Celts

Here we are at Llanfair P.G. (GoGoGo!)

Yesterday we took a big ferry from Dublin to North Wales, where we found our bus and headed for Caernarfon. Along the way we visited the village with the longest name in Europe and one of the longest names anywhere, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. If this name sounds made up to you, then you are correct, as it was invented in the 1860s simply to give the place some notoriety. We too fell victim to this ploy and happily posed under the sign.   We also made a stop at Bryn Celli Ddu, an ancient tomb and passage grave.

Standing atop the tomb at Bryn Celli Ddu

Climbing around Caernarfon Castle

Once in Caernarfon, we have all enjoyed the old narrow streets of this quaint town, home of the famous Caernarfon castle, where we learned to say “thank you” in Welch (“diolch” is the spelling, but that won’t help you pronounce it). Today we crawled around the magnificent castle, built here by an English king to help him conquer Wales, and we posed in the place of investiture for the Princes of Wales.

Cruising down into the Slate Mine in Wales

We even traveled underground on a train to visit an old slate mine. Meanwhile, the weather is atypically sunny, the sunset is pink on the water, cows can be heard from the harbor, and tomorrow will bring more beautiful countryside!