Chapter Two: Wales, oh how I have missed you!

   After a lovely ferry ride from Dublin to Holyhead, the two travelers boarded a train east to Chester, England.  Here they hired a car for five stunning days.  Jackie studied in Wales when a junior working on her BA at the University of Iowa, and has been longing to go back as an adult and with a car.  The train system in Great Britain goes east to west on the south and in the north, and then north to south on the east only.  So much of the west of the country is missed by rail and bus.  While this is perhaps tragic for the student stuck to public transportation, it is indeed a blessing for the untouched countryside! 
     Matthieu braved the small, twisty roads and driving on the opposite side, as the two wound their way through North Wales and then South.  Stops included castles Denbigh, Harlech, and Carreg Cannen. They stopped at a crafting village and watched a man make dragons out of glass and at the town of Portmeirion, a bizarre resort town made up by an archtiectic and was also the location for the TV series "the Prisoner"

     Along this drive we came upon a true B&B for a night.  The older gentleman who owned the pub, a cafe, and lived above the two with a few rooms rented out that were better than any hotel room.  We had a grand time getting to know Eddie and his dog Darcy.  Eddie made us a fry up like you have never seen in your life (pictures in the slide show on the right!).  If anyone ever finds themselves in Llandawr, Wales stay here!! (The only B&B in town)
     But of course, a stop to Wales wouldn't be a stop without a night in Swansea and the lovely company of Jackie's old flatmates!  Darren walked the town with the two, and we were lucky enough to get to stay with the lovely Laura and her lovely Chris as well.