This was one of the few days it rained during our six weeks in the UK and Ireland. We had expected it to rain a lot, and we figured we were due after having such great luck with the weather during our travels this year.
Our bus ride took us through the Yorkshire Dales National Park, a beautiful region in northern England known for its white limestone cliffs, rivers, and lush green valleys (“dales”). Had it not been raining I would have snapped photos through the window during the drive.
I did manage to capture a few scenes in the rain when we stopped for a hike to see Devil’s Bridge in Kirby Lonsdale. This 3-arched bridge is said to date back to the 13th century.
(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)
We continued our drive to the quaint Swan Hotel in Grasmere, our base for two nights. Typically, our guide would take us on an orientation walk upon arrival in a town; however, we opted to pass on it until the following day, since it was raining and the paths would be muddy.
Prior to dinner at the hotel, we met with Robert, a local dry stone waller, to learn about his craft. A potentially boring topic turned out to be fascinating and fun, because this character injected much humor into his presentation. And, the information he shared stuck with us all; we found ourselves commenting on and judging the quality of the many miles of dry stone walls we saw throughout northern England!
These walls are difficult to construct and require a skilled and experienced craftsman, because no mortar is used to hold the walls together. Instead, the stones are expertly fitted together and locked in place without concrete—a very time-consuming process. Unfortunately, this age-old craft may become a thing of the past, because fewer people are learning this difficult technique.
This was just the first of many stone walls photographed in the coming days!
What a clever idea! This outdoor launderette was located at a truck stop/ gas station where we stopped for a restroom break.
One of the hard ciders we sampled in the U.K and Ireland– a popular alternative to beer and wine.
Next up: UNITED KINGDOM #5: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A LAKE DISTRICT FARM
When Bruce and I asked our tour leader, Tom, if our day in Wales would take us anywhere close to the town of Wrexham, he said we would be going right through there on the way back to Chester. “Why?” he asked, and when we explained, he smiled and offered to drop us off right at our destination: The Turf Pub.
(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)
Bruce and I are only occasional drinkers, so why would we want to go to a pub—and, that pub in particular? Welcome to Wrexham. It’s an award-winning docuseries we read about in a short write-up in The Weekand started watching during the second season. We enjoyed it so much, we went back and watched all of Season 1, and then continued watching through Season 3. (Season 4 begins in spring of 2025).
The Emmy-winning series, often filmed at The Turf Pub, which is located next door to the stadium, follows Wrexham A.F.C., the Welsh football (soccer) club. But the series isn’t just about football or the team; it’s also about the people of the town who follow their team with unmatched loyalty.
This team—and the pub—has a rich history. Founded in 1864, the club is the third oldest professional association football team in the world. At the time it was founded, Wrexham was at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution and a hub for coal and lead mining; the production of iron, steel, and leather; and brewing.
The Turf Pub was established on Wrexham A.F.C.’s stadium grounds, and it’s the oldest public house at any sports stadium worldwide. It’s THE home base for the fans and THE place to gather following the games.
For many years, Wrexham was a booming industrial town, but then the 20th century— and de-industrialization —happened. The town fell on hard times, and the only thing that seemed to keep spirits up for its people was Wrexham A.F.C.
Enter Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, two actors who came on to the Wrexham scene in September of 2020 and announced they were buying the team. By February of 2021, the deal was done, they infused a TON of money into the club, and The Red Dragons began their ascent up the ladder. What used to be a fifth-tier team (bottom rung; lower than the Premier League and the three tiers of the English Football League) worked its way up in the rankings to the top tier of the EFL with the goal of making it to the Premier League.
These two guys are considered heroes in Wrexham, because they saved the team from mismanagement and near-collapse. And, not only have they put their money into Wrexham A.F.C.; but they have invested their hearts and souls into the team, the players, the fans, the community, and, yes, The Turf Pub.
In August of 2022, the premier of Welcome to Wrexham aired, and it has won 8 Emmy awards and a few other prestigious awards during their first three seasons.
The series, at times, is hilarious and irreverent, and at other times, heartbreaking. It doesn’t just follow the highs and lows of the team; it also features the ups and downs of its players, staff, and fans. Everything from stillbirth to autism, and mental health to divorce has been covered, along with the celebrations of team wins.
In one word, we are hooked.
When we learned how close Chester was to Wales, we looked up the team’s home game schedule and discovered we were in luck! August 24, our day in Wales, was a home game against Reading. We figured we would get to Wrexham too late to attend the game, but we knew The Turf Pub would be hoppin’ afterward!
We hoped to meet Wayne Jones, the owner. He seemed like a great guy on the show, we enjoyed reading his story on the pub’s website, and he was nice enough to email me back when I wrote to him.
When we arrived about an hour after the game had ended, the large crowd still spilled over into the parking lot. A film crew was interviewing some fans for the show, and I immediately spotted Wayne. He was very busy, but graciously paused for this photo:
Inside the pub, there were wall-to-wall people and the music was booming. We just took it all in, recognizing the memorabilia on the walls from the TV series, and watching the fans celebrate the team’s win.
There was nowhere to sit, but a local couple with two seats to spare at their table invited us to join them. Chris and John were warm and welcoming, and we immediately hit it off.
All of a sudden the entire pub broke out in song. Somebody started, and everyone joined in with cheers and chants for Wrexham A.F.C. The Welsh love to sing, and all it takes is one belted-out note, and then it catches on like wildfire!
It was fun being outsiders among the locals and getting to know Chris and John. This is what travel is all about (for us) and the reason Tom smiled when we told him our plan. It’s not just about the sights; people are what make a place.
Coming up next: UNITED KINGDOM #4: THE LOVELY LAKE DISTRICT
In case you are confused about the terms “Great Britain” and “United Kingdom,” this is the difference: Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and Wales; the United Kingdom also includes Northern Ireland. Our tour covered all four countries.
Located west of Chester, England, Wales is the “forgotten” country of the United Kingdom. At least, that’s how Tom, our tour leader, and probably many of the 3+ million other Welsh people feel about how they are treated by the English government. And, if I were Welsh and living in Wales, I would feel the same way!
This country of 10 million sheep, roughly the size of New Jersey, was (literally) beaten into submission by England to join the U.K., unlike Scotland who volunteered. As a result, the two countries are treated differently with Scotland enjoying a higher status. Wales has its own government; however, London controls the purse strings and seems to ignore the needs of Wales.
Brexit has had a huge economic effect on Wales, and the farmers will have some big decisions to make at the end of the year when the subsidies they received and relied on while part of the European Union will end. Beginning in 2025, farmers will have to convert 10% of their farmland to trees and 10% will have to remain a natural habitat. As a result, food production (and their incomes) will decrease. If farmers comply, they will continue to receive subsidies, but will it be worth it financially? They make so little income as it is and can barely make ends meet. How will the land of Wales change? Will the cost of food increase? There are so many other questions, but the answers remain to be seen…
Currently, one of the big issues in Wales is the housing crisis. The former government promised to add enough housing; however, they failed—miserably.
Bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic Sea to the south-west, Wales is a mountainous, beautiful country. It is a draw for rock climbers and other outdoor sports enthusiasts, most notably Sir Edmund Hillary, who trained alongside his team on the technically difficult mountains of Wales to prepare for climbing Mount Everest.
While driving north through Wales on our way to Conwy Castle, we enjoyed the mountain views and looked forward to seeing more in the afternoon. But first, we headed to visit the castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The weather was a bit questionable at first, cloudy with a brief, light sprinkle. But then the skies turned blue with beautiful clouds adding photographic interest. Again, our weather luck continued…
Built between 1283 and 1287 by Edward I during his conquest of Wales, this castle is remarkably well preserved. The adjacent town of 4,000 people is still protected by an unbroken 4,200-foot ring of stone walls.
(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)
I tried out the “Expressive” setting on my camera having no idea this picture would turn out so– uhh- expressive!
While our local guide went into detail about the history of the castle, I noticed people way up high at the top of each tower. Tom noticed I kept looking up, so he pulled me aside and asked if I would like to climb the towers and do some exploring on my own. The local guide wouldn’t be taking the group up the towers, so if I wanted to see them, I had to split off. Tom showed me the way and then promised he would keep an eye out for me when it was time for the group to leave. Thank you, Tom! It was at this moment I knew we had a great guide! He was excellent at helping each of us in the group see and do what interested us the most.
After visiting the attractive little town and having a group lunch, we continued our drive south. In the north, Welsh is the language spoken, and signs are in English and Welsh; but, in the south (where most of the Welsh population lives), English is the predominately spoken language.
We stopped to see the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct that was built over 200 years ago over River Dee. What an amazing sight seeing canal boats cross the 336-foot long,12-foot wide canal that flows 126 feet above the river!
Our drive through the Snowdonian Mountains to Snowdonia Park was beautiful, but I was looking forward to getting out and doing some hiking for an up-close look. Our hike took us to Llyn Idwal, a small lake with spectacular views, including the mountains where Sir Edmund Hillary trained. Slate is also mined in this area, and it’s the standard stone used for fences and roofs. I enjoyed the hike very much!
Another shot on the “Expressive” setting.
On the way back to Chester, Tom honored a special request Bruce and I had: Drop us off in Wrexham.
In August, a few weeks after returning from Peru, Bruce and I traveled to the United Kingdom and Ireland for back-to-back tours with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT)—a six-week long trip including post-extensions for each tour. We returned home in early October, and then switched gears for craft show season for his fused glass jewelry. In between, I finished up my posts and slide show on Peru, so I am finally able to begin posting about the U.K.
Welcome to England, dear readers! We begin in the charming city of Chester, located in the northwest region of the country. This city of about 93,000 people is old. Founded in 79 AD as a Roman fort, it is surrounded by walls considered to be the best preserved in the country. We enjoyed walking the walls, a two-mile circuit providing great views of the city, including the half-timber Tudor buildings and two-story covered arcades in the shopping district.
Before Bruce and I embarked on our wall walk, we joined our group on a walking tour and tearoom lunch with Tom, our guide for the next two weeks. Tom is from Wales, and we instantly liked his gentle, easy-going personality.
Here are scenes from around town during our stay in Chester:
(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)
Looking out from an ice cream shop located on the top of the city wall near the clock (below).
This was a Roman Amphitheater. An artist was quite creative in painting a mural to continue what was left of the original stone wall.
Remaining walls of what was originally Cathedral Church of St. John, dating back to 689, and is now Parish Church of St. John the Baptist.
I hope you enjoy my final post on Peru, a slide show featuring my photography accompanied by the music of Eder Alvarez Alejas.
For the best viewing experience, use a desktop computer, turn up the speakers and view on full screen by clicking on the symbol in the lower left corner of the YouTube screen after the show begins.
For our final day in Cusco, Peru, Raul led us on a guided walking tour of San Blas. As Trip Advisor describes it, “This traditional old quarter of Cusco is the city’s most picturesque district characterized by narrow and steep streets, colonial houses built with walls of Incan stone and numerous art workshops.”
I know I will be repeating myself, but it was another gorgeous day! And it was a wonderful way to enjoy our final hours before our group lunch and trip to the airport for our flight home.
(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view. These pictures appear in the sequence they were shot.)
Under Homer Simpson, the sign translates as, “Anything beyond 12 steps is not worth it.”
A final visit to the Plaza de Armas
We enjoyed a final meal together before heading home. Our appetizers were beautifully presented and tasty:
If you read my previous 15 posts, you know how much Bruce and I enjoyed exploring Peru. What a wonderful, fulfilling experience! We are grateful to Raul and our fellow travelers in the group for making it so memorable for us.
For my final post, I will be sharing my slide show of Peru. It will take some time to put together but stay tuned!
Another day of hiking and exploring was scheduled, so I was hoping (once again) for good weather. And (once again!), we were greeted with another gorgeous day!
We ventured off south of Cusco to explore Tipon (elevation 11,400 feet), the site of ancient Inca waterworks where a maze of irrigation channels and ritual baths were built in the 1300’s. Amazingly, water still continues to flow in these channels.
I hiked up above the archaeological park so I could get a panoramic view—and what a view it was!
(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)
Zooming in from high up above our group. Bruce is third from the left.
I continued to climb higher above the ruins and was greeted by this elaborately carved warning sign on what NOT to do.
The spectacular view was worth the climb!That tiny person waving from down below was Bruce.
Water still flows through the irrigation channels built centuries ago.
After hiking around the site and learning about the history from Raul (an amazing fountain of knowledge!), we visited the small town of Oropesa, known for making a special bread called pan chuta. The huge wheel-shaped loaves, made with wheat, eggs, flour, lard, and sugar (and other ingredients, depending on the baker), are traditionally offered as a gift to the host when visiting a home in the Cusco area. If you want to know which shops have fresh bread available for purchase, just look for a bright yellow bag tied to a stick out front. The town has 90 bread ovens in use, so chances are you will score on a loaf.
After watching how it was made at a small bakery, Raul bought some for us to taste—a wonderful snack after our morning hike! It was so soft and delicious—especially the bread with dulce de leche in the center. A loaf of this tasty, cake-like bread cost only 10 Peruvian Sol; $2.63 at today’s exchange rate. Without the dulce de leche, the cost of a loaf is half of that.
As we made our way out of town, Raul noticed a man making traditional bricks by hand, so he had our bus driver stop so we could watch the process. This guy worked fast! We timed it from start to finish, and it took just 32 seconds to make a brick, which costs .60 Sol to purchase—about .15 cents.
The man explained to Raul that straw is mixed in with the adobe mud for stability and strength. Time is money, so the more he works without a break, the better. To keep from getting hungry and thirsty while making the bricks, he chews on coca leaves, common with Peruvian laborers.
What an interesting, impromptu stop! Along with visiting the bakery, it was a great experience seeing how the locals work and earn their living. On this tour, we had so many of these opportunities (described in my previous posts), and Raul could not have been a better guide to enable these experiences.
On our way to our next stop, we passed by the public university where Raul was educated. He explained how typically about 500 students compete for only 30 available seats each year by taking a two-hour, 100-question test; the top 30 get in. The reason it is so competitive is that private universities are very expensive for most Peruvians. Kudos, Raul, for making the cut!
After enjoying lunch at a restaurant with a panoramic view of the city below, we visited Sacsayhuaman, the historical capital of the Inca Empire and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This ancient fortress, located in the hills on the outskirts of Cusco, is at an elevation of 12,142 feet, the highest elevation I had hiked in Peru. We were well-adjusted to elevation by that point, but several members of our group decided to enjoy the views from the bottom. I couldn’t wait to take off and explore on my own after Raul shared interesting facts about the construction and history of the archaeological site.
How on earth the Incas built it in the 1400’s is a mystery; archeologists don’t even know. The largest of the massive limestone boulders weighs 400,000 pounds! Somehow, the workers carefully cut them so they would fit tightly together like a puzzle without mortar. They are so tight a piece of paper can’t fit between them!
The longest of the three walls is 1,310 feet and about 19 feet high. If you were to view Sacsayhuaman from the air, you would see the shape resembles the head of a puma.
These rocks depict a puma’s paw:
A steep hike up the fortress rewarded me with a fabulous panoramic view.
After returning to the hotel, I still had some walking in me, so I wandered over to the market across from the hotel. It was very quiet; only a few tourists roamed the aisles. It was a wonderful opportunity to do some photography and enjoy the bright colors that surrounded me.
A large wall mural painted on the back wall of the market
Another wall mural
I bought some place mats from this sweet lady. I remember her fondly when we enjoy our evening meal!
This had already been such a culturally rich day! So many thoughts and feelings about what we had experienced were bouncing around in my head, but little did I know at the time, there was so much more to come…
We still had much of the afternoon and evening ahead of us, so Raul, our tour leader, offered to take our group to Mercado San Pedro. Bruce and I were the only takers, so the three of us hopped on a local bus to visit Cusco’s largest market.
Although Mercado San Pedro has over 2,000 reviews on Trip Advisor and has been written up in several blogs, Bruce and I appeared to be the only tourists in most of the areas Raul showed us. In addition to the indoor stalls, the market encompasses several streets, so I’m guessing the tourists never make it out to those back streets where the locals shop. But this is where the action was, where I was inspired to shoot photos, and where the awesome assault on my senses was mind-blowing—on top of what was a mind-blowing day (as detailed in my previous post).
This is what travel is all about for me and Bruce; those experiences that awake the senses and have me exclaiming, “Wow, check that out!” incessantly. My friend Al said it perfectly in his comment about my last post, “…Travel is about more than just sightseeing, it’s about being aware of and absorbing the customs and cultures of the people and that has an effect on broadening our personal world-view.”
Pictures can’t possibly tell the full story, because they are only visual. What’s missing are the sounds, smells, and conversations that also took place, in addition to all the other un-photographed sights we took in during our exploration.
We are grateful to Raul for generously giving of his free time to share this meaningful and memorable experience with us!
(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)
We arrived to a chaotic, bustling street scene that was buzzing with local shoppers.This is one of the back streets behind the indoor market. Look at all that produce!
The prices are in Peruvian currency: 1 Sol = .26 cents US. 1 KG = 2.2 pounds, so these papayas were a deal!
These large avocados cost about .30 cents each!
These strawberries, and ALL of the produce you see on these streets is set up each day by individual sellers. At the end of the day, whatever doesn’t sell is packed back up, loaded onto trucks, and brought back home. Many of these farmers can’t afford their own truck, so they have to pay a driver to haul them and their produce to market each day.
Scenes in the indoor market:
All of the stalls looked similar to this– a mish-mash of all sorts of items stacked up high. I can only imagine what it would look like following an earthquake… And, yes, Peru has earthquakes!
CHOCOLATE!
MORE CHOCOLATE!!
Bruce, Raul, and a vendor who sold me pistachio nuts to give Raul; one of his favorite treats.A mural on the side of the market
Dusk in Cusco
For a light dinner, Bruce and I found a bakery selling chicken empanadas. These were delicious and only USD $1.85 each!
Coming up next: PERU #15: SEEKING OUT THE SOUTHERN VALLEY & SACSAYHUAMAN
What I enjoyed so much about this tour of Peru was the wonderful mix of exploring amazing historical sites such as Machu Picchu, learning about the Incas, seeing how the locals work and live, and interacting with them. The “Day in the Life” experience on each Overseas Adventures tour is all about those last two in the mix, so this was my kind of day!
It was a day full of cultural discoveries, beginning with a visit to Izcuchaca (elevation 11,000 feet), a village in the Anta Province of Cusco. The popular and most cost-effective mode of transportation in Peruvian villages is by moto taxi, so we did what the locals do. Our bus dropped us off in town, and Raul hailed several moto taxis for our group of 16 to take us to the local mercado (market). These three-wheeled covered motorcycles are cheaper than a car taxi—about 25 cents a ride. Want to buy one of these three-wheelers? A new one will set you back about $2,600.
(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)
How about warm homemade corn beer? That large Coca Cola bottle of plain beer will cost you about 50 cents. Double it for strawberry.
I enjoy wandering through a local, (non-touristy) market where I can observe, explore, do photography, and interact with the vendors using what little Spanish I can speak. At this market, there was a busy soup counter filled with workers on their lunch break enjoying huge bowls of hearty chicken soup for about $2.75.
To put the cost of food in perspective, the minimum monthly wage in Peru is about $304—not a lot to live on. As a result, poverty is high; the official poverty rate in Peru is 32-35%, but 60-70% in rural areas. There is no welfare system, so both parents must work for a family to survive, leaving their children to fend for themselves with not much parental attention.
As I wandered the market while Bruce went off in another direction, a few curious looks came my way, but nobody bothered me. We found Peruvians in general to be a bit shy and quiet, but friendly when approached with a few words of Spanish.
This 76-year-old man runs a cycle taxi service.
Next on the “Day in the Life” agenda was visiting a family at their home in the Chacan community. This family of farmers has four bulls for breeding, pigs, guinea pigs, and a burro.
They grow their own corn and other produce that they take to the market on Sundays to sell. They can’t afford their own truck, so they pay a driver to pick them up with their produce. They also can’t afford to buy a tractor for working the fields, so they rent one for about $25 per hour.
After touring their farm, we had the opportunity to ask the family questions with Raul as our translator. They were so warm and friendly and seemed to really enjoy having us at their home.
On our way to our next destination, we stopped at a viewpoint where locals were selling their wares:
Next, we visited the “Medicine Man,” an Andean Shaman who performed a healing ceremony. Although Peru is a Catholic country, about 75% of its people practice going to a Shaman.
Offerings were given to the Pachamama (Mother Earth) by packaging and burning them, and the Shaman wished for good health and safe travels for each of us.
This was a very culturally full day, but we weren’t finished yet! We experienced all of that before lunch!
Our next stop was Chinchero Village at a textile weaving co-op where they prepared lunch for us and demonstrated the textile dyeing and weaving processes. The women of the co-op all wore black skirts which represents Pachamama.
During the demonstration, they explained how the wool is cleaned using jicama that is grated in water. It is strained and agitated, washed, and then dried in the sun before being dyed. Natural fruits, plants, parasites, or lichen are used for the dyes. Purple corn, for example, is used to dye wool purple, and cactus beetles are used to make red dye. Salt is added to fix the color into the wool.
This beautiful hanging we bought from the weaver was made with a design representing serpents (white) and puma claws (in between the white serpents). The colorful stripes represent the Cusco flag. It took this weaver four months to make and it cost about $150. She was also the cook for our lunch!
Chirimoya fruit
Lucamer fruit
We returned to Cusco to enjoy the remainder of the afternoon and evening on our own, but Raul made us an offer we couldn’t resist—the topic of my next post.
We bid “adios” to Machu Picchu and Aguas Calientes and took the train back to Ollantaytambo. Our tour bus met us there to drive us to Cusco (“Cuzco” in Spanish) where we would be staying for the remainder of the tour.
(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)
It was a lovely day for a drive!
Cusco, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is at an elevation of 11,200 feet, so there were times Bruce and I could feel our respiration rate increase as we hoofed it around town during our free time.
Now a city of about 428,000 people, it is the capital of the Cusco province. Back in the 13th to 16th centuries, it was the capital of the Inca Empire. That all ended when the Spanish came…
Raul led us on a walking tour of Cusco to explore what the Incas had called “the navel of the world.” The city was laid out in the shape of a puma, which was sacred to the Incas.
The heart of the city is Plaza de Armas, and its centerpiece is the colonial 17th-century cathedral.
Our favorite stop on the tour was Museo Maximo Laura, which exhibited the vibrant collection of Laura’s tapestries. Check out the link, and I’m sure you will agree the museum is colorful eye candy! We were amazed at the explosion of colors and intricate designs of these labor-intensive works of art.
Thankfully, the signs posted encouraged its guests to take photos and post them on social media. I was overjoyed to do so! Sharing Maximo Laura’s work with you is my pleasure.
More scenes around Cusco:
Santo Domingo Convent
The view from the convent
We wrapped up the beautiful day by returning to the plaza for an evening stroll.
Next up: PERU #13: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ISKUCHACA AND CHINCERO VILLAGES
Elaine-iaK's Travels: A Traveler's Tales of People, Places, Photos, Pools... and CHOCOLATE! 