09 November 2022

Day 3 with my sister

It was our last day together! And it would be very wet in the morning. We had decided we wanted to do something cultural but we were not sure yet what. And with an extra coffee in our hand we had a look at the cultural offerings around. And what floated our boat was Oriel Môn; Anglesey’s art gallery/museum. I had never been! 

I said I would need some sustenance if we would  go there before lunch, so we decided to first go for coffee and cake. Such a punishment! And I suggested the Green Olive in Menai Bridge. They delivered. And then we drove to Llangefni. The main attraction had been an exhibition about local boy Kyffin Williams; I knew him mainly because there are a lot of his paintings in the café in the Main Arts building of the University. I think he has also come up in Welsh class. He is quite a big name here! And I like his style. Lots of gloomy landscapes.

We saw the exhibition about him, and then we also checked everything else. It is not a huge museum; you can see everything. Another big room was dedicated to the collaboration between one artist working in glass and another one in slate. I thought the result was a little bit repetitive, but there were some excellent pieces there. 

Gloomy Kyffin Williams landscape 

The room

When we got out, it was time to get lunch. The only village between us and our next stop was Llannerch-y-Medd, so that would have to do. We found a café in the old station building that was willing to serve us some toasties with salad. That did the job!

Decoratively used old engine near the cafe

Our last stop would be Parys Mountain. My sister had heard me go on about it, and when I showed her a picture of it she agreed it was gorgeous. And the weather had become beautiful by the time we got there! The colours of this old copper mine are spectacular on the worst of days, but if you see them in late sunlight, they are even better. 

We did the loop we normally do with our students, and we got back to the car when it was already getting a little bit dark. Time to go home and cook our last dinner together! And then the next day I would have to bring her to the railway station rather early.


Parys Mountain in late afternoon light

Evening falls over the windmill

I think it has been a success! We had no problems filling our diaries, and we had amazing weather for November. And we had plenty of time to talk. That was, after all, the major goal of the visit! But there is no reason why you shouldn't combine that with gorgeous landscapes. And wine by a wood fire.

She got back without incident. And now it is up to me to book my next travels to the Netherlands!

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