Saturday 6 February 2016

Wales...a few days away

...and we happen upon Barry Island.  Not completely an island as such, it's really a peninsula  - back in the late 1880's a road was built to join it to the main town of Barry - we visited the beach part ....



The beachfront has had money spent on it, and even at this time of year it had plenty going on.
Things for kids  - and kids at heart - although we didn't attempt to try the climbing wall!







A Notice gave guidance for those who did want the challenge



In English...



And in Welsh....


They are very helpful with their signs and notices...I like how they teach Welsh as you drive.  There are directional road signs in English with the Welsh meaning added too, it all lends itself to an entertaining journey. We have long known that ARAF in Welsh means SLOW, but for those who are hard of learning, it gets repeated quite a lot! 



A bit wet for our visit, but it didn't matter, we still enjoyed the walk.



These trips away are a great opportunity to do some Travel Sketching,
(as if I wouldn't) - 

I was given a really useful sketchbook recently by one of my online friends,
so it got road tested on this trip.
  Quick line sketches as we go from place to place.
- I thought I had done a lot of sketches in it,
but by the end of the trip I still have about half the book to fill.
Thanks CLC, this is proving to be a very handy sketchbook.






More pictures of Wales in my next post!




22 comments:

Eileen H said...

I expect Barry Island is very different in the summer months, somewhere I have never been to. I think all signs in Wales have to be bilingual now and Welsh is given priority. Although I have lived in Wales most of my life I am not a Welsh speaker, I could never get to grips with the language in school :)

Marie Smith said...

We loved Wales and love this post about it. The language looks difficult to learn to this uni-lingual person. We knew a few key words, like we do any place we travel. People are usually so helpful. I look forward to more pictures and sketches. I love both.

ann @ studiohyde said...

Yes, I bet it's very different during the summer in Barry Island....we were glad to visit this time of year for that reason, lol.

I've come across a lot of people who don't speak Welsh but live there, and even have parents who never spoke it. I think I'm right in that, the North part of Wales has a slightly different language to the South, but I could have got that totally wrong.

ann @ studiohyde said...

Oh...and also I heard that the written is different to the spoken!!

ann @ studiohyde said...

It's the pronouncing the words that can be awkward, but then I have enough with English and I am English, lol!!!!!!

CJ Kennedy said...

The view out my window is white, white, white, as we got foot of snow yesterday. Happy to see your colorful pictures. I love the row of happy beach houses in the background and the shapes and textures of the climbing wall.

Joan Tavolott said...

I love how you are off traveling so often. Great photos. I'm glad the wet weather didn't stop you from enjoying the scenery or getting a sketch done. Good for you!

ann @ studiohyde said...

Brrr...sounds cold where you are. Not that here is any better in a way, it's wet here today - very wet!!

Glad you enjoyed this blog post. I'll add some more pictures in a blog post tomorrow.

ann @ studiohyde said...

Thanks, yes we do get around a bit. It's so nice to sketch on our travels and take the photos - if you want to use any of the photos Joan, please do.

Judy said...

Thanks for taking us with you again, looks like a great place! And lovely sketches too!

ann @ studiohyde said...

It was a great trip altogether. Plus we were lucky with the weather - what a bonus!

Christine said...

It looks nice there, lovely sketches too!

Faye said...

Wonderful sketches, Ann. I had a short visit to Wales many years ago. The language is certainly a puzzle to me with all those consonants.

Shammickite said...

When we first had TV, when I was about 10 or 11, we got lots of programmes including the news in Welsh, from the transmitter at Wenvoe. My dad used to get so mad!
I remember going to Barry Island on the Campbell's steamers from ilfracombe.
Love the climbing wall.

Laura said...

Just popped over to see what you have been up to. Enjoying the lovely British weather I see and still managing to create some lovely sketches. Love your minimalist style. Thanks for sharing.

robin cox walsh said...

Looks like it was another lovely get away! The beach huts are adorable! :)

ann @ studiohyde said...

Thanks Christine.

ann @ studiohyde said...

Yes, they seem to like Y's and double LL's :-)

ann @ studiohyde said...

I can remember the Welsh news being picked up on tv too! lol.

ann @ studiohyde said...

Yes, it's the weather we love, lol ;)

ann @ studiohyde said...

Wouldn't be 'British' without beach huts! lol ;)

Sadami said...

Dear Ann, lovely to see your photos and sketches. I particularly love your photos of beaches. You're in Wales. We're in New South Wales ʚ(ˆ◡ˆ)ɞ. Best wishes, Sadami