Journeys through Southern Wales (1 July)

I can’t believe it’s July! Today we didn’t spend quite as much time in the bus. We started out going to Cardiff Castle, in the center of the downtown. It wsa an awesome castle. One of the things that I enjoyed the most was gong through the the passageways of the outer wall. They were used as airraid shelters in World War two. As we walked through they had the windows blacked out and we heard old radio recordings and planes flying by. It really gave me a feel for what it might have been like to be in an airraid. The British suffered a lot during that war.

The keep of Cardiff Castle

I'm trying to look as happy as can be

[sidenote: This will give you an insight into Kendra. The group I was with in Bristol was a bit late getting back to the bus after the castle after purchasing our lunch to go. Some of them insisted that we run. I was actually telling a story as we ran—a story about my dad’s face-planting into rocks while biking. Being the graceful person that I am, I somehow managed to trip on a gravelly sidewalk and skid along the rocks. My hand an knee were minorly scraped and my food broke open a bit and I got the red sauce on my arm, shirt, and pants. It was a great start to the day. Kendra Grace Crandall—that’s my name. Not really]

Next we went to St. Fagans, an educational park that’s set up kind of like Nauvoo where you go around to different houses and get a feel for what the Welsh life was like. I especially enjoyed talking to some of the workers (taking notes on their dialect, of course), and enjoying the beautiful day. It hasn’t rained in a while! Strange.

Our last stop was to Tintern Abbey, a place I was very excited to visit. It is beautiful. I took my Kindle into the remains of the abbey and read Wordsworth’s poem, “Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey,” outloud for everyone. I think I like it better now. Tintern Abbey is beautiful.

I walked in one of the doors in the nave of the abbey just as the sun came out and this is what I saw!

Now we’ve crossed into England via the Bristol Channel. We will be staying in Bristol for the next 3 nights. We have to pay for Wi-fi there, so you probably won’t hear much from me.