Welcome to Wales

This past week my daughter had an activity in Swansea, Wales and we decided to all drive up. The two hour drive was somewhat lengthened by our GPS getting set to avoid toll roads and so we enjoyed an extra half hour meandering through the motorways of Wales. The road side scenery was pretty and the sun was shining but what kept as all amused travelling along were the street signs, which showed us the Welsh translation of whatever was written on them. Trying to pronounce warnings and city names kept the car filled with laughter and speculation. The ones on the freeways are far more interesting but as only those with a death wish would stop on well populated road way here, I took a photo of one on a much safer street corner once in Swansea.

Once my daughter was set up with her group my son could not wait to head over to the beach which was just a five minute walk away. As you begin moving toward the sea side the view of the water was completely blocked by tree lined path ways that skirt along the sand edge but also leave you wondering just how close the water actually is.

However just past this trail, really feet from this spot you break through and the vast shoreline stretches out in front of you. The tide was out but this left miles and miles of the softest sand and a plethora of shells to sort and collect.  

We spent time basking in the sun, letting the sand push between our toes and thinking our life was charmed. Although the tide never did come in while we were on the beach, we picked up a nice sun burn and so felt we really had been to a beach after all. Admittedly I didn't in my mind associate Wales with sunny days and beautiful beaches I enjoyed both in my day there and have since been coming up with reasons why we would need to go back.