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A 17-day adventure by Dominick Read more
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  • TravelerNorth Wales & Ireland
    Day 2

    Bangor — Penrhyn Castle

    April 12 in Wales ⋅ 🌬 55 °F

    Returning to the UK felt like coming home. I’ve spent more than three months here during this trip, so returning to fish & chips, Tesco supermarkets, Wetherspoons, organized queues, and panel tv shows brought a certain feeling of comfort. I’m on my way to Ireland to meet Joe & Sue in Dublin (and then everyone else in Shannon) so I’m hanging out this week in North Wales. The welcome I got today from Sandra when I arrived in Bangor was truly heartwarming. She runs a little hotel and Chinese restaurant near the station, and she just couldn’t do enough for me. It was her suggestion to go to Penrhyn Castle. “In spite of the politics surrounding it,” it is her favorite. She circled some spots on the map, arranged for a cab, gave me a big hug, and sent me on my way. Penrhyn was beautiful. It was a perfect re-entry to Wales with its lush green setting, fluffy white lambs in the meadow, and deep gray stones of the castle. This is slate country. In fact, its the namesake for Bangor, Pennsylvania which was founded by a man from this Welsh city who set up the slate industry there. Penrhyn Castle sits on a hill overlooking the Bangor shoreline. It was a strategic location in the 15th century when it was first built. The wealthy barons who lived in the castle in the last 200 years were on the Jeff Bezos level, according to one of the docents on the castle tour. I asked her to explain what Sandra would have meant by her comment that Penrhyn was unpopular because of its politics. In 1900, the Baron of Penrhyn owned much of the land surrounding Bangor, including the slate quarry. When the workers in the quarry unionized and threatened to strike, the baron refused to negotiate. When the workers decided to strike, he closed the quarry and then later replaced them with non-union workers. Known as The Great Strike of Penrhyn, it lasted for three years, the longest dispute in British labor history. It divided the community, weakened the slate industry in Wales, and caused great suffering for quarry workers and their families. Signs in Bangor homes proclaimed “Nid oes bradwyr yn y ty hwn” (There is no traitor in this house) to make it clear that the home did not belong to someone who crossed the picket line. And that is why Sandra was almost embarrassed to say how much she liked the castle. It holds a dark place in Welsh history, mainly because Bezos-level wealth meant that the Baron could afford to just shut down the quarry and outlast the striking quarrymen. The opulence of the castle’s interior was much less impressive after learning of its history.Read more

  • TravelerNorth Wales & Ireland
    Day 3

    Beaumaris

    April 13 in Wales ⋅ 🌬 54 °F

    Invaded by Saxons and Vikings and then by England’s Edward I in his 1282 campaign to conquer Wales, Beaumaris lies at the eastern entrance of the Menai Strait between North Wales and the Isle of Anglesey.Read more

  • TravelerNorth Wales & Ireland
    Day 3

    Caernarfon

    April 13 in Wales ⋅ 🌬 54 °F

    Edward I also built a Caernarfon Castle at the western entrance to the Menai Strait. They say Wales has more castles per square mile than any other country. Cofis (people from Caernarfon) are proud that their city has been called the “Welshest town in Wales” because it had the most native Welsh speakers. This is really the first place I’ve been in Wales where the people talk to you first in Welsh and then switch to English when they see you do not understand. Kids were speaking Welsh to their parents and old ladies were swearing with the distinct guttural sounds of Welsh.Read more

  • TravelerNorth Wales & Ireland
    Day 4

    Conwy

    April 14 in Wales ⋅ ☁️ 48 °F

    When England conquered Wales in 1283, Edward I had four castles built at strategic locations. Conwy Castle is one of the best preserved. Along with the others at Beaumaris, Caernarfon, and Harlech, it is designated a World Heritage site. The Welsh tried to force the English out of Conwy, but were defeated after a two month failed siege attempt. In 1401, Rhys ap Tudur and his brother Gwilym dressed as carpenters to gain access to the castle and successfully launched a surprise attack. They killed the watchmen and took control of the castle, while other Welsh rebels took the town. They held strong for three months before negotiating a surrender. In December 2023, Condé Nast selected Conwy Castle as the most stunning un Europe.Read more

  • TravelerNorth Wales & Ireland
    2
    Day 4

    Llandudno

    April 14 in Wales ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F

    Llandudno has no castle and no medieval city wall. It had no need. This city didn’t exist until the mid-1800s — and the Victorian obsession with holidays by the sea. It is beautifully preserved with its picturesque pier, waterfront promenade, and brightly colored Victorian hotels. It’s still a popular holiday resort. On the train down to Llandudno (pronounced Clan-did-no) a Syrian man sat next to me and asked for help with his ticket. He spoke very little English and could not read English script at all. His ticket was on his phone but the translation on the app was clunky. It has to be so frustrating looking at a document in a different writing system and trying to decipher it. I helped him find his transfer information and showed him where the Arabic translation was. He had been in a bit of a panic so he was so relieved. He was very grateful and told me he loves Americans “but not Biden.” He searched for the words to explain that he has five children and brought his family to the UK because of the war in Syria. He found work through the UN. He wanted to thank me for helping him but what he came up with was, “You’re very cute.” He followed that up with “Americans are cute.”Read more

  • TravelerNorth Wales & Ireland
    Day 5

    Bangor

    April 15 in Wales ⋅ 🌬 46 °F

    Bangor (pronounced ‘Bangah’ by the locals) has turned out to be a great base from which to explore northwest Wales. My hotel is across the street from the train and bus stations and Wales’ public transportation has served me well. I have gone a full day now without seeing a castle, but I’m trying not to be “castled out” by the time I get to Ireland. I’ve had so much to do that it has taken me until the fourth day to actually explore Bangor itself. This morning I went up the hill to where Bangor University is, and I did some laundry and read my book in a little cafe. I explored the campus a bit. Spent some time in the library with its beautiful reading room. From there I headed down to the pier. Bangor’s Garth Pier is the main attraction in town and they’re very proud of it. As they should be. It was recently renovated so they charge 50p (70c) to enter and they sell some souvenirs in the little shops from which all of the proceeds go to its upkeep. It’s a beautiful setting — at the entrance to the Menai Strait with the Isle of Anglesey appearing as if it’s well within reach. I met a woman who volunteered in one of the shops on the pier who was a retired high school teacher. She sat in the little shack on the pier greeting visitors and promoting locally made products. We agreed that it’s not the kids that makes you want to retire, and we laughed that we both had a soft spot for the quirky ones. She urged me to find something at home that is similar to what she has — a volunteer job in a beautiful place where people are happy and always appreciate your help. I spoke to Marianna about this and she said there might be a place in Princeton or at Washington’s Crossing where I could volunteer. She briefly mentioned a flag museum at The Crossing, and I think I may have found my new dream job. I’m sure people are happy there — what with all those flags.Read more

  • TravelerNorth Wales & Ireland
    Day 6

    Rhosneigr & Holyhead

    April 16 in Wales ⋅ 🌬 48 °F

    Heading to the port of Holyhead today, I got off the train in a little town on the west coast of Anglesey to explore the coastal route. Rhosneigr is a sleepy little beach town which is popular with surfers. I wandered along the coast for more than an hour and then took a bus to Holyhead. If you want to learn about local life in a UK town, get on board one of the local buses. As we meandered through the narrow roads my focus shifted from the lush green landscape and dotted with sheep to what was happening right on board. There were only five of us when the bus left Rhosneigr, but at each stop there was a new addition until we had a nearly full bus on arrival in Holyhead. The remarkable thing was how everyone seemed to know one another. Each new person was met with a big welcome and then joined in on the conversation that the whole bus was having as a group. They were all speaking Welsh, so I have no idea what they were actually saying, but I could tell it was directed at the moms who brought kids along or toddlers in strollers. There was a lot of oohing and ahhing from older ladies and proud smiles from the young moms. There were a couple of guys who would chime in once in a while causing everyone to crack up. This was obviously either a clever remark about the kids or else it was a wisecrack about me, but either way it created quite a party atmosphere. The bus driver did a really kind thing for me. When I boarded, I had told him the name of my hotel to ask about the nearest stop. I was preparing to walk a bit from the town center, but, when we were near the end of our route, he pulled up right in front of my hotel and just gave a yell for me to get off. “Here you are, mate! That’s your hotel. Now you don’t have to walk.” This is so unusual in the UK, not because the bus driver was friendly (they’ve been cheerful and pleasant just about everywhere), but the official bus stops are sacred. To stop somewhere in between seems to be a rare occurrence. After checking in, I went walking in town and I was stopped by one of the jokester guys from the bus who wanted to know if everything went ok with my hotel. I wasn’t expecting much. I knew I had booked a cheap place with a shared bathroom, but I was shocked by Holyhead. It may be the ugliest place in Wales. It’s a shame, really. The setting is amazing — similar to Bangor or Greenock — but something went wrong here. It’s about as charming as the Port of Bayonne (not the French one). The port itself is huge and there’s a large railroad yard. Obviously it’s a vital shipping port, but the town is poorly planned. From what I can see, they made the mistake of creating strip malls just south of the peninsula that creates the port and where the town center is located. Big box stores, fast food, national brand retail, and grocery stores can all be found in these strip malls with huge parking lots. This seems to have shifted all of the commerce from the city center, so when you arrive in the center of town, things are run down, stores boarded up, and beautiful buildings are deteriorating. There’s no there there. I walked the whole peninsula. There’s a promenade on the north end with a marina and a yacht club, but, other than that, the town is a waste of a beautiful coastal setting. Because of this, I had to call an audible and change up my reservation a bit. I had booked two nights here because I figured I’d explore the northern coast of Anglesey, but I just wanted out. It felt like Algeciras way back in December in Spain, but at least there I had a balcony. Anyway, it was an easy fix. I went over to the ferry office and just switched my ticket and then I added another night to my hotel im Dublin. So I’ll be on the 9 am ferry to Dublin tomorrow morning. It looks like this will be goodbye to the UK for this trip. I’m glad I had such a good stay in Bangor.Read more

  • TravelerNorth Wales & Ireland
    Day 7

    Dublin

    April 17 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 45 °F

    Coming to Dublin early was an excellent change in my original plan. It caused me to switch my hotel to the Abbey Court Hostel, which is in an incredible location. This place is kind of amazing too. It’s full of kids, as you would expect, but aside from the usual dorm rooms with shared facilities, they have these private rooms with full baths that make it affordable for a solo budget traveler to stay in the heart of Dublin. It’s right on the river just across the bridge from Temple Bar. I included a photo of the ceiling of my room taken from the bed to give a sense of the dimensions. It is small, but so worth it given the location. And the bathroom is actually huge. The shower is one of the nicest ones I’ve had anywhere. I’m so glad to be staying here. It’s not just kids. There are a surprising number of people over 60 — couples and solos. So it’s mostly kids and some pensioners. The staff is so helpful. Most of them are not from Ireland — some Italians, Indians, and Spanish — and they just bend over backwards to make sure you’re having a nice stay. They organize walking tours, give advice about things to do in the city, and set up activities for guests — last night there was a ping pong tournament. I passed on that, but I had lunch in the hostel’s restaurant and hung out in the hammock room for a bit. The last day has just been about resting up for the Pizzas, who I’ll be so happy to see starting tomorrow morning when I meet Joe & Sue at the airport. Since we’ll be coming back to Dublin, I haven’t done much here except walk around. I saw an ad for New Jersey on one of their buses which I found ironic. And I talked to a man in an REI kind of shop about his trip to the renaissance festival in New York. He wanted to tell me that the people were nuts but didn’t want to be rude. I told him I know because I have a friend who goes to them in full renaissance dress (Hi Ronnie!). Since Temple Bar is so close, I’ve spent most of my time wandering there. I did go to the exhibit on the Irish Potato Famine, which was very emotional but extremely well done. It received an award in peace and reconciliation because of the way it handles this tragic and controversial topic. It’s hard to tell stories of oppression and outright evil. I’d compare it to the Peace Museum in Hiroshima. The Japanese were very clear about their message — governments left unchecked can do evil things, and by this they meant their emperor’s dictatorial rule over the Japanese people. At this exhibit, rather than say the British or the Protestants were evil, they focused on telling stories of individuals who made awful decisions — sometimes ignorant of the effects and sometimes indifferent. It broke things down to allow the visitor to see how self interest and greed of individual landowners, businessmen, and politicians led to the deaths of more than a million people. It also did a thorough job of explaining how negative views at the time of Irish Catholics made it easier for people to ignore the crisis or to find ways to blame the victims. And like the museum in Japan, it also focused on those that tried to help, including a Turkish sultan who wanted to donate £10,000 to the cause but was asked to only donate £1000 because Queen Victoria had donated £2000 and she had to be the largest contributor. He agreed so as not to make the queen look bad, but he then decided to send ships to Ireland with food supplies. At the end of the exhibit, there was a copy of the letter written on behalf of the Irish people to thank him.Read more

  • TravelerNorth Wales & Ireland
    Day 9

    Castle Ivers

    April 19 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F

    John Harding was born in Castle Ivers in Tullerboy, County Limerick in 1834. He is my cousin Sue’s Great Great Grandfather. Today we drove from Dublin to this beautiful valley to see the rural town where he lived until he emigrated to the US at the age of 16 in 1850. It was history come to life. I was so glad to be able to be a part of this special day for Joe & Sue, who have traced her family tree back 700 years. The house is on a huge gated property, so we decided not to trespass, but we were able to walk a bit around the front and admire the horses and the incredible setting. We also explored a nearby graveyard and the closest Catholic church. John Harding left Ireland just after the Potato Famine. He must have witnessed some very devastating scenes in this part of the country as 10% of the population died and just as many left the country for the US or Canada. Those who survived were often forced to leave the countryside to work in the cities in the workhouses or doing public works. Imagine being 16 and having to make this decision. John made the crossing with only the company of his friend who was the same age, but they made it to New York and eventually John settled in Plainfield and raised a family. Sue isn’t sure what the relationship was between John and the owners of the home, perhaps his parents worked on the land, however she does have an article from an interview of John in his later years in which he clearly states he was born in this house.Read more

  • TravelerNorth Wales & Ireland
    Day 11

    The Kerry Camino

    April 21 in Ireland ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F

    Day Three was another gem. We walked nine miles on one of the most beautiful segments of the Kerry Camino. We started in the town of Camp on the north coast of the peninsula and walked uphill and then across a long valley to Inch Beach on the south coast. It was so much fun to share a Camino experience with everyone. We even met up with a hiker from the Netherlands and spoke to a couple of locals. The weather couldn’t have been better, and the scenery was amazing.Read more

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