Day 8 - Wales

On day 8, we started our tour in Wales, stopping in the small town of Llangollen for lunch, then a stop in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, known mostly for the length of its name, and then eventually making our way to Caernarfon, a royal port town on the Menai Straits, which open to the Irish Sea. Ed got off of the bus in the town square and visited Caernarfon Castle, and then walked to the hotel, less than a mile away. In the evening, we visited a local Welsh family with a small group of our fellow travelers.
20130828-111519 dsc 5514 Llangollen is on the River Dee on the edge of the Berwyn mountains. Ducks on Llangollen Canal 20130828-114335 dsc 5523
Llangollen Canal has had these horse drawn boats for 100 years. This section of the canal is designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO. 20130828-115336 dsc 5532 Overlooking the town from the canal level Llangollen is a small town of about 3,400, established in the 13th or 14th century.
Part of the business district. Back on the road after lunch. Lots of sheep in Wales. 20130828-135145 dsc 5548 A photo stop along the River Dee
20130828-140739 p1000618 20130828-140821 dsc 5554 Heather growing among the rocks Almost there
The Menai Bridge crosses over to the Isle of Anglesey, where will will take a short photo stop in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. 20130828-143950 dsc 5568 20130828-144029 dsc 5569 20130828-144031 dsc 5570
The Britannia Bridge is the main highway bridge across the Menai Strait 20130828-144140 dsc 5574 20130828-144351 p1000621 The name says it all. this is the train station.
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is the longest officially recognised place name in the United Kingdom with 58 characters. 20130828-145443 p1000623 The name means: [St.] Mary's Church (Llanfair) [in] the hollow (pwll) of the white hazel (gwyn gyll) near (go ger) the rapid whirlpool (y chwyrn drobwll) [and] the church of [St.] Tysilio (llantysilio) with a red cave ([a]g ogo[f] goch). 20130828-151733 dsc 5582
Arriving in Caernarfon Castell Caernarfon was completed in 1330. 20130828-154933 dsc 5585 20130828-155229 dsc 5586
The Caernarfon inner harbor on Afon Seiont (English: River Seiont) Looking inland along the Afon Seiont from the castle 20130828-155434 dsc 5590 20130828-155530 dsc 5593
20130828-155817 dsc 5595 Menai Strait in the distance 20130828-160538 dsc 5606 Castell Caernarfon from the square
Our hotel in Caernarfon Visiting a Welch family. The back garden. The enclosure is for her turtles. Andrea with the twins. They were just about to leave for a shopping outing.
Our hosts' dog