what i did there? i said, 'whales' when....um, yes.
I watched the video with interest. What do you think went through their minds when they were choosing their costumes for that? "Yeah, big triangles on a catsuit with a lady mullet and stringy ties, white shirts and tight jeans for the blokes - yeah, that'll be timeless"
# posted by : 7:48 pm
: 7:48 pm
Realdoc - well, more often than not it's rained in Wales when I've visited. Same problem with Ireland: lovely lush landscape goes with rainy weather.
Echo Beach is one of those great lost new wave hits, alongside I'm In Love With A German Filmstar by the Passions. Hmm, I spend too long looking at YouTube.
First Nations - there probably have been whales (or at least, a whale, singular) on the coast of Wales at some point, but I'd have to look it up to confirm. After all, if one can swim down the Thames ...
Richard - well, most bands looked pretty awful in 1980 unless they were on Two Tone. And ELO, of course.
Echo Beach is one of those great lost new wave hits, alongside I'm In Love With A German Filmstar by the Passions. Hmm, I spend too long looking at YouTube.
First Nations - there probably have been whales (or at least, a whale, singular) on the coast of Wales at some point, but I'd have to look it up to confirm. After all, if one can swim down the Thames ...
Richard - well, most bands looked pretty awful in 1980 unless they were on Two Tone. And ELO, of course.
Indeed. Jeff Lynne's white man afro still inspires me to this day.
We went to Cornwall, which is obviously an extreme extravagance compared to North Wales. We even went to Devon for a few years. I still get excited the first time I see the sea. Even if the last time I did just that was north of Newcastle. Fancy a paddle?
We went to Cornwall, which is obviously an extreme extravagance compared to North Wales. We even went to Devon for a few years. I still get excited the first time I see the sea. Even if the last time I did just that was north of Newcastle. Fancy a paddle?
My parents' choice of resort before I was born was Paignton, probably Devon's least interesting seaside town, but it was a bit of a trek from the West Midlands.
I'm always a bit wary of paddling at British seaside resorts, because you never know what's lurking in the water. Eugh.
I'm always a bit wary of paddling at British seaside resorts, because you never know what's lurking in the water. Eugh.
The only countries I've been to outside of my own are Canada and Mexico and I haven't ventured very far into either of those. Tiujana is a sleazy Mexican border town, I was a dumb 16 year old and my mother sadistically didn't tell me that wearing a halter top and shorts was going to merit me all kinds of disgusting commentary from the local "pussy posse." I am actually very shy and have never cared for this kind of attention!
I have only been to Waterton Park in Canada, which is right on the border with Montana. It's very beautiful and I didn't have to worry about how I was dressed! Guess where I'd go back to?
I have only been to Waterton Park in Canada, which is right on the border with Montana. It's very beautiful and I didn't have to worry about how I was dressed! Guess where I'd go back to?
Well, I still haven't visited America or Canada. One day, maybe, if travel restrictions become less bothersome. My parents-in-law have travelled to both quite extensively. Pensioners these days, eh?
Post a Comment
