Three weeks in Wales, England

Another pet/home stay with the perk of being only a ten-minute drive from my aunt and uncle! We arrived on my aunt’s birthday and had the privilege of celebrating with her. We enjoyed a lovely dinner outside on their back patio. Most of my kids have never met their Welsh relatives until now, so this was a special treat. Marlene let our girls help decorate her birthday cake and we didn’t leave without a bag full of Kellog’s goodies to enjoy- complimentary of Mervyn’s job. Claire and Gavin joined my cousin Josh for youth night later that week while Marlene showed me around Wales. It’s great to have someone who knows their way around already and give us great insight on what to see and do during our stay.

Marlene and I went on a horse drawn canal ride that left from Llangollen to Horseshoe Falls and back. She introduced me to the traditional Welsh pasties where we ate and enjoyed some great conversation, leaving our husbands to wonder what had happened to us!

Before their trip back to the States, we had them over for dinner, enjoyed McKenna’s Mission talk via zoom, and Marlene shared with my kids some fun stories about their Grandpa and Grandma Curtis, some of which I hadn’t heard before. They of course left us with many great spoils. Our time with them was short because they went off on their holiday back to the states, but we’re so grateful for the time we did get to spend with them!

During our stay, we took a drive out to the Peak District and enjoyed the beautiful scenery and climbing around the cliffs. We also came across some highland cows along our path, which the kids thought they came out of Minecraft due to their square faced snouts. We made a quick stop at the notable “Mr Darcy” home, aka the Chatsworth House, which is currently home to the Duke and Dutchess of Devonshire. And last, we stopped in a small town of Bakewell to enjoy delicious pasties (savory hand pies) & ice cream.

Throughout our stay, most days have been overcast, rainy or windy, and “cold” to us Georgians. Keeping us indoors except to take the dogs on their daily walks with occasional outings. Our kids enjoyed the extra snuggles with the dogs (Lola & Scamp) while they finished off the school year. With our travels, we’ve accumulated more than the number of days necessary for homeschooling but that’s mostly because we include sightseeing as part of their schooling. This has left us doing year-round school for now. Phil compiled all of their achievements into an end of year assessment that we could share with the kids to show them the progress they’ve made this year. It was fun to look back on all the places we’ve been to and what they were able to learn from being there in person. It’s definitely been a successful school year, and we are looking forward to seeing what the next year will bring as we continue on our journeys.

To keep things fun and interesting on our days inside, we purchased a variety of British candies, trying a different one each day. The most unique one was the coconut mushrooms (not made from real mushrooms) they were extremely sweet and made from a sort of carmelized sugar, topped with coconut flakes and a marshmallow-like sugar cube for the stem. While we enjoyed the various chocolate treats more, the majority of what we tried were too sugary for our liking. At a nearby park, our kids got to experience a favorite childhood pastime for both Phil and me, the chained tire swing. You better believe we gave them the full dizzying experience! Some other achievements during our stay- Gavin picked up some songs on the keyboard, Hallie put together some Harry Potter themed Lego sets and dressed herself up as Mary Poppins, Claire completed her first embroidery project, I got to learn how to drive on the right side of the car, and Phil prioritized taking his wife on a few dates! We enjoyed some local British cuisine, fresh dairy ice cream, Roman ruins, and a live Pride and Prejudice production. (Side note: Phil often takes his wife on dates- the fresh air was more needed in our tiny, cluttered, and darkened home).

The Preston Temple opened their doors again after being closed for a couple months, so we took advantage! It feels so great to be in a Temple again. That’s been the hardest part about traveling, the limited opportunities to attend the Temple regularly. We were in awe at the bright white marble walls and golden railings as we were escorted to the endowment room. I love and appreciate how every Temple is uniquely designed to fit the location and culture it’s built in. I also enjoy the times when Phil and I receive similar promptings from the Lord of where to place our focus and what to be open to. The Lord is very mindful and so graciously loving as He continues to lead and guide us individually, as a couple, and family. There’s no better place on earth to feel closer to the Lord than in HIs Holy House.

The city of Chester offers a roman tour guide to give a history tour around the city. It was cool to see ruins over 2,000 years old and the remains of a Roman bathhouse, which was the exact layout of one we explored while visiting in Jerusalem. It was also fascinating to see the architecture of the town, depicted from the gothic era and matching the local Gothic Cathedral.

And we decided that we couldn’t be in Castle land without visiting a Castle. We drove through Snowdonia National Park and stopped at the Caernarfon Castle (don’t ask us to pronounce it!) This fortress was constructed back in 1283 under the rule of King Edward the 1st. It of course had been sieged a couple of times and reconstructed since then, but it was the place of King Charles Coronation back in 1969. After which it became a tourist and history location to enjoy today.

After touring the Castle, we visited the Aber Falls which is a 30min hike through what looked like an enchanted forest. It was beautiful and definitely worth seeing in person if you get the chance.

Not knowing a whole lot about the British, UK History, we took some time to learn more about the Monarchy, what they do and why they have them. I half expected the King of England had more governing authority over the country than what we learned. Turns out the entire monarchy continues only as tradition to history and the remain a symbol of unity and connection between England and Wales (which we didn’t realize used to be separate countries as well). The job of the monarchy today is to mostly support the communities through charity and sporting events, not to mention maintaining the local celebrity gossip. I don’t mean this disrespectfully, but it seems like a lot of “to do” is wasted just to keep a tradition alive. But we’ve also noticed the British take great pride in their country, and why not.

On that note, another fun story we learned is the tale of the red dragon. It’s found on the flags to represent the Welsh people and their resilience against foreign invaders. The red dragon, referred to as Y Ddraig Goch, is also associated with Dinas Emrys, a historic site reputed to be the resting place of the dragons beneath the mountain. This legend has been passed down through generations to symbolize the enduring spirit of the Welsh nation.  

Before leaving, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to partake of the British tradition of afternoon tea. Bypassing the tea with water in it’s place, we enjoyed the variety of sandwiches, scones with jam and clotted cream, and sweet “puddings” aka pastries. It was more filling than we expected and a fun experience. I think overall we had a wonderful British experience but unfortunately did not pick up the adorned local accent.