The Best Day of the Holiday

We were off to Anglesey today. Rosemary had planned well as the day was fun filled with sufficient sustenance stops! Superb!

First off we headed towards Aberffaw, wait for it....to go to the beach swimming. I was semi excited about this, until we pulled up in a wee beach side car park. Then I was totally excited! I was overlooking a very cool bay with big waves and a bunch of surfers! I took a few pics (that are in an album on my facebook) first and then went over to a surfer's van where a few guys were drinking from a flask of tea.
"Anything I need to watch out for in the bay" I asked.
"Just the bunch of f**ken idiots in it" replied the softly spoken Welsh surfer.

I rushed to get my wetsuit on, then ran down the beach and leaped into the Atlantic! It was quite warm, probably 13-14 degrees which seemed pleasant compared to recent swims. The waves were a fair size and it was so much fun swimming in them. Rosemary called "maybe take off your goggles Andy" fearful that I would lose them. "They'll be right" I thought.

Looking out to sea, I could see a really big wave approaching.....yipeee....as I dived into it as it started to break. My arm shot out to try and catch my goggles, after a wave smashed into my face. I missed. They were gone! My £20 Aquasphere's! Bollocks! Rosemary managed not to say "told you so". After a minute searching in the outgoing tide, we knew they were gone.

I was a wee bit pissed, but I was having such a wonderful time. In fact, I would say it was one of the best things I've ever done. Rosemary was a bit worried though as I was swimming quite far out and she was scared I would be caught in a rip! Eventually, she suggested we go as her dad would be getting cold. With some protest, like a child in the park, and with a heavy heart, I headed back up the beach to get changed.

We then headed off to a close-by cafe, run as a social enterprise for the local disabled. The waitress was really sweet, asking us around 200 times if we were ok and would we like anything else. Our order came out in a very random order. In any other circumstance, I would be annoyed, but it was endearing in the situation. The all-day veggie breakfast was ordinary but after a swim in the sea in mid-october it certainly hit the spot.

We then headed off to The Llyn Cerrig Bach Iron Age exhibition at Llangefni. Rosemary and her dad seemed more interested than me as there were plenty labels and posters to read. In the adjoining gallery, there was a good Robert A. Newell painting exhibition on. Initially, I didn't get his landscape paintings but then, standing back, I saw that he had captured the light and textures of the Snowdonia and North Wales mountains wonderfully. His impressionist work was my favourite, one painting looking as if it would make a great Jeff Mills CD cover.

After cake and an Italian tasting espresso (nice but not nearly as good as a Square Mile roast) we headed off to see an old chapel, an ancient village ruin and a neolithic burial site. I got some cool photos and Rosemary and her dad got to read more signs. Everyone was happy.

A fine day all round!