Had a bit of my own adventure going off to the archives at Bangor U. Professor Ron dropped me off and I took the train to Conwy in the afternoon to meet back up with the group.
I found some documents that appear to be from ancestors of mine. But I still have some work to get it all tied down.
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| The Archives required their tag on my photos. |
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| Prifysgol Bangor, or Bangor University |
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| Bangor U more impressive from the back. |
Once I was done with the Archives, I wandered the town as a stranger in a strange land looking for a post office and then the train. No train at the bottom of the town.
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| Bangor Harbor |
No train at the bottom of the town.
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| Bangor Cathedral |
The
Cathedral dates back to a monastery built on this site in 530 AD (!). It has had extensive renovations through the middle ages and up to Victorian times.
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| The Nave, Bangor Cathedral |
Finding the train station at the top of the town, I had a great ride to Conwy on British Rail!
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| On arrival in Conwy. Note that we are within the medieval city wall! (more below) |
Conwy!!
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| Conwy Castle. Can you ever visit too many castles? NO! |
And where I met Llewellyn the Great just off the train.
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Llewellyn Fawr
I just recently made the connection in Cymraeg class that "Llew" means "Lion." Hence, the armorial. |
The amazing thing about Conwy is that the medieval wall still surrounds the town and it rises on the side of a hill giving great views!
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| The town wall at the end of every street. |
When Edward I built the town and castle as part of his iron ring around Wales, the native Cymry were only allowed inside the English town wall with special permits and fees. Now the town is Cymreig and anyone can drive right in!
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| Conwy Castle and Town from the Wall. |
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| Conwy Town and Castle from the high point of the wall. |
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So I have this plan. Wait until the tide is out, at dark, and sneak around the city wall!
Actually, most castles in Wales were conquered by treachery from within. People kept changing sides. |
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I think I like the round towers of Conwy better than the angular ones of Caernarfon.
Also, notice the railroad right next to the castle. |
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| New stained glass in ancient chapel windows! |
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Some of our travel buddies on an adjacent tower.
Across the bay is the Llandudno Peninsula with its copper mines going back to prehistoric times. |
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The three roads coming into Conway across the river to the foot of the Castle.
The older road center, the railroad on the right, and the modern highway on the left. |
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| My wife on the top of the Conwy Town Wall pointing out Yr Wyddfa, or Mount Snowdon, that we had climbed the day before. |
And as I was in the archives, I missed some great activities that day. I have not yet made it across the narrow Menai Strait to visit Ynys Môn, or Anglesey, the Holy Isle. I have to go back.
My wife did visit the Victorian tourist-trap of the train stop with the longest name at least in Britain.
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| Our group, sans Yo, at (well, you spell it!) |
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