Croeso

Butterflies, nervousness, & fidgetty excitement

Me and the kids are wearing our red shirts , they faces with dragons painted, (which I'm desperately trying to get them not to smudge), the flags are everywhere and once again there is a spring in the step of the nation.

Only the expansive but stuttering French to beat. Hopefully all that Gallic flair will crumble and their own fans will get on their backs very early, with Shane Williams

Wondering how the kids will experience such a big event, now we just need to find that Fish n Chip shop I was recommended to make this cultural and patriotic home coming complete.

Their cries of "Hup Wales" and "Hup Cymru" they are shouting is a nice mix of their joined heritage, and is a nice conversation broker as people are asking about it. Especially when they further explain in their haltering English that papa always cries when Hen Wlad Fy Hadau starts. "Tears of joy" is my immediate reaction - "no he cries" say the little ones.

Cymru am Byth

Need I say more

Thanks Dave for highlighting this

Robert Paterson's Weblog: The best national anthem in the world

The best national anthem in the world
You don't have to be Welsh to be moved - It calls its children to a heroic culture where art, life and the land are held most dear.

I chose this video for the warrior quality of the rugby players, the love of the young spectators and the epic pride in belonging to their people of the older men. It's hard not to weep even if you are not Welsh. For do we not all long for these things?

Here for all us not Welsh is a translation

    This land of my fathers is dear to me Land of poets and singers, and people of stature Her brave warriors, fine patriots Shed their blood for freedom

    Chorus: Land! Land! I am true to my land! As long as the sea serves as a wall for this pure, dear land May the language endure for ever.

    Old land of the mountains, paradise of the poets, Every valley, every cliff a beauty guards; Through love of my country, enchanting voices will be Her streams and rivers to me.

    Chorus

    Though the enemy have trampled my country underfoot, The old language of the Welsh knows no retreat, The spirit is not hindered by the treacherous hand Nor silenced the sweet harp of my land.

    Chorus

With England out for the count it's time for Wales to take Centre Stage

With a bye to the semi finals in the offering (i.e they play England) Wales and Australia need no greater motivation for a win today in the Rugby World Cup.

Come on boys make us proud the whole nation (and all us ExPats) are all behind you.

Soar Y Mynydd

The subject of the painting of the chapel is Soar y Mynydd

"Soar-y-mynydd Welsh Calvinistic Methodist chapel, is perhaps the most remote chapel in the whole of Wales. It stands near the banks of the river Camddwr on the road from Tregaron to Llyn Brianne. The chapel was built in the 1820s by Ebenezer Richards - minister at Tregaron and father of Henry Richard (1812-88) - and his trustees. The two-storey chapel is built to a traditional design with a long side-wall; the pulpit is located between the two doorways. The building was also used as the local school until the 1940s."

Here is a photograph of the chapel http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/blowup1/23095

The artist is Ogwyn Davies whose studio is near Soar Y Mynydd

Paintings

Whilst reading the legacy Kyffin Williams left for Wales and Welsh institutions today on the BBC Wales web site I started mooching about the net looking for other artists whom we have some paintings from primarilly to see how their contemporary work had developed, and I find someone selling a print of a painting I own the original of - What a strange feeling to see it there:

The image is way washed out here as the colours in the original are perfect for Wales, and as it is a collage made up from bits of welsh newspapers, the welsh bible and welsh music sheets, all that texture is lost in the print (as far as I can tell) - But it is a very funny feeling as I thought we were the only ones enjoying this beautiful view of Cymru.. but funny in a nice way I guess.

Welshisms

I was listening to BBC Radio five yesterday in th car and Nicky Wire from the Manic Street Preachers (the Manics) was being interviewed by a radio Interviewer with a Welsh mum, they were laughing at the way Welsh people sometimes say things:

A bute which I remember was "whose coat is this jacket", "and I looked in the fridge, and there it was, gone!"

I'd forgotten about these and many other beauties, yet another nostalgia trip

Says it all really

Bragging Rights maintained for a whole year

All the other results fade into insignificance, as we beat the majority holding neighbour

Just reliving the past

Rocking away on top of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon)

That's it the flight is booked I'm going home how could any North Walian miss this one!!!!

Mind you when I was there with my Venture Scouts at the same time of year for our annual Snowdon Bivvy , it was always raining - ah happy memories

thealarm.com

 

MIKE PETERS - SNOWDON ROCKS - THE HIGHEST GIG IN ENGLAND & WALES NORTH WALES JUNE 22nd & JUNE 23RD On Saturday June 23rd 2007,Mike Peters, two times cancer survivor and internationally acclaimed singer of Welsh rock and roll band The Alarm will leada procession of doctors, nurses, fans and supporters on a sponsored walk to the summit of Snowdon / Yr Wyddfa (the highest point in England & Wales), to perform a very special acoustic set at the summit. Over the weekend of June 22nd and June 23rd 2007, Mike Peters will host 'SNOWDON ROCKS' a series of events throughout North Wales featuring two further Mike Peters acoustic concerts. The first will take place on Friday June 22nd at Rhyl Town Hall with proceeds going directly to the North Wales Cancer Treatment Centre at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan where Mike Peters was first diagnosed with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma back in 1995/96. Asecond concert will be held after the Snowdon trek on Saturday evening June 23rd at the Galeri in Caernarfon with fundsbeing channelled locally into the Alaw Unit at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor. Mike (who was diagnosed and successfully treated for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) in 2005/06), is currently being treated at the Alaw Unit with a view to finding a cure under the watchful eye of Dr. David Edwards who has been Mike's haemotologist throughout both of his cancer battles. Dr. Edwards will also be accompanying Mike to the summit of Snowdon. The weekend is being promoted through the LOVE HOPE STRENGTH Foundation, a charity formed by Mike Peters to raise awareness and funding for cancer research both locally and globally with a series of world wide events that will be held throughout 2007. Any local business wishing to participate in sponsorship or any individualwishing to accompany Mike on the sponsored walk to the summit of Snowdon should contact Peters Jones on 01745 571571 or visit www.lovehopestrength.com for further details. Tickets are available now from the following outlets: Rhyl Town Hall 22nd June 2007 12.50 advance plus booking fee Please call Rhyl Pavilion Box Office: Tel 0870 330 0000 [Subject to Booking Fee] Rhyl Tourist Information Tel: 01745 355068 Email: [email protected] Galeri Caernarfon 23rd June 200712.50 advance plus booking fee Please call Galeri Box Office Tel: 01286 685222or visitwww.galericaernarfon.com CaernarfonTourist Information Centre Tel: 01286 672 232 Email: [email protected] Why 'Snowdon Rocks'? "Because you can see both hospitals where I have been cared for from the summit and climbing Snowdon is symbolic of the virtual mountain that cancer sufferers and their carers have to climb with each and every diagnosis." says Mike Peters adding, "Every single person alive in North Wales today will have course to visit one of these two cancer centres during the course of their lifetime, either as a patient or a carer, or simply visiting a friend or family member. Cancer affects all of us." Why Now? "Now is payback time"continues Mike, "Ibelieve the time is right for such a huge undertaking because science is on the verge of massive breakthroughs in the treatment of all cancers, specifically in the field of Leukaemia with pioneering work taking place in the fields of Stem Cell and Gene therapy. As I can testify, people who had previously been given days / months / years to live are now being treated and cured every day, giving hope for future generations." Why Love Hope Strength? "Because once in 1995 and more recently in 2005,I was diagnosed with and survived chemotherapy treatment for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia [CLL]"states Mike, "I owe my life to medical science and the skill and dedication of doctors and nurses at two Welsh hospitals - Ysbyty Glan Clwyd and Ysbyty Gwynedd.Through the creation of the Love Hope Strength Foundation, I will be working throughout 2007 and beyond to raise funds for cancer research. LOVE HOPE STRENGTH FOUNDATION is registered as a charity in England & Wales.CHARITY NUMBER : 1117505 www.lovehopestrength.com

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Hunting for Idris

Now being a Welshman abroad, we tell the children all about the myths of Wales, Dragons feature highly and we have lot's of cuddly ones around the house to add some reality to the story telling.

Now you see in Boyd Mythville dragons are friendly and do not hurt humans but help protect them. They are invisible and only children can see them, now my 7 year old is starting to question this faith issue as she sees flaws in our arguments, so we wink at her and get her to play along so our 4yr old still can believe in such myths.
In no time too he will realise we are just making nice stories and non of it is true, pity our religious friends and their children do not apply the same honesty  - one can only dream

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Kyffin Williams

One of the problems with being away from your home for many years is that even in the era of the Internet, news eventually still trickles through.

I heard today that an old friend of mine the artist Kyffin Williams died in September after a fight with cancer, I knew him some 15 years ago very well and have a couple of his paintings hanging very proudly on my living room wall. It saddens me that such an articulate and charismatic countryman is no longer with us, Wales was a better place because of Kyffin and he understood intimately what is meant to be Welsh and could express it eloquently.

We use to walk together a lot on the Menai straits discussing our love for the colours of the Welsh landscape, and he and Ogwyn Davies are the two artists who seem to be able to convey that beautiful blend of greens, brown and greys to a canvas. Their paintings are so  shockingly realistic (in their terms of use of colour albeit the construction is beautifully  abstract) they still catch my eye from time to time, and a deep longing to return to North Wales is resurrected. Something that has the power to do that when I see the paintings of these 2 great artists every day, after 12 years of owning then,  speaks measures for their mastery and understanding.

Thank you Kyffin

 

Those odd juxta positions life throws up.

I'm sat here in a very nice burgundy house (we are visiting Anke's family here again), having just eaten a Italian Indian cross over meal (Barbequed Chicken Marinated in cloves, balsamic vinegar (Modena), and fennel, presented on a curry sauce (mainly ginger, coriander and ginger), ratatouille, onion bahjees , samosa and served with basmati rice, all washed down with a rather surprising good and cheap premier cotes de Bordeaux, L'Orangerie de Carignan. What was an added bonus the kids also gobbled it down in record time after hard day bike riding walking and playing in the garden, Mind you Owain sustained a rather nasty grazed knee on the walk and so was a little clingy and fussy (and it had to happen within the first 3 meters of the walk.!!) Luckily improvised walking sticks, tractors, dead moles and grasshoppers proved to be enough a distraction to convince the newly 4 yr old to walk the last 3/4 ers of the distance (after I carried him sobbing in my ear!) Now I'm here reading through my collection of cook books trying to be inspired what to cook tomorrow, listening to AC/DC on the new iPod - they just seem to fit the moment, once a rocker always one I guess. I cooked by the way listening the Rachmaninov 2nd, when it comes to classical music you cannot match the Russians I feel, like the American blues singers they have a seed of irritation in their bellies to bitch about. Music written when your happy is never as good as that written whilst your suffering. I find in France or Italy in fact, I just browse the cook books and then get inspired in the supremarche the next day. Here we have access to a Carrefour in Macon (the size of an aircraft carrier), and as I found out this morning, an equally good real sized ATAC in Cluny, which is only 20 minutes away. (15 if the kids are not in the car as the windy roads give them car sickness!) If only every country could have the supermarches and it's contents the French have, the quality of the food is excellent as always and the choice just plain bewildering. The scenery here remind me so much of Clwyd back home it's uncanny. Anke's is now at the stage that if I say "Tch just like Wales'' she laughs out loud. I have very limited access to email here - bizarrely i can read it but not reply (Lilia, Anke and I cannot make it on the Ist/2nd or 3rd we are in England for a wedding, pity we would have really liked to to meet up and you could cast you experienced pallet over my ''cross over'' cooking! Pity next time. So I'm quite isolated, I occasionally blog via my PC (for the kids films of course) and then upload it via my phone using SharpMT from Randy Rants on both, but we are missing most of the world events which is fine as I'm sure there is no good news coming out of Israel's heavy handed retaliation in Lebanon. When will all opposing factions in the middle east learn to live peacefully with one another, and when will the west stop interfering and supporting one side or the other non helpful ways. Anyway must finish this and the last drops of the Bordeaux (my book is ironically resting on a Rupert the bear book - such is our life these days) , before setting off for an short evening walk with Anke whilst Beppe (Frisian for Grandmother) minds the sleeping children.

Hapus Dewi Sant

Back to winning ways

Poor old Pen never mind there's always next year, just make sure you beat the English and do us all a favour!

Ouch

:-(

Passion

Today it all starts, Wales Grand Slam holders face the first match of this year's tournament, the humbled arrogant ones at Twickenham. We have a key suspension and a few injuries, but passion gile, individual flare and  celtic spirit is unbeatable when it gels.

That and the fact that we have 14 people for lunch to celebrate Femke's 6th birthday will mean a very busy day!

Cymru am Byth

Patriotism

Well it doesn't happen very often , and I've only just recoverred, I even found an Amsterdam stockists of Brains (beer for the non Welsh) to enjoy mid match.

Not only the Grand Slam but also the under 21 Grand Slam

Bendigedig.

Now that was a tackle bach!

A sad loss

I have just heard from Anne via her Christmas card that her husband and my good friend died recently. Gordon was my old neighbour in North Wales, and was a very special friend. He died that day after returning from a holiday in the sun just after watching his/our beloved Wales win at rugby. He turned to Anne and stated how well they had played and nodded off to sleep. He did not awake.

What`awful news yet what a wonderful way to go, if I could wish for an exit window that would be it.

Thanks Gordon for your friendship, help, and eternal cups of coffee as we discussed our somewhat diametrically opposed political views (Gordon was a Maggy loving Tory I'm a left wing socialist - old labour not loony left).

Gordon Roberts was the ex village police Sergeant , of our village Coedpoeth, but originally from Blanaeu Ffestiniog, and I have many happy memories, especially dropping into their campsite in Provence (near Carpentras) on my way back from alpine challenges - it was always odd arriving in the village wearing plastic boots, and axes on my sack in the full heat of the summer. I too remember finding a Kyffin Williams original which belonged to Gordon's mother and telling them it was worth a bit, (a bit it auctioned for 5 grand). His endless gardening and stone wall building lessons, and when he roped me into the pub quiz team announcing to all Dr Andy Boyd RA would revitalise their season and especially someone so young (I was 30) was bound to know all the pop music stuff - we dropped in the league!!!! He certainly was one of the village characters and a tireless councillor. He even tried to rope me in to help the first week I arrived in the village, ferrying the OAP tories to vote, needless to say I took them all to the pub , bought them a gin and left them there!

Nos da Gordon

Aruthrol!

Oh life is so wonderful

I now have windows XP and Office XP in Welsh!

Da Iawn Microsoft a Bwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg

http://www.microsoft.com/uk/office/cymruwales/default.mspx