I’m back in England after a bit of time in Wales… actually, I’ve been back for a bit, just not on the Internet. Currently, I’m in Natalie’s friend’s house in Ramsey, just outside of Southampton. We’ve spent the last 4 nights staying in Wells where they have a sweet cathedral (known for all of the carvings of kings, saints, bishops, etc all over the West Front as well as fun carvings inside like guys with toothaches and people pulling thorns out of feet. I liked the vaulting). From Wells, we did day trips to Salisbury (another sweet Cathedral… very English Gothic, tallest spire in England, more amazing vaulting), Stonehenge (it looks just like it is supposed to look), and Bath (as in Roman Baths, and a cool Cathedral…). Today we’re going to hang out, see the new Bond movie (!!!) – have to see it in England really, and Natalie has decided she needs a new, warmer jacket. Tomorrow, off to St. Albans which is base #1 for exploring London. Home in a week and 2 days… can you believe it???

…that I’m in Wales playing on beaches and flying kites? Yeah, it was a serious stunt kite that dragged me along the beach a fair ways as I dug my heels in. I managed to do a few things with it and not go tumbling head over heels… (although I did leave some nice long tracks in the sand!) The tide was out so we had a huge expance of beach to play on. The wind was pretty shifty though, so it was tricky for kite flying and we didn’t last long. However, it was a pretty cool beach. A couple of ponies were being ridden down the beach whilst we were packing up the kite and there is a massive ruined castle up on top of the hill overlooking the beach (Llansteffan – pronounced Clanstefan – yay Welsh). Maybe I’ll get some photos up before I get home.
So right now, I’m sitting watching Welsh rugby and they are trouncing the Pacific Islands. The next Welsh rugby game is touted to be a challenge against the Canadians. Against the Canadians. Yes. The Canadians are the next rugby superpower.

Quickly hi – We’ve returned from Scotland, spent a few days wandering around the countryside in Chesterfield and are in Wales right now. I’m about to go play on a beach, so I’ll say hi more later.

We drove into Edinburgh last night to the sight of bonfires everywhere and fireworks going off all around the city. Yay Bonfire night! I wish we had been able to actually sit and watch them instead of being on a stinky coach. As we walked across the North bridge to our hostel, the fireworks were going off behind Edinburgh Castle and it was quite a cool sight. Edinburgh seems to be a neat city, although we’re only going to have today in the city because we head off on a tour of somewhere in Scotland to be revealed at a later date tomorrow then its back down to Chesterfield. Now, you ask, why fireworks and bonfires? I know Dad can tell me because he always knows that kind of thing. Whether anyone else can is the question. How well do you know your English history? Let me know the answer.

If you need a hint, see here.

For the answer (but guess first!!!), here

So we arrived in Dublin about 5 days ago and hung out there for awhile. Guiness really does taste better in Dublin… at the end of a tour of the plant and learning how they make it and then becoming an honourary apprentice. Okay, so the tour was lame, but the free beer at the end was good. We also checked out the cathedrals in Dublin – Christ Church (where Strongbow, the Norman warrior is buried and where the North wall leans out and has for over 500 years or so, and where all the Irish church treasury is) and St. Patick’s (where Jonathan Swift was Dean and where he is buried) and the Book of Kells at Trinity College (as well as other ancient illuminated manuscripts and one of the largest old book collections in the world. They had to raise the roof in the 1800s to make room for them all). We mailed some postcards from THE postoffice on O’Connell St. where the 1916 Easter Rebellion started from (bought the stamps from there too come to think of it) and went to the National Museum (where they have a bunch of “bog men” and lots and lots of ancient Irish/Celtic jewelry).
Today we took the train down to Killarney, county Kerry, in the south west. Its green like Ireland is supposed to be, and the highest point in Ireland is visible from here. Tomorrow we are taking a tour around the Ring of Kerry which is supposed to have some magnificent scenery and stuff. You’ll see pictures later I hope.