In 1971
Ben tells me that I “remember everything”. There’s more than enough truth in that. I have vivid memories which go back to my childhood. Of course I cannot trust then all, for memory is tricky.
As I walked today I remembered a trip I took in Wales and England many years ago. I had thought it to be from 1968, but a quick check of the facts revealed that it was from 1971 when I was 27 years old.
I would have been working as a Staff Tutor for the National Westminster Bank in that year.
I took off in my car to visit parts of north Wales and also Chester in England. I had never before seen this part of the U.K.
I saw Caernarfon Castle, Conwy Castle, Llandudno (a coastal town in north Wales), “Snowdon” the highest peak in Wales, and Chester. All on my lonesome!
When I reached Chester I was so tired that I decided to stay in the first hotel which I saw. It turned out to be the “Blossoms” Hotel (3 star), and naive as I was, I was in awe of staying in such a “grand place”.
I wondered if there was a standard of “hotel etiquette” of which I did not know.
(Working class boys from Bristol never expected to stay in such places!).
In Chester I enjoyed the old City Wall, the lovely River Dee, the great Cathedral, and “The Rows” (two story shops which date back to the Middle Ages).
I’d love to return to Chester one day. ‘Tis a lovely City.
As for the year? After dinner I saw the Movie “Play Misty for me”, with Clint Eastwood. It was released in 1971, so that pins my excursion to that year.
By 1972 I was on my way to Theological College.
Caernarfron Castle
Conwy Castle
.jpg)
Chester, Cathedral
Chester, River Dee
Chester, "The Rows"
Chester, City Wall
Chester, Blossoms Hotel
As I walked today I remembered a trip I took in Wales and England many years ago. I had thought it to be from 1968, but a quick check of the facts revealed that it was from 1971 when I was 27 years old.
I would have been working as a Staff Tutor for the National Westminster Bank in that year.
I took off in my car to visit parts of north Wales and also Chester in England. I had never before seen this part of the U.K.
I saw Caernarfon Castle, Conwy Castle, Llandudno (a coastal town in north Wales), “Snowdon” the highest peak in Wales, and Chester. All on my lonesome!
When I reached Chester I was so tired that I decided to stay in the first hotel which I saw. It turned out to be the “Blossoms” Hotel (3 star), and naive as I was, I was in awe of staying in such a “grand place”.
I wondered if there was a standard of “hotel etiquette” of which I did not know.
(Working class boys from Bristol never expected to stay in such places!).
In Chester I enjoyed the old City Wall, the lovely River Dee, the great Cathedral, and “The Rows” (two story shops which date back to the Middle Ages).
I’d love to return to Chester one day. ‘Tis a lovely City.
As for the year? After dinner I saw the Movie “Play Misty for me”, with Clint Eastwood. It was released in 1971, so that pins my excursion to that year.
By 1972 I was on my way to Theological College.
Caernarfron Castle
Conwy Castle
.jpg)
Chester, Cathedral
Chester, River Dee
Chester, "The Rows"
Chester, City Wall
Chester, Blossoms Hotel
We must be the same age. I visited many of these spots in 1974 at the age of 30 when I finally managed to do the grand tour of Europe. But I, like many Aussies, was travelling in a campervan (also alone) which I bought in London and had the engine seize up later in Germany. Have vague plans to return to Wales but on hold due to global financial mess.
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