Be Seeing You

This time last year, Gail & I were wandering around an empty Portmeirion. We had booked a couple of days away there for a treat, as it was my 50th birthday and our 7th wedding anniversary.

Sadly we are not there this year, but tomorrow we will be spending the day in Lincoln, just to have a look round and take some photographs. Hope the weather is going to behave itself. It was very cold in North Wales last year, but it was really sunny, and we spent a lovely day in the Village.

View Out To Sea

Things have been a little quiet on the photography front for the past couple of days, so here's a misty shot of the bay at Portmeirion in North Wales, which I took back in February when Gail & I went there for my 50th birthday.

The Land Of Make Believe

I had my weekly catch up lunch with some of my former co-workers today at our now favourite eatery Bistro 5G.

It is just across the road from where I used to work, but now I have about a 10 minute uphill walk to it.

I was surprised to see this new mural that the owner Piers had painted in one corner near the bar area.  It looks like it was based on some of the buildings in Portmeirion.

He's even done a 'Hitchcock' in that he's the person throwing his food out of the window. Honestly Piers, your food isn't that bad!

And can you spot the person from Munch's The Scream painting hidden in the shadows?

In The Party Mood

You may have noticed that I've been really slipping with my daily blogging recently, which is very unlike me. I think it has been due to doing some DIY at home that has been taking longer than expected, and so haven't had the time to post.

We went to a 30th birthday party on Tuesday, which I've not managed to write about yet, but it took me back to February this year when I turned 50, and Gail and I went away to Portmeirion in Wales for a few days as we celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary too.

We had today off, and spent the day in the house doing some jobs, so I've not had the opportunity of taking any photos. So I thought I would show one of the many Portmeirion photographs that I took whilst we were there. This one is a night shot of some of the unique architectural gems that you can see as you walk round the private village.

A Touch Of Summer

The start of another week, and a cold, dull one at that. I don't know what it is with the poor weather at the moment, but it just seems to be going on for ever.

So I've haven't really got any new shots to show you. I certainly didn't take anything today. So here's a photograph that I took at Portmeirion, late last month.

I love the muted colours of this building, which incidentally was Number Two's house in the Prisoner, but in real life is an art gallery. Although closed when we were there.

Looking at this picture, you would think that you were in southern Europe, rather than north west Wales.

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi

Today is St David's Day, the patron saint of Wales. And to celebrate that fact, here is a shot of Portmeirion and flying the Welsh national flag; the Baner Cymru or Y Ddraig Goch, which translated becomes 'The Red Dragon'. Incidentally the name given to many an English pub!

I hope everyone who is Welsh has had a good day, even though, like in England, it is not classed as a public holiday.  Personally I think all saint's days should be given a bank holiday status, as we don't get enough public holidays compared to other European countries.

A Home From Home

When we woke up, we noticed the sun shining through the curtains. Gail got out of bed and pulled back the drapes; and we saw the sea.

It was magical. Sunshine and the sea. What more could anyone want when they are on holiday?

As it was my birthday, Gail had bought some cards and a couple of presents with her for me to open. Which I did. In Gail's card was a big badge with '50' on it. Which I then pinned to my coat.

After breakfast we went for another walk around the village.  It had only just opened to the public, so there weren't that many people around.  I was wished a "happy birthday" from the people who saw my badge.

This shot shows the village hotel. It partly burnt down many years ago, but has been restored. The open air heated swimming pool was used in the original Brideshead Revisited, when the village stood in for Italy.

I Am Not A Number

It's my birthday & seventh wedding anniversary tomorrow. I'll be 50 by the way. Gail asked me what I wanted to do as something special. Go on holiday somewhere perhaps. Yes I replied, Portmeirion in North Wales.

I had been before on a day trip some years ago, but have never actually stayed there as a guest. It's a very special place, as it was designed and built over a number of years by one man, a Clough William-Ellis.

Portmeirion is of course more well know as the place where Patrick McGoohan's character tried to escape from in the TV series The Prisoner in 1967. A very unusual series of 17 episodes in which a spy resigns from his job, is kidnapped and finds himself trapped in 'the village'. He is called 'Number Six' and various psychological methods are used to try and find out why he resigned.

So I found a deal for two nights bed & breakfast. Fantastic. When I rang up to book, they told me which cottage that we would be staying in. I then looked it up on their website and found out that it was that the Beatles' manager Brian Epstein used to rent during the 1960s.

When we arrived it was dark, so we didn't know where in the village we were located. After we had unloaded the car we went to have dinner in the main hotel, which looks a bit like a castle.  We then went for a walk around the village. We had it to ourselves, as there was nobody else around.  And boy was it quiet.