Visit by an old friend

Somewhere in the mid-nineties I moved to shared student accommodation. One of the people there was Frank, a geology graduate with a passion for palaeontology. We got along well. But student accommodation has high turnover, and we both moved on from there. But we connected on Facebook so we were still in each other’s perimeter. 

This January suddenly I got a message from him. He and his wife would go on holiday to Wales in july! Would I be around? Could we meet up? And I thought it would be a great idea! And he turned out to have rented a cottage in nearby Tregarth. The day after he arrived I biked up.

It was so good to see him! Except for the grey hair he had changed a bit. And he said the same held for me. We estimated we hadn't seen each other for 20 years, but we couldn't really remember at what occasion we had last met. And it was lovely to meet his wife. And we didn't waste much time; soon we were sitting in the garden with beer and wine and snacks. And we talked through what they were going to do the coming days. Their first day had been spent wisely at South Stack.

View from Frank and Ilja’s cottage’s garden 

They had plenty of plans, and the thought was that one day I would team up with them, and that would be a Dinorwic trip. So that was decided! But we had plenty more to discuss. I left when it got dark, as I realised I had left my bicycle light at home. That tends to happen in late summer! I'm not used to needing them.

Our Dinorwic trip would take place on Sunday. Late morning they came to pick me up. So we got in the car, and I suggested we drive the touristic route to Llanberis. I directed them to the side entrance of the quarry, above the bus stop. I knew we didn't really want start exploring the quarry from there, but it is such a beautiful route to get there! And the views are amazing. Frank and Ilja agreed. 

From there we drove to the slate museum. We decided to first to do the quarry and then the museum. So we started walking up the zigzags. Frank really wanted to see the Anglesey Barracks, and that could be arranged.

Triple quarry selfie

From there we took the incline up to the viewpoint, and then we aimed for the hidden waterfall. But it was a day in the weekend in summer and the weather was fine, so plenty of people wanting the same thing. Quite different from the previous time I had been there! Then we had to place to ourselves.

View over the quarry

The famous waterfall

Ilja didn't fancy the route to there, so she waited for us. Frank thought it had been well worth going to have a look with the two of us. And it is really a beautiful place!

When we had done that we headed back to the museum. I directed them to the quarryman’s cottages, and after that we did the workshops. There was even a live blacksmith there! And then it was time to head to my place and drink beer in the garden.

I first showed them my house and my cat, of course. They liked both! And they understood why I'm so happy with my garden. Ilja is really into birds, and she was impressed that as soon as we walked into the garden, the dippers gave acte de présence. And a bit later there was commotion on the river; two female mergansers of some description (either common or red-breasted; I think the red breasts are a male thing) were zipping around. I had only seen them once before, but I had had no clue what they were!

Frank admiring simulated metal casting

When they left we decided we shouldn't leave it decades to see each other again. Frank was really keen on a house swap from time to time. But if I am in the Netherlands, it makes a lot more sense to be based at my mother’s. But I'll keep it in mind! And I can also just visit. And maybe they will come back here as well. They were having a whale of a time in Wales! So hopefully we will sort of pick up from where we had left off, in the 90s…