For a number of reasons I have been less active on the Welsh front in the last month or so. Visiting Conwy gave me a bit of a boost and, perhaps more importantly, some Welsh books. It is always much better browsing in a shop rather than buying a bit blind through the internet. But what would be best would be a Welsh lending library by post - so if anyone reads this and knows of one, please please let me know. Meanwhile digital media play a large part in my attempts to build up my vocabulary in this rather un-Welsh spot of the UK. I am starting to catch up on Welsh music - there is a wealth of great riches out there. Not surprisingly it has moved on a lot since I left, but I am only just starting to find out about some of the singers and bands. I'm very much looking forward to having time (some time maybe........) to get to some live events but of course these are also thin on the ground in Milton Keynes.
I also try to watch the regular evening magazie programme "Wedi Saith". This is a really creative and excellent programme. Imagine you have a TV channel in a language that has a relatively small number of speakers and who are distributed over Wales - what would you put on as a regular half hour slot in the evening? Wedi Saith is a really interesting magazine programme featuring mainly Arts and cultural events in Wales, but quite a diverse range of features. Through the programme I have discovered that there is a Welsh 'lost garden' (think Heligan but with an amazing series of underground passages/grottos which I am now itchingn to visit). I have also learnt about the history of the ferry to Anglesey from my home town of Caernarfon and of the time when all but one of the passengers were drowned after many were drinking heavily at the Christmas fair. The "Arvon" (note the English spelling) was quite a large steamer licensed to carry 300 persons : bought in 1896 and sold in 1923. In addition to passengers the steamer carried animals and goods destined for Caernarfon Market. And excitingly there are plans to perhaps re-introduce a ferry/boat crossing - wh ich would mean crossing in possibly 15 minutes instead of having to go the 9 miles or so to the Menai Bridge.
