Wales...Why did it take us so long? (Hay-on-Wye, Wales)

Jason was kind of enough to treat me to a mini-break after my last exam. My choice? Wales. I have been dying to go there since moving here, and this was the perfect opportunity. Of course, since it was my choice, I picked something that would only matter to me. Hay-on-Wye. Hay is famous for ... BOOKS! There are over 40 secondhand book stores in this tiny village. The village also hosts a massive book festival once a year that attracts everyone, dignitaries, celebrities, commoners alike! We didn't go during the festival, but I was dying to see this quaint hamlet dedicated to reading! So on a rainy Friday afternoon, we hired a car a set out for the weekend. A road trip and books! My idea of heaven!

Jason is standing in front of an old castle. You can see the tiny village behind him!

Here is a picture of the old castle that Jason is standing in front of. The books are just outside, unmonitored, on an honour system. All the shelves were priced at £.50 or so...there were so many bargains to be had! (By the way, if you were wondering what is at the top of the stairs? More book shops, of course!)

Wild Flowers (Hay-on-Wye, Wales)

Being city kids, we are easily charmed by country life. These are wild flowers for sale on a gate leading into someone's front yard. You deposit a pound in the hole in the door and walk away with a gorgeous bunch of homegrown flowers! As this was one of the first things we saw walking into the village, I knew instantly I would be smitten with the place!!

Green, green and more green! (Tretower Court and Castle, Wales)

Wales is just so...GREEN! Which also says it rains a lot, but who cares! The rolling green hills are too beautiful! Wales has so many well preserved castles, so after a day in the book stores, we set out to explore Welsh history. I am looking at a castle in this photo...actually, I was looking at the apple tree behind me trying to figure out how to scale that wall to set one! Since we are standing in the parking lot (I know, isn't it a gorgeous parking lot?) for the castle, there were, well, two other people around! So I chickened out.

We are inside the "castle" now. Jason is standing with his back to the street...although we have come up in to the "tower" now.

This is the inner courtyard of the "castle". I say castle, because that is what it is, but really to my imagination, it really looked more of a house, a large house, but say like a country house as opposed to a fortress or a castle.

Good Things! (Wales)

This picture was taken in the garden of the Tretower Castle. I could not have imagined a more perfect spot to spend a drizzly afternoon!

And, of course, since I love my flower pictures, this was the perfect opportunity to try my hand at something other than flowers! Grapes! They are just too cool to photograph!

And! The rain and drizzle made this flower look exceptionally romantic...

Tretower Animated! (Wales)

Jason's got the camera now for a more "in depth" look at this gorgeous castle! (And because its Jason -- there is quite a bit of history in here as well!

Ooooo! A Welsh Garden! (Wales)

Can't wait to see a Welsh garden? Click below!!

Sheep!! (Wales)

Wales is known for its lamb--meat, wool, all of it. What this practically means, for a non-meat eater, is that there are sheep and lambs everywhere. Again, the city kids (us) thought this was cool. So, while we were climbing around a ruined castle, I notice that there are sheep incredibly close by. I am a bit afraid of them. I mean, who knows what they think of me and my camera. Okay, so the fact that the one my camera is focused on is sleeping, is no matter (see the third picture), these are wild livestock, the likes of which I have never seen close up.

I am so excited. One with nature, face to face with a sheep. When I look down. The entire, and now I mean entire field is filled with sheep poop. Loads of it. So much so I realise its going to be impossible to walk around with stepping in the muck. Jason thought my sudden disdain for sheep poop, and any animal flu it might be carrying was funny...hence the picture of me on tippy toes trying to navigate the mine field, literally.

By now, I have had to readjust my strategy if I am going to escape the field. Pants up! Head down! Fully aware of my every step! Do you think that sweet sheep sleeping cares? Hardly. I now know, and can faithfully report, dear readers, that sheep eat, poop and sleep. That's it. Nothing else.

Animated Sheep! (Wales)

Sheep poop, up close and personal!

Rain? A slight chill in the air? Sounds like the perfect day for a ride in the car!!

Tintern Abbey (Wales)

From the guide book: "The Cistercian abbey of Tintern is one of the greatest monastic ruins of Wales. It was only the second Cistercian foundation in Britain, and the first in Wales, and was founded on 9 May 1131 by Walter de Clare, lord of Chepstow. It soon prospered, thanks to endowments of land in Gwent and Gloucestershire, and buildings were added and updated in every century until its dissolution in 1536. However, it was never very large and important, and its history was relatively uneventful. Its position well away from the Welsh heartland meant that it suffered little in the periodic Welsh uprisings of the medieval period."

From me: It was cool! Such a beautiful Abbey! Even though it is in ruins, you can see how beautiful it must have been when it was used. The window frames were enormous, so you could just imagine them filled with stained glass and the light in the Abbey that must have created!

Jason, in absolute archaeological and history joy! He is thrilled to be out amongst the ruins!

Like I say, sometimes rocks are, well, rocks. Therefore, I prefer, more childish endeavours. As in a brief game of "Where's Meghan?"

Wanna see inside the Abbey? (Wales)

Chepstow Castle (Wales)

We actually began this day with a scheduled river rafting trip. After awaking to rain, rain and more rain, we thought not. No need sitting around in a boat getting... you guessed it, wet, wet and more wet. Plan B? Castles and on-the-road exploration of Wales. Second stop? Chepstow Castle!

From the guide book (again!): "Chepstow is a Norman castle perched high above the banks of the river Wye in southeast Wales. Construction began at Chepstow in 1067, less than a year after William the Conqueror was crowned King of England. While Edward had his master castle builder in the person of James of St. George, the Conqueror, some 200 years earlier, had his equal in the person of his loyal Norman lord William FitzOsbern. FitzOsbern's fortresses were the vehicles from which the new king consolidated control of his newly conquered lands. Chepstow Castle became the key launching point for expeditions into Wales, expeditions that eventually subdued the rebellious population."

From me: Interestingly, Chepstow is one of the oldest castles in Britain. Its Great Hall dates from 1067, and its main fortress doors are from the same period. I say all this like I knew it. We had no idea. We were just thinking it was a popular castle on our way home. Perfect to stop at and stretch our legs a bit!! Indeed, it was well worth it!

In order to showcase the difficulties of Medieval life, local citizens set up camp in the courtyard of the castle and demonstrate this life. Its actually really interesting and well, it reminded me of somewhere else! Williamsburg, Virginia!

Chepstow Castle (Wales)

More Wales scenery. Or should I say greenery?

Isn't he cute? All decked out in river rafting/castle exploration wear!

Stolen photo alert! A cute little boy and his father took this picture right before we did. I stumbled upon them, mid-photo, and thought it was an excellent photo. Anyway, a bit of convincing, time waited until father and son were no longer in the area, and voila! Jason in the same pose! Not bad!!