I've just got back from a pretty fabulous few days in North Wales (mainly Anglesey). My friends B and M were getting married there, and Matthias and I decided to go for a few extra days so that we could have a holiday and visit our other friends in that part of the world, K (
gwehyddarbyd) and P, who had a one-year-old baby boy whom we hadn't met yet.
It essentially takes half a day to get to Bangor (the nearest train station) from Cambridge, so we arrived late on Wednesday afternoon. We were staying in the hotel that would be the wedding reception venue. This is something we've started doing recently, and it make a huge difference, as it means we're able to stumble on up to bed without worrying about taxis or leaving at a specific time with whoever is giving us a lift. The hotel itself was amazing, and a bit more expensive than we'd normally like, but since this was basically going to be our only holiday this year, we decided it would be okay.
On the night before the wedding, we met up with some other Cambridge friends, P and R, for drinks in a couple of the (excellent) pubs, and had what was honestly the best (British) Indian meal of my life at this restaurant. Seriously, if you are ever in Beaumaris, go there. It's amazing. I almost can't go back to any other Indian restaurant after this meal, such was its quality.
The wedding itself was on the Thursday afternoon, so Matthias and I spent the morning wandering around the town. It was fairly typical Welsh weather (i.e. it eventually began pouring with rain), but we managed to take a few photos. It's a very beautiful landscape.

The buildings along the waterfront at Beaumaris.

Looking out across the water.

Windswept and drenched...must be Wales!
The wedding was in a small chapel in Anglesey, and the service was performed by B's dad, who is a minister. The ceremony was bilingual (with the odd bit of English) - B is a native Welsh speaker, and M is Polish - in Welsh and Polish, with the vows being said in both languages. I speak neither language (though I can understand bits and pieces of Welsh), but the obvious happiness of everyone involved was enough to move me.
This was followed by the reception, which had some of the most fabulously cheesy music to which I have ever had the pleasure of dancing. We stayed up until about 1.30 or 2am, which wasn't super late, although I regretted it in the morning.
The next morning, K picked us up from the hotel and we moved in to stay with them for a couple of days. As she and P have a small baby, we mostly had to stay at home, but since I adore small children (and their son is particularly lovely), that was no hardship. We ate lots of delicious food, played a bunch of board games, watched a bit of TV, and mostly basked in the adorableness of the baby. We also went out to Conwy for an afternoon.
I'd been feeling a bit out of sorts, but a few days away, in such a beautiful landscape, and with such wonderful people, was enough to raise my spirits. It's hard to be unhappy when a small baby dressed in a panda suit is flailing around at you, smiling ecstatically.
It essentially takes half a day to get to Bangor (the nearest train station) from Cambridge, so we arrived late on Wednesday afternoon. We were staying in the hotel that would be the wedding reception venue. This is something we've started doing recently, and it make a huge difference, as it means we're able to stumble on up to bed without worrying about taxis or leaving at a specific time with whoever is giving us a lift. The hotel itself was amazing, and a bit more expensive than we'd normally like, but since this was basically going to be our only holiday this year, we decided it would be okay.
On the night before the wedding, we met up with some other Cambridge friends, P and R, for drinks in a couple of the (excellent) pubs, and had what was honestly the best (British) Indian meal of my life at this restaurant. Seriously, if you are ever in Beaumaris, go there. It's amazing. I almost can't go back to any other Indian restaurant after this meal, such was its quality.
The wedding itself was on the Thursday afternoon, so Matthias and I spent the morning wandering around the town. It was fairly typical Welsh weather (i.e. it eventually began pouring with rain), but we managed to take a few photos. It's a very beautiful landscape.

The buildings along the waterfront at Beaumaris.

Looking out across the water.

Windswept and drenched...must be Wales!
The wedding was in a small chapel in Anglesey, and the service was performed by B's dad, who is a minister. The ceremony was bilingual (with the odd bit of English) - B is a native Welsh speaker, and M is Polish - in Welsh and Polish, with the vows being said in both languages. I speak neither language (though I can understand bits and pieces of Welsh), but the obvious happiness of everyone involved was enough to move me.
This was followed by the reception, which had some of the most fabulously cheesy music to which I have ever had the pleasure of dancing. We stayed up until about 1.30 or 2am, which wasn't super late, although I regretted it in the morning.
The next morning, K picked us up from the hotel and we moved in to stay with them for a couple of days. As she and P have a small baby, we mostly had to stay at home, but since I adore small children (and their son is particularly lovely), that was no hardship. We ate lots of delicious food, played a bunch of board games, watched a bit of TV, and mostly basked in the adorableness of the baby. We also went out to Conwy for an afternoon.
I'd been feeling a bit out of sorts, but a few days away, in such a beautiful landscape, and with such wonderful people, was enough to raise my spirits. It's hard to be unhappy when a small baby dressed in a panda suit is flailing around at you, smiling ecstatically.
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Date: 2014-08-25 03:27 pm (UTC)(lol my brain kinda reeled at you having short, dark hair. It's completely over-associated you with your default icon, poor thing.)
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Date: 2014-08-25 04:11 pm (UTC)I'm sure I've posted other photos of myself before, but you do tend to associate people with their icons if you see the same icons frequently. But no, much as I idolise the character in my default icon, she is not me!
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Date: 2014-08-25 04:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-08-25 04:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-08-25 05:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-08-25 05:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-08-25 11:35 pm (UTC)North Wales is one of my favourite places, but of Ynys Môn itself I've only hiked near Holyhead to Ynys Lawd and taken the train twice to Bangor (I'm much more familiar with the area stretching from Caernarfon down towards Aberystwyth). My partner and I have started a holiday fund this week, but at $50 a week I have a feeling that it'll be a long time before I see Mam Cymru again! :/ Glad you enjoyed the experience. :)
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Date: 2014-08-30 09:21 am (UTC)Sorry for the very slow reply. I've been all over the place this week and completely forgot about the comments waiting for me on LJ and Dreamwidth.