North Wales

[Caran]

Half way through a short break here in Rhyl. Not been here since I was a child. Can't believe the number of park home and caravan sites. There must be about twenty around here with hundreds of vans on each. How on earth do they make them pay?
There are still hundreds of tourists around all old and wrinkly like us. We haven't heard a welsh accent since we arrived. The staff here are all English and the staff in the shops seem to be too.
At the moment I can't hear the tv because of the torrential rain bouncing on the roof and the thunder and lightning too. But hey oh!we are on holiday so it doesn't matter.
Been to Llandudno and Colwyn bay today, maybe Prestatyn weather permitting tomorrow. Back home Friday.

[ChillDoubt]

The staff here are all English and the staff in the shops seem to be too.
---------------
Indeed. The Poles speak such good English that their accent is prety much undetectable.

[Buenchico]

>>>We haven't heard a welsh accent since we arrived

Take a look at the signs above shops and offices in Rhyl, Caran. I can guarantee that you'll see 'Banc' on every national (or multinational) bank. Similarly you'll see lots of signs in Welsh on lots of other buildings that aren't locally-owned (presumably because the companies that run those businesses are worried about offending Welsh-speakers).

However I'll be amazed if you can find a single Welsh-owned business that has a sign in Welsh! (e.g. a local butcher will always just have have 'Butcher, and not 'Cigydd', above his shop).

Anyway, give my love to Rhyl, please. It's a dump but I still like it. (After all, it's the only place where I've been made an offer, in a pub at lunchtime, by the local nymphomaniac!).
;-)

[BlackadderV]

Fill yer boots...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8WiPy1xSkw

[Caran]

Chris the welsh signs are in abundance. More here than in our welsh towns near home. Some of the signs don't even have them in English.
We found a super restaurant last night called The Bistro. Brilliant menu, odd place to have a bistro though over a white goods store. If you get back to Rhyl give it a go.

[Caran]

Sorry for absence, just beaten OH at scrabble 348 to 245. This holiday has brought back strange memories. Holidaying with grandparents at Abergele aged about 7. At Towyn with parents in caravan and having to cross a very rickety bridge over railway line as a steam train went under me, that was scary. Then going to Llandudno with first husband before we were married, I was 18 and mother would only let me go if I brought back a receipt showing we had separate rooms. We had a very obliging landlady!!!!

[Caran]

Methyl I agree Colwyn bay was really scruffy.

[Caran]

No I haven't methyl. We play every night on holiday and maybe once a week at home. We get quite competitive at it too. Last night I won again quite heavily but the night before it was the other way round.

[Caran]

At last thunder and lightening seem to have disappeared. We were seriously thinking of going home tomorrow if it continues. I've never seen it so close before. The lightening lit up the inside of the van, very scary.

[Mamyalynne]

Worst weeks holiday ever at Colwyn bay.


Childhood memories of Presthaven Sands Prestatyn,Dad won the knobbly knees contest and I dressed as a Cowgirl for a fancy dress night.

[Caran]

Mamya that's another memory I had forgotten. Mother always insisted we took fancy dress costumes with us. I also was a cowgirl. Another time my brother was wee willie Winnie, in my nightie, a night cap and carrying a candle, he won!!

[Caran]

Methyl tonight I had 8 of the letter I. And the Q from the start and no U until almost the end so I was very surprised to have won. But I really love playing but wouldn't take it any further than just a game between us.

[Barsel]

Last time I was in Rhyl, Bobby Darin was in the charts with Dream Lover and Craig Douglas was singing Only Sixteen.Must have been in the late 50's I think. Sounds like it's changed a lot since then Caran.

[Caran]

It certainly has Barsel, not that I really remember it I was quite young when here last, but all these caravan sites along the main road though the town take some believing. One of the big ones is called Winkies would you believe? But it is van after van for so long with their club houses and bingo halls and everything else to do with them. I'm not being a hypocrite as we are staying in one of the parks. But, how do they survive?

[Caran]

Goodnight Methyl.