25 July 2010
A little bit of Wales
This short video is for my African friends and other Blog readers throughout the World to know a little bit more about where I live. The video runs through the Countryside to our village, from about one mile away. The video was shot on Sunday the 25 July 2010.
Italy
Visitors from the 24th country to read this Blog came from Italy. Or to be more specific the reader came from Sicily. This is really cool, as we are trying to book our summer holiday to include a one week stay in a villa in Sicily. I will of course update the Blog as soon as we receive confirmation of the booking and will also try to maintain the Blog as we travel from Wales next Saturday on an 18-19 day European adventure.
The last time Pauline and I ventured into Europe; we ended up staying in a lovely hotel in Siena and clocked up 2800 miles in the Volvo S60 D5 aka the Beast.
The Beast is booked in for a service later this week and I am also having the Tom-tom satellite navigation system hard wired into the dashboard. It’s to cut down on the number of electric leads trailing from the cigarette lighter across the dash to the various components. I have cleaned the car, and the leather ready for this year’s adventure. I even intend to have another haircut just before we set off. As is always the case in my life, everything is so last minute. But we are really pleased with the property that we have found and now have to wait for the confirmation.
The last time Pauline and I ventured into Europe; we ended up staying in a lovely hotel in Siena and clocked up 2800 miles in the Volvo S60 D5 aka the Beast.
The Beast is booked in for a service later this week and I am also having the Tom-tom satellite navigation system hard wired into the dashboard. It’s to cut down on the number of electric leads trailing from the cigarette lighter across the dash to the various components. I have cleaned the car, and the leather ready for this year’s adventure. I even intend to have another haircut just before we set off. As is always the case in my life, everything is so last minute. But we are really pleased with the property that we have found and now have to wait for the confirmation.
17 Libraries
The last Blog entry mentioned the number of Castles in Wales per square mile as being the greatest number in any country in the World. Oppression aside; Wales is also a place of learning. This can be best understood by reference to the number of libraries. At the last count there were 17 libraries in Aberystwyth which is the highest number of libraries per head of population in any town or city in the World.
It was inevitable that Aberystwyth would become a centre of learning. The Parliament of Owain Glyndwr is believed to have been called at nearby Machynlleth. Aberystwyth and Harlech were the last two castles held by Glyndwr during the Welsh Rebellion. The isolated position of Aberystwyth with its port and poor road network meant that a castle was a necessity. Located around such a dominating structure a town was bound to grow. Ceredigion was an important area for the Welsh Princes to control. With a trading port and good grazing for livestock, Ceredigion also provided isolation from large scale attack and disease. Although, inhabitants located along the coast were vulnerable to sea-borne plundering raids. Nevertheless the town grew around the castle and the port and by the Napoleonic era the County had attracted great wealth from trading in Wool and Horses. Money leads to investment, and this provided grander structures to attract more people to the town. Initially to partake in the waters, but these days the emphasis is on housing the migrating population of Aberystwyth University and to a lesser extent; the not insignificant number of visitors attracted to the town each summer.
As a centre of learning, the town attracted the development of a National University of Wales and the National Library of Wales. The University has a worldwide reputation as a centre of excellence, and its Department of International Politics is second to none. The Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies located next to the National Library of Wales is a dedicated research institute of the University of Wales. It is little wonder that people from all over the world are attracted to Aberystwyth as a place of learning. Michael Appiah of Ghana is one of those academics who have graduated from Aberystwyth University. And of course, I am another one.
It was inevitable that Aberystwyth would become a centre of learning. The Parliament of Owain Glyndwr is believed to have been called at nearby Machynlleth. Aberystwyth and Harlech were the last two castles held by Glyndwr during the Welsh Rebellion. The isolated position of Aberystwyth with its port and poor road network meant that a castle was a necessity. Located around such a dominating structure a town was bound to grow. Ceredigion was an important area for the Welsh Princes to control. With a trading port and good grazing for livestock, Ceredigion also provided isolation from large scale attack and disease. Although, inhabitants located along the coast were vulnerable to sea-borne plundering raids. Nevertheless the town grew around the castle and the port and by the Napoleonic era the County had attracted great wealth from trading in Wool and Horses. Money leads to investment, and this provided grander structures to attract more people to the town. Initially to partake in the waters, but these days the emphasis is on housing the migrating population of Aberystwyth University and to a lesser extent; the not insignificant number of visitors attracted to the town each summer.
As a centre of learning, the town attracted the development of a National University of Wales and the National Library of Wales. The University has a worldwide reputation as a centre of excellence, and its Department of International Politics is second to none. The Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies located next to the National Library of Wales is a dedicated research institute of the University of Wales. It is little wonder that people from all over the world are attracted to Aberystwyth as a place of learning. Michael Appiah of Ghana is one of those academics who have graduated from Aberystwyth University. And of course, I am another one.
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