People tend to start thinking about St Patrick's Day around this time of year and planning their emerald green outfits, but what about the patron saint's day that comes today, two weeks before St Patrick's Day? Yes, happy St David's Day everyone! Or more rightly, in Welsh, Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant hapus!
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| In the valleys |
I've had a soft spot for the Welsh and Wales for some time, all beginning with getting into some Welsh bands when I was a teenager. And what a better avenue in to exploring the Welsh culture than music, as the Welsh are famously known for being a musical people - with 'music in their blood and poetry in their souls'.
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| On the south coast |
And what a beautiful country it is, to inspire that music and poetry. I remember the first time I ever went to Wales, travelling from the south, up out to Aberystwyth on the coast and then ultimately up to the north. When I got to Conwy, I remember standing on the castle walls that surround the town and looking out into the surrounding mountains and truly believing there were dragons out there in the wild.
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| Near Llangollen |
So I thought I should mark the day of the Welsh patron saint with a wee post, sharing some pictures of that mountainous, beautiful land from a winter-time family trip there a few years ago. So, go ahead, drink Guinness and enjoy the craic in a couple of weeks' time but do spare a thought for the Welsh and their saint today. I give you my blessing to go out and pick a wild daffodil and wear it in your hair as a mark of solidarity with the Welsh... Or how about cooking up some Welsh cakes? Mmmm... So tasty.
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| Llangollen train station |
Gyda chariad (with love),
Miss Marie
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Well done! You are indeed a great ambassador for the Welsh and their country. Fabulous little pictorial tour. Atmospheric. I did see that St. David's Day was coming up and I wish I'd read your post earlier and kept it in mind (though time difference may have hiccuped that) because I could then have brought St. David into the conversation I had with a Welshman today - named … David!
ReplyDeleteWell, at least you can be pleased by the happy coincidence of speaking to a Welshman around St David's Day... unless he's a Welshman you see every day... which would make it less of a coincidence.
DeleteI've just looked again at your post and have to comment on the cloud/silhouette photo! It is remarkable and perfect. Another one that you must sent to the Cloud Appreciation Society.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Except I understand that there is some snobbery amongst some cloud people over sunset shots? Too obvious, less about the cloud formation?
DeleteI do wonder why the Welsh don't celebrate St David's day much. I have a theory it's because so many of the Irish had to emigrate and they wanted to keep their national identity alive when they were far from home in New York and the like. It's always made a bigger deal of in the US than here. Not sure about in Ireland. I lived in Ulster for some years and don't remember anyone making a deal of it there.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are beautiful.
I think you're probably right - although there obviously would have been Welsh immigration and diasporas, not in the same extensive, mass way you associate with the Irish. But you also get tonnes of people who really aren't particularly Irish at all celebrating St Patrick's Day... which I do think is just an excuse to drink! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and that you for your kind comment on my photos.
DeleteGorgeous photos and interesting post.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog and apologies for not replying to your comment but you appeared as a 'no-reply' blogger?
M x
Oops! Didn't realise I was a 'no-reply' blogger - not sure why! And I'm glad you enjoyed my photos and post.
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