shells

and such.

went on adventure to swansea today. partly because has looked fairly interesting from train and bus the last two times i whisked through. and partly because, although there is a bit of rivallry between cardiff and swansea (and much joking about the mumbles, etc.), it is not supposed to be so bad. and indeed it wasn't. and partly because the train pass is still good, and, being the miserly person that you all know, it would be a shame to waste 'free' travel. (please, no one tell the train people that they are supposed to mark off days when one shows them the pass... since lisa, ben and i validated all three passes at heathrow, not another day has been marked off!!!! and there was much rejoicing.)

located central market. located marina. admired sailing vessels. visited dylan thomas centre in feeble effort to thaw. resumed freezing self in slow and painful manner by walking down main thoroughfare since unable to comprehend bus system and too proud to ask more than one person for help. and this was fortuitous, because...

located beach! freezing became instantly unimportant in romantic idyllic style of silly giddy persons. so toddled along beach unconcerned with the numbness of fingers, crunching shells, collecting pretty ones and generally feeling at peace with world. (WILL live on beach one day.) there are no pictures of any of this as got one block away from cardiff central station this a.m. before realising had forgotten camera. was in no mood to delay departure by another hour as was already behind schedule due to enterprising scheduling of school recruitment visits.

walked along beach for, oh, at least 2 miles... almost all the way to Mumbles. Could see the lighthouse on the little island. Desperately wanted to make it to lighthouse. But not desperately enough apparently (it was probably two more miles and for some reason cannot seem to get sock/shoe coordinated to avoid blisters). Stopped at the Woodman for a pint (of Old Speckled Hen) and early dinner (of pork and apricot pate and a lovely spicy tomato and bleu cheese soup) in hamlet of Blackpill.

Here, is more about Mumbles -- and you really should peruse since the Oystermouth Historical Society uses scare quotes around 'breasts' (the name, Mumbles, apparently comes from the two islands' similarity to 'breasts'). hee hee.

so, then i came home. oh, and found ye olde yarne shoppe, but it was closing time. so sad.