More holiday pictures

Here's another view of our North Wales house. Actually, it's been divided into two: the owners, reasonably enough, live in the left hand bit, which has a lovely view over the bay, and the right hand bit is let out to holidayers. No view, alas.

Interestingly - or at least I found it interesting - the house once belonged to the uncle of Mrs Gaskell (who wrote "Cranford" and so on) and she visited it a lot, even honeymooning there. So that was a bit of a thrill for a nineteenth-century-novel fan like me. I suspect she may have spent more time in the more scenic side, but anyway, here's Mrs Gaskell's uncle's extremely small living room (claimed to be suitable for 9 people - just as well that there weren't as many of us as that and that one of us was an elf).

Here's his kitchen - do you think Mrs G might have popped in here to make a cup of tea? I don't think it's been updated much since her day. (Note the notice on the dresser.)

And here's the stair. Can you imagine her swishing up here in her crinoline, or whatever she wore? A bit narrow, maybe.

North Wales is beautiful; a bit like the Scottish Highlands.

We went to Bodnant Gardens, which are wonderful even in autumn. Here's Daughter 2 amid vegetation.

Spectacular views over the garden.

Mr and Miss Life rest under a tree.

We also visited Llandudno, which was very elegant. A touch on the bracing side, but beautiful.

Looking in the other direction.

We have five legs and only one arm, it would seem.

A different narrow gauge railway train. It was very wet that day, but Mr Life is a happy man on a train.

Portmeirion - a spoof Italianate village built by a very rich and somewhat eccentric architect last century.

It has a wonderful setting.

Pretty, isn't it?

We had a lovely time. But it's quite nice to be home, really.