In Wales

I'm spending the first few days of half term with my friend and colleague Danny, in his home country of Wales.  That's right, Wales is a country within the country of England, you learn something new everyday.  He and Josh invited me to see this incredible country last year and I am finally here.  It's similar to the lakes but with higher "hills" and their own language.
Yesterday we went to Liverpool and explored the home of the Beatles.

The County Court House.

Court room, and I have some exciting news about another courtroom, similar to this one…..

Warner Bros. is filming the new Harry Potter movie here, this is the lighting truck for the production.

Many weddings were going on and at no point did I wish to be their photographer.

This is one of those arcade games where you use a remote controlled arm to grab a prize.  Here the prizes were shoes.  This is part of a shoe store and if you get the shoe to the hole, you win a pair of new, expensive shoes.  Below is the line up of people willing to try there hands at winning.

Danny took part in a sausage taste test.  Good news, he picked the right brand and won a package of sausages.  We enjoyed them tonight for dinner.

Today we visited some of Wales, we went to the Pontcysysllte Aquaduct.  And yes that is the correct spelling, or (and I quote the sign) "the stream in the sky".

This is Danny BTW

That is the aqauduct with a longboat traveling across and people walking.

This is from on top of the aqueduct.

And this is from the longboat bow, we took the cruise across.

There is only a railing on one side

Why did the boat cross a thousand foot high bridge?  Yes, to get to the other side.

This view is looking back at the small bridge I photographed above.

This is Wales' version of the "Horseshoe Falls",  it was beautiful but I can't wait to show Danny and Josh our version some day.

And this is Trixie, Josh and Danny's beautiful and charming, white boxer.  She is one very spoiled pooch.

Visitors

One great, fantastic and need I say enjoyable way of  spending time is to do it with friends.  I am so incredibly blessed with the best of these. Marjorie and I have been friends for almost 40 years.  I consider her my sister.  Last week she and her sister Debbie (my extended family/sister) visited me from Canada.  They are on a whirlwind vist to England and Paris and they included me on their itinerary.  We went to Lincoln and the York on the weekend.  I drove and while I enjoy the experience of driving I am always glad to give back the car without damage.(LOL inside joke I'll tell you when I see you).  I've booked my tickets to go home for Christmas and it's only another 10 weeks.  I can't wait.

On the Cleethorpes pier (just renovated).  A beautiful mistake, the star filter was on but I think it works with these two beauties.

Marj and Debbie climbed the Lincoln Cathedral Tower, seen here from the cafe where I waited.  It was neat to see the pigeons fly away before the bells rang, they are conditioned by the subtle sounds it makes, I could not hear anything.

I waited to see movement up there and by coincidence I captured Marjorie taking a picture of me taking a picture.  BTW she is up on the highest point of the Cathedral.

We spent the entire day in Lincoln, what a view to walk by the Cathedral at night.

Ariel view of York from Clifford's Tower.

York Minster.

Inside the York museum you walk through a time line of toys before getting to the Victorian street.

A film vending machine from the 60's.

I am so fortunate to have these beautiful women in my life, thanks for the great weekend.

xxxx…. oooo….