Wales 1

 I have been in south west Wales for the last week, staying with Chris and Chris. They live out in the country, down in a dip, and use satellite internet which is not always reliable. In addition they are mostly "off grid". They use solar (when the grandkids want to watch TV they are usually told "the suns not shining", then, of course, when it is, they are told to play outside) and a water turbine, but were awaiting the arrival of new batteries to assist with the added drain of turning on the underfloor heating. The long and the short of all of that is that we just turned the internet on long enough to check emails. So I will load up pictures from that week in a number of blog posts.

I spent my first night in the Tilman Hotel in Barmouth, on the coast near Snowdonia.

The view from my window was towards the sea, grey and windy.

It was a trendy and pricey hotel.

I couldn't resist looking at the "Ladybird" books

as I remembered the real ones from my childhood.

I had a tough time finding a place for dinner as it was the last weekend of the English school holidays and the first weekend of the Welsh school holidays. All the pubs and restaurants were hopping, most with a queue. I ended up, with others, in the least popular spot, which was the last to fill up.

A walk around town revealed why it was such a popular spot. A tidal river between steep hills

flowing out, past dunes and a long sandy beach.

A yacht club,

crabbing and fishing,

dolphin sightings and it is on a railway network.

Leaving the next morning, I was actually following the Sat Nav instructions, when it decided to send me down a tiny road that lead to a toll bridge. The lady who I paid the toll too said that it happens a lot as it is a short cut. 60p please.

It was a lovely spot with an information board about the ship building once based there.

Most of the rest of my pictures from that drive were taken when I was stopped for road work

or when

I found a lay-by

to pull into.

Chris had sent me written instructions but even with turn left at the + road sign with the bus stop on the right, I would have missed it if not following the Sat Nav instructions. Then off down hill on a single track road.

There it was, right at the bottom of the hill, with Christine sweeping leaves off the parking spot for me.