Any North Walians out there?

[pixiefish]

hia- anyone from north Wales? think that mishmish and cellulitequeen are from our fair region.

Moondog- you'll join us perhaps?

Just fancy starting a thread for this region- seeing as how loads of other regions have them

[moondog]

Dyma fi fy nghariad i!!

[pixiefish]

mi es i syth i ngwely ar ol cychwyn hwn moondog- mae hi'n ddistaw iawn yn yr ardal yma tydi?

Any more for any more?

[Prettybird]

My best friend lives in Penmaenmawr - but I only manage to see her every few months or so (...more "or so" !) as we live in Glasgow,

[catgirl]

Hi - I am from north Wales, now live in London ... I can get the gist of the Welsh written here, but can only compose a reply about a 'cath fach ddu' ... (thank you Mali!). Been a long time since my 'o' level Welsh! I am from Llanrwst, get home occasionally to visit my parents and some friends - where abouts are you from?

[catgirl]

ok - so do you not speak to people from Llanrwst, or those unable to speak Welsh (anymore)? , or shall I put my paranoia away, assume you are busy and get on with some work?

[moondog]

Nooooooo catgirl!!!!!!
I love Llanrwst. Going to pop into Blas ar Fwyd next wek when I get home and buy cases and cases of wine! I love it there (miilion types better than boring old Tesco! How long have you been away?

[pixiefish]

hia catgirl- no not being rude- just popped out. tend to be on here mainly in the evening- when dd is asleep. snatch 10 minutes here and there during the day. I live on the island off the north wales coast- a good 45 minutes from llanrwst.

[hosannainIXELsis]

Ah, I miss Wales! Lived there for 4 years..went to Bangor uni, but loved it so much I didn't go home in the holidays. Got married in Bangor too (first marriage, which didn't last!), and had the reception on Anglesey.What was that hotel in Valley called?...
Hey Catgirl, I'm in London now too.

[ReindeerNosebagAddiction]

Never lived in North Wales but all my mothers family are from there and we still have massive connections. Grew up myself on the Wirral - but now in London. Have family in Penmaemawr and Colwyn Bay. Mum's family are all from around Llanwnda - in fact, I still own a house there whihch is rented out. My grandmother used to live in a gorgeous little white bungalow on the main Caernarfon to Portmadog road - well it was beautiful until the garage nextdoor epxnaded so much that it amost consune it! Also - our family used to manage and run a large farm on the road down to Dinas Dinlle.......I have spent loads of time/holiday in that part of the world - including in our caravan that we had on Anglesey - near Benllech.

[Tinker]

Used to live in Colwyn Bay. Hated it at the time but sort of hanker for it a bit now.

[catgirl]

ohh, go to lunch and look what happens! Feel loved now! Funny, I used to really dislike Llanrwst, but now really look forward to visiting. Great shop called Bys a Bawd (I think owned by same family as Blas as Fwyd), lovely kids section at the back with welsh books in - keeps little one entertained for ages. Left home as soon as I could in 1989, but it doesn't feel like that long ago!
I jumped off Colwyn Bay pier once (into the sea obviously!) for a dare - and went to the Radio 1 Roadshow there back in 1982 (not for a dare!)

Used to spend some holiday time in Holyhead (Dad is from there, my Nain lived there) and love all the beeches around that part of the world.

Diolch yn fawr iawn for starting this Pixiefish!

[moondog]

Reindeer!
Bet I know all the places you talk about-I'm a Caernarfon girl. Now live in Groeslon just a mile or so from Llanwnda. I can walk to the pub there on the cycle track from chez Moondog! (Never have though-no bloody time !

Which garage is it BTW??

Hosanna! Glad you like Bangor-I went there too after dropping out of Edinburgh Uni and was v v happy.


Tinker, know what you mean. My parents had a house in Llandudno (although were mostly abroad) and God how I hated being there. But now..
Heard 'So here it is merry Christmas, everybody's havin' fun'... on the radio today ( living in Turkey now) and though of being a barmaid in The
Washington on the prom many moons ago and could have wept!!)

[pixiefish]

the hotels in valley are the valley hotel or the bull. you've also got the beach hotel in trearddur bay which is just down the road- perhaps it was one of those you had your reception in.

handbagaddiction- moondog is more familiar with the caernarfonshire area- although i did work for the caernarfon and denbigh herald many moons ago so am sort of familiar with the basic geography.

let's keep this thread going then catgirl- see if anyone else joins in

[pixiefish]

The Washington moondog- remember going there a few years ago - think it's a bit run down now- sad- such a massive building and so majestic (if I've got the right one)

[walkinginawelshmumwonderland]

Careful about Llandudno you lot I'm from there and I love going home. I'm in London now too - have been for years.

[ReindeerNosebagAddiction]

Moondog - just trying to remember the details - and trying not make it sound too vague. There's a stretch of road which if you're travelling from Caernarfon out towards Llanwnda and almost at Lanwnda to be honest - where there a large white (well it used to be white) pub set almost directly onto the road on your left hand side and a large car sales/garage place on your right. The bungalow was set back a little right next to the garage. If you pass both of these places then the next thing you see if a lovely Methodist church on the right (just before the new big roundabout) - my Mum and Dad got married there and Nain's funeral was also there. And then the house that I have is the last in a little row of terraced houses on the road which runs down opposite the church.

[catgirl]

OK - so who is brave enough to get the train from London to North Wales with a child? Am going home at Easter, just me and ds (he will be 2.7), dh joining us and then we all come back to London together - so anyone of you London ones have any experience of the train journey with a toddler?? Always used to get the train up - not a bad journey, but not yet brave enough to try it with ds!

[walkinginawelshmumwonderland]

I'd try it like a shot. DD loves the train, have done 2 and a bit hours with her (and 26 on a plane!) There's walks up the corridors, the catering carriage, tables for games and drawing, other people to annoy. Could be great fun!

[moondog]

Yes I know exactly where you mean reindeer!
I'll think of you when I pass
Re the bungalow...Im sure that this is the one I'm thinking of that has just been sold..very quickly too.
That road is so busy (well by North Wales' standards!)

Catsgirl, as you know, if you get the right train you go straight through (and now they have those tilting ones so even faster)
i did this journey loads when a student in London and also did it once when dd exactly the same age as your child! I was nervous but it was fine. Little tip-if you book beforehand you can get an upgrade to first class for about a tenner and that includes free drinks (even booze!!) the whole way!!
Was very civilised..

[catgirl]

like the sound of other people to annoy ! Long car journies are awful - he gets so bored, once he has had his 90min kip. Think if there are no engineering works which mean a bus trip via Crewe, then I will brave the train. So a warning to those thinking of going up to North Wales by the direct trains next March!

[moondog]

Yes Pixie, the Wash is a wreck now. Can't even go in,it would break my heart. I worked there for three years on and off including Christmas and New Year because I loved it so much. Remember when you coud buy FOUR pints and a packet of 10 fags for a fivedr (not even that long ago!!)

Why can't they just bloody leave good pubs ALONE??!!

Death to tapas bars (un) fun pubs,theme pubs , alco pops promotions and the rest.
Baaaa humbug!!

[moondog]

Catgirl, my sister brought her three (then, now four!) kids all the way from the south of france by train to Llandudno TWICE!!
(But then she is barking..)

Take the train-less than 4 hours and at least they can move about.
Some Southerners take Easyjet to Liverpool but IMO that is just as much hassle as the car.

[ReindeerNosebagAddiction]

Hey Moondog - amazing to think that someone else knows exactly where I'm describing! Actually thinking about that bungalow has made me strangely emotional - lots of happy and sad memories - Nain lived there for so many years and I have spent endless happy holidays and weekend there. However, it was also the house where my Mum finally died of cervical cancer when I was 7...so thinking about it make me sad too. In a way - that's whay I'm glad I've still got the terraced cottage down the road - although rented (for over 20 years) and despite the fact that until recently, I'd never been in place - it was where my Mum and her sister grew up...so there's still a bit left if you know what I mean - even if the bungalow had to be sold!

Catbert - never done the trip myself but my Dad - who travelled down from liverpool the other week, met a couple with toddler on the train who regularly do the north wales to London trip and said they thought it was really easy and comfortable. Crikey - thinking about it - it could of been one of you lot her was talking to !!

[moondog]

Sorry about the sad memories Reindeer, but glad that you have happy ones too. I have lived all over the world-even born abroad, but my heart is in North Wales

[catgirl]

well, the train is winning, in fact I may check soon (rather than doing any work) the times etc, see if any engineering works.

Anyway, back to Llandudno - used to do a lot of drinking there - The Loaf is one I remember (must have been on the early round!) and a friend used to work in The 'something' Arms (I think) at the bottom end of Mostyn Street (towards Asda - near to a Billy Lal shop) so we used to end up there a lot - how vauge is that! Also used to go to Conwy a lot.

All my weekend/summer jobs were in Betws-y-Coed. And once I was old enough to pull pints I worked in the bar at Meanan Abbey - used to have great Welsh singing on a Saturday night - it was packed out every week. blimey I'm getting all nostalgic!