Wednesday, October 29, 2008

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.













17 comments:

  1. Blogger just ate my comment! - I don't know Wales at all well - it is on the "to do" list, along with the other 8,946,549,065,025,630 things. Of course. I love the word "bracing" - it is such a British word, don't you think? I found out the true meaning when we were at Skegness for Spring Harvest!
    Beautiful photos! I am glad you are home too, though.

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  2. Beautiful photos Isabelle. Glad to see there were no big white balls chasing you along the beach at Portmeirion!

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  3. What a beautiful place. I love the train too.

    It makes me want to get a passport and start traveling.

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  4. Heavenly. Are there any ugly areas in your part of the world? Everything looks so perfect.

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  5. You're right, Isabelle, 'tis me! Thanks for commenting! I loved North Wales when I was there too. I used to work near Pwllheli when I was young, at a Butlins holiday camp as an actress in the children's theatre. Beautiful place. North Wales, that is, not Butlins *shudder*

    (PS Please note the marvelous apostrophy-- see? I was listening! Now all I have to do is learn how to spell...)

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  6. You really ought to chuck the teaching and re-invent yourself as a travel writer! Judging by how you have us all drooling and itching to pack our bags and hit the road!

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  7. North Wales does look a beautiful place to visit. What I love about the UK is the history, the older homes, N.Z. being a "newer" country we lack in this! We do however get "bracing" weather.

    And no photos of Mrs Life? Are you a bit like me and camera shy?

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  8. Thanks for sharing your holiday. I studied the photos closely and enjoyed it very much. How come Miss Life's halo only shows up sometimes - when travelling in a train? ( LOL )

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  9. Mrs Gaskell's uncle seems to have been rather more welcoming than the current owners. Glad you had a break and made the most of it.

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  10. Beautiful scenery. Looks like lots of bright sunshine too!

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  11. Lovely pictures. What a nice holiday! And passive-agreesive signs thrown in too.

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  12. Lovely photos! And not a drop of rain in sight ... Are you sure you weren't transported in your sleep to the land where it only rains in the night time?

    I love that Mr. Life likes trains!

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  13. I have had a wish to visit North wales, But I don't imagine I will get there any time soon, so thank you for showing me your experience of it.


    (I am working on another Scotland trip...lets see how I go.)

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  14. How wonderful to see you trip and all the fun you were having while we were having a fabulous time of our own! I chuckled at the rainy window picture -- I took a similar one that you'll see soon. If only TMOTH would fix the computer. He's currently not in the vicinity of the computer and I do hate to nag -- this has been his first moment to "rest" since our return last night.

    Anyway, I love seeing the pictures of your beautiful family and the lovely Mr. Life in his train uniform. What a fun trip!

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  15. I'm drooling over the Welsh landscape. What is it about that part of the world that calls to me? Perhaps it's my English blood (my father came from Birmingham to Oz when he was a little boy).
    Thanks for sharing these beautiful photos and highlights of your 'holiday of a lifetime' (at least it seems so to me!)...written with a more than a touch of mirth, as always :)
    A five legged, one armed family. Hmmm. Fascinating!
    At least you would fit into the tiny living room quite well!
    It all sound lov-er-ly!
    But home is where the heart is, after all. And the catlets. Being looked after by mysterious visitors....and I'm sure missing the dear Life family at least a little :)

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  16. Lovely photos.
    Is Portmeirion the place they filmed that TV series? Silly me, I have forgotten the name, & also the actor...

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