Where am I ? - The Village. What do you want? - Information.

Yes, yes, we went to Portmeirion, which was a bit of a swizz, TBH; all the interesting bits are marked 'Preifat' and 'Residents Only'. All the buildings you could go in were trying to sell you something. All we bought was some Cadwallader's ice-cream.

I'm back early and posting at this GSD-forsaken time because some damn thing in the house we stayed in set my asthma off, and I couldn't sleep for coughing. Still can't. We did have a wonderful time though; went up Snowdon on the train in glorious sunshine (expensive), went round Caernarfon and Harlech castles (free), the Welsh Slate Museum (free), rode on the Festiniog Railway (free bar a fiver for the dogs) had some wonderful food and drink (not free, not free at all) and ran the pooches ragged chasing balls across miles and miles of wonderful and empty beaches (utterly free). Walked a bit (free, but feet hurt). Took my binoculars and had a marvellous close-up half hour view of a heron fishing, with a full supporting cast of oystercatchers (free, or, if you prefer, ddim ceinniog). Still managed to spend a surprising amount of money.

Will now return to normal life, which may involve writing stuff for WN, but definitely involves work. Ach y fi. I'll leave you with a Welsh joke;

Yn y chwedegau roedd ysbïwr yn byw mewn pentre bach ger Abertawe.
Ar ôl nifer o flynyddoedd penderfynodd ei "bos" yn Rwsia y dylai rhywun mynd i'w weld o.
Dywedodd o wrth ysbïwr arall "Rhaid i ti fynd i weld ein ysbïwr yn Abertawe. Ei enw o ydy Mr Jones ac mae o'n byw yn rhif 5, Stryd Fawr a rhaid i ti defnyddio y geiriau cyfrinachol "Mae'r blodau yn tyfu yn y Gwanwyn".
Aeth Boris i Abertawe a mynd i rif 5, Stryd Fawr. Cnociodd ar y drws.
Daeth dyn i'r drws.
"Sh'mae, dwedodd Boris, chi yw Mr Jones?"
"Ie"
"Wel, mae'r blodau yn tyfu yn y Gwanwyn."
"O. Mae'n flin 'da fi, dach chi angen Jones the Spy, rhif 9 i lawr y ffordd!!"

(silence from fforumites)

Oh, you've heard it, then.



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I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty

Aaaahahahahahahahahaha! I've never heard anything so funny in all my life! Your asthma's playing up? GOOD! Now write it in English.

Glad you had a good time though.

Actually, I think I have heard it, but only recognize the words "Jones the spy" in the last line.

Welcome back! Sorry to hear about the asthma, I can sympathize there. Sounds like otherwise it was a good (if costly) trip.

Welcome back too! I bet you missed all this really :) I love Snowdonian, fantastic glacier carved cwms. Didn't realise Portmeirion was such a money making venture but don't they still have the pretty pastel shade houses?

Welcome back Cotter - anyone remember that?

Glad you had a good time - don't understand the joke at all but sure it's very funny. Will pass it to a Welsh speaking colleague to find out.

I know only a smattering of Welsh, but I also know the joke, so I got the gist!

I'll leave Jon to do the proper translation - it's more than I can manage.



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That which does not kill us makes us stranger.
(Llewelyn the dragon, Ozy and Millie)

Sarah

well for those of us who DON'T speak Welsh....AND who don't either remember or know the joke....

Adam - I remember Welcome back Kotter. Loved it. Wanted to marry Horshack. (Well, I was only 8 at the time)

I too remember it. I had absolutely no romantic designs on Horshack though.

I visited Portmerion years ago and loved it. A lot of the places marked private can be rented as holiday accommodation (how cool is that !). Unless anything's been drastically changed, it still looks just like it did in 'The Prisoner'.
I've visited Gwynedd a couple of times, but not for years. I'll make it back there sometime.