The Lampeter Blog - Part 1
Greetings from Lampeter. I have to report it is raining - an almost constant drizzle since I have been here. The sheep are looking sorry for themselves and I can hear them bleating from my room.
Lampeter is a small place - I reckon it takes just about ten minutes to walk through the 'town centre' which consists of a just a few small shops: a chiropodist(also a reflexologist), a couple of 'new-age' type shops selling scented candles (and I suspect spells and potions), a carpet shop (some I imagined had that worn, well-travelled look), a couple of boutiques (probably specialising in crinolines, corsets and bustles as well as space suits), several chapels (the door of one of these suddenly flew open as I passed and some glum-looking people carrying large irregularly-shaped boxes came out) and two takeaways(which had a strange exotic smell of incense). Well, that is what I spotted in my walk though last night. Apart from this it was very quiet. Except.. as I walked under one window there was a sudden fit of raucous screaming, and then from another open window on a first floor, laughing which was obviously drunken, manic, or both. I wanted to knock on the front door and ask if I could join in. One house had balloons tied to the railings but I think they had been there some time because they were partly deflated. I also found a recent small stone circle and an ancient rugby field claiming a proud and illustrious history.
That was last night. Today I had my first day of Welsh. It is of course, difficult, but I was expecting that. I wasn't really expecting to enjoy it - but so far I am - although my head hurts.
Lampeter is a small place - I reckon it takes just about ten minutes to walk through the 'town centre' which consists of a just a few small shops: a chiropodist(also a reflexologist), a couple of 'new-age' type shops selling scented candles (and I suspect spells and potions), a carpet shop (some I imagined had that worn, well-travelled look), a couple of boutiques (probably specialising in crinolines, corsets and bustles as well as space suits), several chapels (the door of one of these suddenly flew open as I passed and some glum-looking people carrying large irregularly-shaped boxes came out) and two takeaways(which had a strange exotic smell of incense). Well, that is what I spotted in my walk though last night. Apart from this it was very quiet. Except.. as I walked under one window there was a sudden fit of raucous screaming, and then from another open window on a first floor, laughing which was obviously drunken, manic, or both. I wanted to knock on the front door and ask if I could join in. One house had balloons tied to the railings but I think they had been there some time because they were partly deflated. I also found a recent small stone circle and an ancient rugby field claiming a proud and illustrious history.
That was last night. Today I had my first day of Welsh. It is of course, difficult, but I was expecting that. I wasn't really expecting to enjoy it - but so far I am - although my head hurts.
posted by Clare Dudman at 5:16 pm
6 Comments:
Aha! You found net access then Clare! As your head fills with more Welsh I hope it gets better and not worse.
Smells of incense, eh? You're down west. I'm not surprised.
Console yourself Clare - the forecast for the weather across the country is not too good this week.
I've never been to Lampeter. Seems like if I have a spare 15 mins on passing by some time...
Sounds quite surreal all in all. But what can one expect in a town synonymous with electrical appliance swallowing?
I can see/hear/taste/touch/smell another novel coming on...?
Crimeficreader: Yes, now I know why they call it 'the wild west' or just 'Ceredigion' home of the nude sunbather. Though wouldn't fancy it today, to be honest.
Jonathan: Hadn't thought of that - but yes, it figures, really.
Jan: Yes, if my head didn't ache so much I'd get onto one right away.
It's only really synonymous with electrical appliance swallowing if you mangle the stress pattern so that the second syllable is inaccurately accented. I though I was the only one allowed to do that.
Dear Pawl
You though wrong. ;-)
Post a Comment
Comments are subject to moderation.
<< Home