Wales.

Wales is a beautiful place. I was lucky enough to have a week break in between semesters and I made the most of it. I'll let the pictures do most of the talking.

CAERNARFON

Yorkshire Puddings are probably one of my favorite British meals.
It is like a German pancake filled with mashed potatoes, gravy, roast and peas & carrots.
DELISH. This is at the Black Boy Inn, built in 1522.

BEAUMARIS- ISLE OF ANGLESEY

The view of Snowdonia from Beaumaris Castle

LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLLGOGERYCHWYRNDROBWLLLLANTYSILIOGOGOGOCH TRAIN STATION

The longest train station name in the world. This was a fun little stop.

TRAIN RIDE TO SOUTHERN WALES

Trains allow a view that no motorways can offer. I'm left breathless every time. I love having trains
as a form of transportation because I see so much more. 

Wales is beautiful BTW.

MERTHYR TYDFIL

Merthyr Tydfil was a booming mining town during the Industrial Revolution and was the largest city in Wales- one of the fastest growing cities in its time. After the mining industry died down, so did the town. My ancestors left and travelled from Merthyr to Wales, Utah. However, as I was doing Family History, I noticed that Nathaniel Edmunds- my great, great, great, great grandfather- stayed in Merthyr. His wife died in the 1850's, and he in the 1870's. His son (my great, great, great grandfather) left for America in the 1850's and I wondered what became of Nathaniel. Did he have any family left with him when he died? Has any family visited his grave since? For all I knew, I was the first one. Can I just tell you, there is a remarkable feeling and bond to be that close to your ancestors.

As we arrived in the town- thank goodness my ancestors left :)- everything was closing for the weekend. Oops. I didn't think about that. We had just taken a 5 hour train ride to get there and I didn't think I would ever come back, so I wanted to make this trip be meaningful and count for something. My friend suggested we call the cemeteries to see if the sexton had record of the graves. We called and someone from the city council answered. She said that she had the coordinates of Nathaniel's grave! What a miracle! But, she then mentioned that he did not have a headstone, the grave was unmarked, and everyone was going home for the weekend in about 15 minutes. I called a taxi and was at the cemetery in 10 minutes...that was the fastest I have ever moved in my life.

When I arrived, the cemetery workers at Cefn Cemetery were mapping out the coordinates. They placed a rock on his grave and showed me how they determined which one it was.

The grave number was determined by the headstone at the top of the row and counting backwards. Cefn Cemetery is a very large cemetery and luckily this was near the entrance down the main road a little ways. A lady I spoke with said that a few years ago, many people from the cemetery were fired because they were removing large amounts of "top soil". Luckily I believe this was not that part. As for the rest of the city, many of the cemeteries were built over or the head stones taken down. There just wasn't the same type of respect here for the dead. 

To have had this experience and to spend a few minutes honoring him was emotional and priceless. In my heart I prayed with gratitude for who he was, for his sacrifices, for his children. I wanted him to feel as I was paying my respects that he was being honored and I felt very strongly that was acknowledged. I am so thankful for the bond that I felt. I am thankful for the angels that helped along the way so that I could have this experience and for the peace and love I felt while I was there.

The grave of Nathaniel Edmunds

This is the road Nathaniel's wife was buried on. Since this is a road and not a cemetery, It is
possible this is where they lived. 

CARDIFF

Mermaid Quay at night

Welshcakes are where it's at.

 It is difficult to explain the difference between Wales and England but I will try:

-Its kinda like West Jordan vs. South Jordan, no clear border distinction but it looks a little different.
-Everything is in Welsh AND English. Most of the Welsh people I met did not speak Welsh and could only say a few phrases they learned in primary school.
-Wales isn't as populated as England.
-Wales is prettier than England. That's a little difficult to say because England is beautiful too, but everywhere I looked was just breathtaking.


I would love to come back in the summer. North Wales is a quick train ride from Manchester and has so many beaches and the towns looked so beautiful near the sea. There are thousands of trailers in little trailer parks near the water that English families go to in the summer and I can see why. :)