Michelle

Jan 13, 2008

Our time here in the town of Aberystwyth has been a unique experience. It is a university town that fills with students during the year, but I was surprised to learn how it operates. During the week, everything other than pubs seems to shut down before five o’clock. We found this to be a bit odd, but it did not inhibit our ability to have a good time. We have been staying at a “farm hostel” a few miles out of town. It is far enough that walking is not a particularly attractive way to get into town and the busses stop running at 5:40 p.m.

Our hostel has been above and beyond its purpose. It is a large old farmhouse with plenty of space for all of us to be able to breathe and yet enjoy each other’s company and spend some time bonding, especially through card games such as hearts and pinochle.  The countryside on the way to town is absolutely beautiful and filled with sheep, ponies and lush green grasses. The open space and farm atmosphere remind me of my home in Harrington, Washington. We even had one spectacularly sunny day that made for lovely walking around the town.

We went to the university performance of Mother Goose’s Pantomime. The pantomime is a British tradition that mixes slapstick comedy, classic stories and cross-dressing. It was quite a wonderful way to experience a bit of “bizarre” British culture. It was immensely amusing and I believe that everyone truly enjoyed the performance. The cast did a great job and the audience involvement was wonderful. I have really loved our time in Aberystwyth, but I am ready and excited to move on to our next destination.