Welcome to Wales

 May 5th.   Daylight at 5am woke me and amazed that the skies were clear.   A pale blue compared to NZ but fluffy clouds and blue sky were welcome.   Breakfast at the closest McDonald’s and then a short journey round the corner to Belvidere Road Church.   Greeted at the door by three surprised gentlemen to whom we explained the connection, following which we explained to at least three more people until finally we were seated in the auditorium.   I am so pleased we came - and so, it seemed were they.   The lady seated to my right told me that the original church was just up the road and was now converted into up market accommodation but the outside is still as was.  She is a geography teacher and wanted to know what earthquakes felt like as she’d heard that NZ has many🙂

Lady Satnav guided us through busy central Liverpool, past the huge Anglican Cathedral, 

busy streets,  

and into the Queensway Tunnel (aka Birkenhead Tunnel) a £2.10 toll road under the Mersey.   Then on through part of The Wirral and on to The North Wales Expressway.   Being only an A road it was less frantic than yesterday’s M56.  Noticed signs warning of badgers at many places along the way.   Finally a sign reading Croeso i Cymru and thereafter signs in Welsh first and then English.   Seemingly impossible to guess at pronunciation, the words seem to stutter over double consonants and Ll is pronounced Cl?   

Lady Satnav unhappy when we turned off to the small village of Caerwys and found a pub to have Sunday Roast lunch of delicious Welsh Lamb Rump (it’s served pink is that Ok? we were asked)  Also stwnsh pronounced like stunch - at least to my ear is actually a delicious carrot and swede mash. 

One thing I have noticed is how many gardens and even fields are full of dandelions. I wonder if there is a use for them?  Surely they are not grown for flowers here?

Back on the A55 and with an army of wind turbines visible out to sea we finally arrived in Conwy where to surprise and delight a castle was the first thing I saw.   

Narrow windy streets, small quaint houses and shops.  

Parked by part of the castle wall and wandered through the centre of town to the  promenade.   Bank holiday weekend so many people out.  Found The Smallest House in England - 72 inches wide and two stories high.  A one up one down it is an essential photo spot.

We will stay for three nights at the B and B accommodation which is perfectly suitable.   

Quaint room, elaborate  mantle, sash windows, rosy cheeked hostess and a splendid view over a delightful flower garden.