2022 hasn't been the Olympic winning year for me but I can't complain because travel has been my continuous medicine. Llangollen in Wales told me what I needed, Barry had not served one single Welshcake and I wasn't going to rest until I found one for purchase! O' what's occurin? From the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct to the River Dee, I stayed ready for those views! Oggie! Oggie!
I feel like I should be sitting here with my checklist of historical facts about Wales's own Llangollen Canal, tell you the truth I am piecing that day together in real-time motion. Plimbley Travel had me hooked up because holding that Majestic Travel loyalty was getting tiresome, I saw their 'Stream In The Sky' offering and I most certainly wanted a slice of that action! Feeling like 'Honey Boo Boo Child' as I walked onto that coach, I didn't have any 'Gogo Juice' but I was by far the youngest person on that Wales bound coach! No, I wasn't going to twirl for the judges! Stank ass attitude fronted me but I remembered that I was taught to show respect to my elders, their age saved them from their savage behaviour! Not today, not in my lifetime, baby! The short journey impressed me, Barry saw me crossing that English/Welsh border without a service-stop! Much appreciated! Llangollen slapped me with those small town village views, the rolling Denbighshire greener than green settings had me appreciating that U.K location! Manners, hun!
Needn't I even make a joke? Well, that was certainly a choice! He needed to check himself, his age saved him! Stepping aboard that Llangollen Canal boat vessel saw my mood settled. Getting into the chilled mood from the front of the canal boat had me centred, I appreciated the view intensely. Sure, it was amazing to watch the hand dug canal pass us by, the lady who spoke to me was lovely, we mutually engaged in conversation with ease. The two hour canal boat journey served some seriously scenic views, my mind was completely separated from my modern iPhone 11 device for once. The rudeness encountered during the morning had dissipated and for those Llangollen views, they were much admired. Getting into the swing of that canal boat ride, well it was simple to forget about technology and to have a real conversation was great! Wales had meant for me to return, Barry Island had served 'Gavin & Stacey' Realness but I was content with Llangollen's nature. Plimbley Travel had me on the right track, Majestic T, step it up, beb!
As Llangollen's Pontcysyllte Aqueduct approached, the views ahead of me had me occupied! It was such a tonic to see nature in real-time motion, my Bilston location serves pure 'Concrete Overness!' You know I'm not OK with that recurring situation! Absolutely, not! Why had I chosen Llangollen? I had loved Barry Island with much admiration, the less complicated nature didn't force feed me with the same nature that Blackpool had done. If truth be told, I left Barry Island with a craving for something quintessentially Welsh because 'Chips & Curry Sauce' tasted good but I wanted more! Cutting across from the West Midlands in England had us skimming past Shropshire before Wales lay in our sights, I for one loved every second of that canal boat ride! An Oggie? I had done my research about Llangollen and then some! Welshcakes weren't going to be the only treat during that Thursday adventure, I wanted an Oggie or two! Sopping up that Welsh culture, Plimbley Travel definitely served something Welsh! Maj, you're in trouble!
With building anticipation, the all famous 'Pontcysyllte Aqueduct' came into view! My fellow coach-goers, well they lost their damn minds with those upcoming views! I had bagged my front-row seat, luckily I was able to sit pretty as the showstopping view over the valley came into my range. Timed like a Monday morning alarm clock, Dame Shirley Bassey said 'Darling, do you have the range?' That view certainly had the range, indeed! A crowd grew at the front of that Llangollen canal boat, I fully understood why they were so impatient to capture that view as our narrow boat crossed the aqueduct. It was amazing to realize that this structure had been constructed by hand, with the need for Crewe to have clean water, the aqueduct pioneered certain feats to bring drinking water to towns further than the original span of the Llangollen Canal. Calling a famous name, 'Thomas Telford' was able to take full credit for the design of this feat of engineering but not the workmanship. Did his hands get dirty? Not a chance did they, T!
Llangollen could have all of my paper, heading straight for 'Llangollen Oggie & Fine Foods' with my senses fine tuned! Bagging myself a 'Lamb & Mint' Oggie with the quickness, you will never know how good that giant Welsh pastry sensation tasted! For afters I finally found those coveted Welshcakes like I knew everything! Topping things off with a frothy coffee drink, that street-side food sensation had me feeling like those Welsh prayers had been answered! I had been served culture in every single aspect, I wasn't mad one single bit! Not fussing nor wanting drama, Barry Island didn't deserve bad vibes but I loved Llangollen with the deepest love! Having a good time with those flavours, that taste sensation had me me on my way in the best way! Money didn't mean anything to me because I knew what I wanted wasn't going to cost the earth! My bank balance could say what it wanted to say, I didn't want none of those bad vibes! Llangollen saw me satisfied, I had no complaints with any of those offerings! A sober Thursday rescued me, LG!
Those Welsh clouds had been following us all day long, so I wasn't surprised by those sporadic downpours. Seeing Llangollen's small town character from the coach had me excited, I already had feels from the second I stepped down from the coach. That Oggie had me feeling replenished, the day had taken its course and to be honest I needed that legendary Welsh snack. Content with my late late lunch, I headed for the 'Bull Inn' because a certain beverage needed to be enjoyed! Now, I look back and feel proud that I felt content with that one pint of Strongbow Dark Fruit. Llangollen had me impressed, for such a small place the streets had a certain calmness even though the coaches had showed up! Sure, a different culture had been served up in Llangollen and I wasn't mad by that happening! Barry served 'Gavin & Stacey' but as mentioned before, Llangollen gave me something characteristically Welsh. The Oggie had filled me up, the minty lamb taste had served a whole dinner in a 'Cornish-like' pastry situation. Yes!
Looking for a panorama, Llangollen's portion of the River Dee gave me everything from a visual perspective. The rain had already threatened to pour down one time, snatching those key riverside views stood at the top of my priorities! I had no idea that Llangollen hosted part of the River Dee, I had walked past another part of that very same waterway during my 2013 visit to Chester. Slap-bang during that 2022 moment it was apparent that both the canal and river shared a further English connection, yes! With the need for drinking water, the River Dee became a very important part of Thomas Telford's plan to quench the thirst of those who were in Crewe. Paying mind to that Welsh waterway felt right, the standard gauge heritage railway had me clocking that vintage station from that Dee Bridge viewpoint. Without a doubt, that Corwen facing Llangollen Railway Station had me thinking about England's Severn Valley Railway! Llangollen ushered me forwards, LG knew that approaching downpour ebbed closer! Nglaw, L?
I loved Llangollen's nature, it felt great to be in a town that served an abundance of character! My heart was full and my culture receptors had been reset with that injection of 'life' because my hometown really leaves a lot to desire when a place like Llangollen lay firmly in my immediate sights. Bilston already knows that its days are numbered! I won't ever be sorry, ever! Anyhow, it was time to make my way back to the coach, bidding a fond farewell to the River Dee. I went on to snatch a triple scoop waffle cone before the rain fully took pace, I loved that ice cream moment even though the weather decided to serve depression! Feeling content with my crusade to be a complete 'U.K Hun', my visits throughout the four devolved home nations finally felt complete as my Plimbley Travel coach crossed the Welsh/English border. Llangollen served 'Pontcysyllte Aqueduct' Ovahness, bringing the fine flavours with that Lamb and Mint Oggie and I wouldn't have had it any other way! Switching coach seats kept me out of trouble! Real talk, L!
Her Majesty Already Done Had Herses!
Desperately Seeking Adventure