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> I Want To Know More About Wales
Elspeth 
Posted: 22-Dec-2003, 12:37 PM
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Hey! I want to know more about Wales!

This seems to be the neglected forum.

Anyone in the know have any information, pictures, anything to post?


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Eamon 
Posted: 22-Dec-2003, 02:25 PM
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Beautiful Place! I spent some time in Welshpool, and I can't wait to get back. I will see if any of my photos do it justice, and I will post them. I actually live in North Wales, but unfortunitly for me, its the North Wales thats in Pennsylvania!

CYMRU AM BYTH!

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Catriona 
Posted: 22-Dec-2003, 03:49 PM
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Elspeth
Welsh Guy is really busy in the 'real world' at the moment - and so he's not often around to add posts here...

I've put a few recipes here, just as a favour to a fellow Celt! I also put information about the National Eisteddfod.

I have a couple of Welsh friends and have spent a bit of time in their home towns - one in North Wales and the other lives in St David - which has a beautiful old cathedral.

If you have any specific questions, fire away - but I'm not promising to know the answers! biggrin.gif
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Elspeth 
Posted: 22-Dec-2003, 06:18 PM
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My family is from a little village in the North of Wales - Aber. I understand it to be right on the sea with the Snowdon (sp?) mts. visable to the south. I've talked to a distant cousin who has been there and researched the family, even visiting the old family home that is still standing.

So, I am interested in anything and everything about this area and all of Wales. I know a tall order.

What I especially like are pictures or good links. The Welsh Guy gave me a link to the BBC broadcasts in Welsh

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cymru/radiocymru/index.shtml

Trying to get a feel for Welsh by looking at the words in print is hopeless, hearing it spoken is the only way to get an idea of the language, so this site is very cool.

And Eamon, I'm wondering where in PA is North Wales? I'm too lazy to go get my map and find out. My family is from PA as well, my grandmother was from a Welsh settled township. And the adjacent county was named Cambria by the settlers after their homeland and has a great number of Wesh descendents. Smack me if North Wales is in Cambria County. biggrin.gif
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Catriona 
Posted: 23-Dec-2003, 02:49 AM
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Wynn, AKA Welsh Guy also posted a site of Welsh Castles - can't seem to find it at the mo - here's another one. http://www.data-wales.co.uk/castles1.htm

One of my best friends (since Uni) comes from a small village in North Wales, near Prestatyn. The village is tiny! Her family are all native Welsh speakers - as their names prove.... Hefina, Rhianwen, Meirwen, Bethann and Sian....

The other close friend is also from a Welsh speaking family. Her relatives are very involved in Welsh cultural studies - a couple of them have won awards at the Eisteddfod.

If you look at some of the earlier threads, there are details about Welsh woodcarving - a skill which is still highly prized in Wales today. They still give a Chair as a prize to the winners of the poetry competition at the Eisteddfod!

There is also a BBC Wales national TV channel; maybe some of the programmes are shown on Public TV channels in the USA. I know that in Australia, for instance, some of the Welsh language programmes do get aired... It was really strange to be sitting in a home in New South Wales (!) and to hear a Welsh discussion programme on the new Welsh Assembly. No, I don't understand Welsh, but the family that I was visiting are Welsh originally.... Really bizarre.

Mt Snowdon is the tallest mountain in Wales. The Brecon Beacons which lie in both England and Wales are part of a national park. Wonderful scenery.
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Elspeth 
Posted: 23-Dec-2003, 05:29 AM
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My family's ancestral village is near Prestatyn, a little farther west, closer to Conwy. My cousin said the village was on a cliff overlooking the sea. And it is near the castle where the Prince of Wales is christened. She couldn't remember the name. Do you know Catriona? I just looked at the link you posted. Is it Conwy castle, or was she confused?

I would love to see pictures of the area.

Can you tell me in your friend's village are people mostly Anglican or another denomination?
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Catriona 
Posted: 23-Dec-2003, 05:55 AM
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Prince Charles was invested as Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle (Carnarvon)
Here's a pic of the ceremony

http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/about/bio_...nvestiture.html

In my friend's village they are mostly Methodist and Chapel. Don't think there are too many Anglicans to the pound in Wales! The village I'm talking about is near to Mold and Prestatyn. There are a lot of Anglicans, English people and their churches on the Welsh Marches, though. For instance, the girls from the village often go shopping in Chester - which is in England biggrin.gif
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Elspeth 
Posted: 23-Dec-2003, 06:16 AM
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I asked about Anglican because that is what my cousin guessed our family had been, but she was only guessing. It doesn't ring true though, for no known American Parry was Anglican or anything near it.

What is Chapel? I have read that before (probably in How Green Was My Valley). I have read of the Act of Uniformity in 1662 when Parliment tried to stamp out Nonconformism in Wales and make all follow the established church of England. From what I read, it didn't work. Is this the origin of Chapel?

Words are funny. When my cousin said the Princes of Wales were christened at the nearby castle I thought she meant an infant christening, not investiture.
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Catriona 
Posted: 23-Dec-2003, 06:39 AM
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Yes, 'Chapel' is more or less the same (I bow to Wynn's native knowledge, but I THNK I'm right!) as the Wee Frees in Scotland. Very strict observers of the Sabbath etc! Methodism is very strong in Wales (and in the West Country of England, ie Cornwall, Devon and Somerset). That is not to say that there are not Anglicans in Wales - I have seen the churches! However, they are in a minority in the areas where I have visited!

I seem to recall that Charles, PoW was christened in London as he is heir to the Throne of the United Kingdom. He was 'invested' as Prince of Wales either in his late teens or early 20s (cannot remember). The oldest son of the reigning monarch traditionally carries the title Prince of Wales, and an investiture always takes place in the Principality.
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Catriona 
Posted: 23-Dec-2003, 06:44 AM
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What you need is WELSH GUY.... I'm shouting on the off chance he's lurking!

I know that Wynn is a passionate Welsh patriot. He holds similar views about the culture of his country that I hold about mine.... ie the soggy tomato sandwiches (as the Welsh call it) culture of tourism, including harps and male voice choirs really upsets him!

He has posted a number of interesting facts. For instance, did you know that the founder of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir was a Welshman?

And no matter what HE says, a GOOD Welsh choir, singing Cwm Rhondda would bring tears to the eyes... A bit like hearing 'Flo'er o the Forest' on the pipes... wink.gif

I always used to love it when the Welsh played Scotland at Murrayfield (rugby). The pubs would be filled with loads of Welshmen and women - some of the women in national costume with their tall hats and lace bonnets - all singing in Welsh (well, after the first few pints had been sunk!)... truly memorable.

Here's another Welsh castles site - it has a Welsh language version, too.... (if you feel brave enough to try!)
http://www.castlewales.com/home.html
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Elspeth 
Posted: 23-Dec-2003, 08:27 AM
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I don't care if the Welsh Guy will accuse me of stereotyping, but what I was always told of my Welsh ancestry was that was where I got my singing voice from because the Welsh were known as great singers.

And the little I have heard of male Welsh choirs was magnificent to say the least. There is nothing like the sound of a group of men who know how to sing raising their voices in harmony. Those pub-singing experiences must have been truly memorable.

Of course my German descended grandfather always told my Welsh/Scottish grandma and later me that there was no use being Welsh if you can't be contrary. biggrin.gif
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Catriona 
Posted: 23-Dec-2003, 11:52 AM
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I think that most European nations get tired of stereotyping - it is so often baseless.

for instance - the charge is often made that the Germans are humourless - can't think why - the Germans I know all seem to have a great sense of humour. wink.gif

The French? chauvinistic and rude to anyone who is not French... probably true, but then they do it with such charm and finesse that you are often unaware of the rudeness!

Italians - well we all know they eat to much and are not to be trusted (the Mafia, donchaknow)...

The English? Standoffish, rude and all have a superiority complex.....

Stereotype the Scots - we're mean, we all wear kilts, we all run through the heather with woad-painted faces... unsure.gif

The Welsh - all great singers; they are morose; don't like outsiders... Well, the Welsh I know are very welcoming, very warm and certainly not morose. And, strangely enough they ALL have good voices (maybe I've just been lucky in picking the stereotypes that I have befriended?!!!)

Oh and then there's that old rhyme
'Taffy was a Welshman, Taffy was a thief,
Taffy came to our town, and stole a side of beef'....

That PROVES all Welsh are reivers at heart, doesn't it?!!! biggrin.gif rolleyes.gif
(or whatever the Welsh call 'reivers'!)

I always think you should take people as you find them.... the good, the bad and the indifferent! I have visitors about 8 times a year (in a bad year!!). This year we have had Aussies, Canadians, South Africans, English, French and Italians - I love to learn about the way they live, and they like to learn about us... mind you, they know that if they buy toot n tat (what we call some of the tackier souvenirs on sale in Scotland - and elsewhere in the UK) souvenirs, they must quickly hide it in their luggage, or be prepared to have me abuse said souvenirs.... biggrin.gif
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Jaxom 
Posted: 23-Jan-2004, 12:40 PM
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Wales is a country filled with a diverse scenery. on the cost we have golden beaches and sand dunes, cliffs that soar into the sky and provide safe habitat for many form of wild life. further inland green hills rise towards distant mountains. Wales is lush and green with wide fertile farmland. Welsh Lamb is considered to be the best in the world. the rain fall in Wales is quite high each year and as a result we have rivers and streams in abundance. in these streams and rivers you will find Salmon and Trout on the coast you can harvest Cockles and Muscles which are so tasty either freshly cooked doused in white pepper and malt vinegar or they can be baked in a pie.

In the valleys the community in very tight, everyone knows the colour of your underwear and the names of your distant relatives. (they must have chrystal balls or something) the main industry in the valleys was Coal mineing. much of that has now closed down leaving these areas very depressed. because of this the valleys seem to be dying on their feet which is a great shame.

Wales has it own tourist board that may help and can be found at http://www.visitwales.com/
hope this helps
Jax
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Elspeth 
Posted: 28-Jan-2004, 09:09 PM
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Thanks Jax! You make it sound like the lovliest of lands. I hope to go there someday.

Do you know of Aber on the North Coast?
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AShruleEgan 
Posted: 06-Mar-2004, 05:06 PM
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Came across this history quiz you can take about Wales. One player or two.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/didyouknow/
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