Day 43 and 44 - Enjoying the Sun in Aber

The next couple of days were spent in Aber.  This is the house I'm staying in, on the second floor (first for you Brits) and side facing (not the front bay).

My new room is really cosy and I do feel at home here.   I made some curry and shared it with Sarah and Gwen.  For the moment, I've got a bit of a schedule now.

Get up, practice the harp til I get hungry, eat a late breakfast.  Then down to the beach to breath in the ocean.   The sun was out the entire week thankfully.

Climb the cliffs, take my seat...

I should explain this a bit.

I've been exploring the cliffs around Aber and took a short climb up a rather narrow path along the ocean facing cliffside.  And there, I found a small little landing and on the little landing a small little dip, perfect for sitting.  It looks out over the cliffs and the ocean.  Right beside the seat are two small openings in the short embankment... no doubt, homes to the tylwyth teg (faery tribe)!  It's the perfect spot for Sitting.

The view here is facing south from the seat.  (See the little faery house in the embankment?  You know you can!)

This next photo is facing north and looking down over the cliffs right beside the seat.  (Steady on Gromit!  Steady on!)

The gulls and crows were riding the wind all around me.  The gulls in particular are amazing to watch.


I climbed a little further up to take the next photo which was a bit frightening.  The mid left is the foot path, just past that is the embankment with the Tylwyth Teg homes and just a little right of centre close to the drop off, is the very cwtshy seat.  And of course, there's the ocean.

Yeah, incredible...

(I also have a seat in Mwnt that I've only been to twice in my life.  Tucked away on the side cliff and sheltered from the wind.  Haven't had a chance to get back yet...)

Then a short walk on the promenade.  At the one end of the street is a short fence bar.  The local tradition is to kick this bar when passing, called 'kicking the bar'.  Don't know where that comes from.

The promenade (pictured here) was built during the Victorian times (I think finished around 1900) and meant as a holiday spot.  There's a camera obscura on top of one of the cliffs (called Constitution Hill) for some Victorian amusement.  I guess it's the biggest camera obscura in the world for what it's worth.  Victorians were soooo weird!

Anyway...
Next, back home for the rest of the afternoon to practice the harp.
Not bad at all...

I learned eight tunes in two days (by ear) which is a record for me on the harp but still nowhere near good enough.  I'm way behind as far as Welsh tunes go.  The tunes are really kicking my butt too, all of them right on the edge of my abilities.  Just the whuppin' I've needed.

Next, onto the session in Dolgellau...
Hwyl.