Be A Brit Different

The Lady Lever Art Gallery

Mark — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 UTC

If you want to visit a fascinating village and a wonderful art gallery you must make a trip to Port Sunlight Village. There you will find an unusual but attractive village and the Lady Lever Art Gallery.

Situated on the Wirral shore just over the Mersey from Liverpool, the Gallery was founded by William Hesketh Lever and is dedicated to the memory of his wife Elizabeth. In his lifetime he collected over 20,000 works of art, and many of these are on display in the gallery today.

The diverse collection includes paintings, sculpture, furniture, ceramics and textiles. My favourite is the collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings by the likes of William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, Dante Rossetti, and Edward Burne-Jones.

I also receive great inspiration by looking at the Victorian masterpieces of Lord Leighton and Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema.

Another claim to fame is the Gallery has the best collection of Wedgwood jasperware in the world.

William Hesketh Lever was a multimillionaire businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist. The son of a wholesale grocer, he left school at 16 to join the family firm, which he expanded and transformed.

In 1884 he decided to focus on just one product, household soap, and two years later he set up the firm of Lever Brothers with his brother and began to manufacture the soap. In 1888 they moved to a purpose built and larger factory on the Wirral shore of the Mersey.

He also built a new village to house his employees and named it Port Sunlight after his most successful brand of soap. He took great pleasure in helping to plan this picturesque garden village and employed nearly thirty different architects to create its unique style.

With his own money, Lever financed the church, technical institute and the Lady Lever Art Gallery, which was opened in 1922 by Princess Beatrice, youngest daughter of Queen Victoria.

The current exhibition ‘Masterpiece Watercolours and Drawings’ runs until 9 November 2008 and is a great opportunity to see watercolours and drawings by JMW Turner, David Cox, Peter de Wint, Edward Lear, Edward Burne-Jones and Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

Lady Lever Art gallery: www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ladylever/

Port Sunlight Village: www.portsunlightvillage.com

In my next post I’ll list my favourite five art galleries in the North of England.

Top Donkey!

Jayne — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 UTC

A North Wales donkey has been crowned the winner of Britain's Individual Beach Donkey Competition 2008! The donkey concerned is known as 'Del Boy' and lives in Aberdyfi in the county of Gwynedd.

The runner up was also from North Wales, Dennis from LLanelli, Dyfed. Dennis had won the title last year but was pipped to the post in 2008.

Britain's Best Beach Donkey Competition is run by The Donkey Sanctuary based in Sidmouth, England. Every year the judges travel around the country and watch the donkeys hard at work on the beaches of the UK. There are a lot of donkeys to watch as a donkey ride is one of the most popular attractions at the seaside. I can certainly remember many a donkey ride as a child. It was a special treat that I never grew tired of.

As well as judging the best individual donkeys the judges also look for the best overall donkey group and the group with the best feet! I love reading the results as I think the names are just fantastic....so, the best group were in Filey, North Yorkshire and were Lenny, Alfie, Chico, Rueben, Neville and Max. The group with the best feet went to Jasmine, Stumpy, Sooty, PeeJay, BeeJay, Sparky and Daisy in Weymouth.

The judges looked for a gentle temperament in the donkeys as well as at their welfare and care. The donkeys need to be happy, well turned out and well looked after in order to win. The winners will receive their awards in the next week or so.

**With thanks to The Donkey Sanctuary for allowing use of the photographs**

Last Choir Standing

Jayne — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 UTC

The UK, over the last few years, as become obsessed with reality television in all its forms and the talent show format has been done so many times now that I wonder just how much more our televisions can take! However, over the last few weeks we have been treated to a show with a difference. It is called 'Last Choir Standing'.

I suppose the content is self explanatory. Yes, it's another talent show and yes, you guessed it, it's about choirs and I wasn't really sure it was something I wanted to watch at the beginning. I was soon hooked though and have really enjoyed the series.

I think what really set this competition apart from the X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and the others was that this show was really about the music (and that Simon Cowell was nowhere to be seen!). It was about the performance and the technical abilities of the choirs. It was not just people turning up who wanted to hog the camera or who wanted to be famous. This was about people's love of singing and the real joy that it brought them. Choirs came from all over the UK to audition and there was a real variety to the styles in which they sang. It was also great to see such a diverse age range of people competing.

Week by week we edged nearer to the final of the competition until there were only two choirs left. It should be no surprise, with Wales' rich history of choral singing, that both the final two choirs were Welsh. One called 'Only Men Aloud!' are based in South Wales, the other Ysgol Glanaethwy are based in Bangor, North Wales. Both choirs did a fantastic job and it's been great to see so many people enjoying themselves and making such amazing sounds.

In the end, Only Men Aloud! walked away with the title but in all truthfulness I think it could have gone either way. There are videos of the choirs performing on the Last Choir Standing website. I'd strongly recommend having a look if you have the time. They give me goosebumps just listening to them. Sensational!

Delamere Forest

Hayley — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 UTC

Delamere Forest

At the weekend, my boyfriend and I decided to take our little dog, Arnie, for a walk. We wanted to take him somewhere different so decided on Delamere Forest.

Delamere is situated in Cheshire and it a really large piece of woodland. There is a lot of wildlife to be found at Delamere, including the Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, White Faced Darter dragonfly, Green Woodpecker, Siskin and Southern Hawker Dragonfly.

There is a great café at Delamere where we had some lunch and thre is the fantastic “Going Ape” which I will pluck up the courage to go on soon and tell you all about it! I just need to be brave enough!

http://www.delamerecafe.com

LLangollen Hot Air Balloon Festival

Jayne — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 UTC

Last weekend I saw LLangollen the busiest I have ever seen it - and that's saying something! The town is probably most famous for the International Eisteddfod in July but I'd say that even more people had turned out this weekend for the fantastic Hot Air Balloon Festival.

There were cars and people just everywhere and the atmosphere was lovely. The festival itself is held on the same ground as the Eisteddfod, at the Royal International Pavilion and there is a lot going on over the three days. For the first time this year, there was an opening ceremony on the Friday night with the festivities continuing right the way through until the Sunday.

Obviously, when you're dealing with balloons, the weather plays a big part and the organisers are very careful to say that many of the activities are dependent on good weather but there is a lot to be done on the ground as well as in the air.

This year there was a live music stage adding to the atmosphere which was a great showcase for some of the local bands and choirs. There were displays of tethered balloons, a motorcycle display team, a falconry display and a fun fair among other things. There were also many catering outlets serving up food and drinks and a craft fair that had some beautiful items for sale. One special exhibit was the UK's only indoor model balloon festival. Of course, being indoors, these balloons could fly all weekend! There was no end of workshops and entertainment for the children including balloon modelling, face painting and Punch and Judy shows.

Of course, the highlight was the balloons with mass launchings at 6pm on Saturday and Sunday nights. On the Saturday night the Nightglow is just amazing. A number of the balloons are lit up like giant light bulbs shining in the dark sky to the sound of music - just fantastic. There is also a fireworks display on the Saturday night.

LLangollen is a stunning area and the balloons flying over the mountains look just gorgeous.

You can find out more about the Balloon Festival by clicking on their website.

British Bank Holiday Bashes

James — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 UTC

If you have ever wondered what the British get up to on Bank Holiday weekends, then the answer for some of us is the garden party charity event.

Anna (pictured on the left, with the Chairman of the local Conservative Party) is very much involved with raising money for the local hospice, Lindsey Lodge, in North Lincolnshire. In England, hospices tend not to be funded directly by the National Health Service (NHS) and rely heavily on charitable giving. Fortunately, people are often very generous, as many have had family members attend a hospice, or are simply mindful of the fact that any one of us may have the need for such care one day. However, fundraising does not have to be a serious business, as the photographs from the latest event show! (My friend wearing the hat is a frequent business visitor to the USA, so if you thought you vaguely recognised him...)

I raise this event as a topic on BABD, because you will often find small social events like this one taking place at weekends throughout the summer - not just on the Bank Holiday Weekend. They are a good way to meet local people and have a chat on a very informal basis. Although they tend to be privately arranged affairs, a few discrete enquiries amongst your neighbours can usually uncover an invitation for you - which is certainly what happened for a couple at this event. You will find the smaller, country communitities are particularly good at warmly welcoming visitors to their social events...as long as long as you are prepared to buy a few raffle tickets or take your chance on the tombola stall!

Everything is organised by a group of 'ladies who lunch' as I like to call them. The men get roped in to move chairs and tables, erect gazeebos, etc. The ladies also prepare (and serve) the food, which is usually simple, but most enjoyable fayre.

And, of course, you never quite know who you are going to meet...in this particular case, the parents of one roving BABD reporter...

So, there you have it. An insight to one small aspect of the British at play...all in the name of charity.

Wild Walks

Andy — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 UTC

It's not every day that we get storms out here on the west coast of Wales but when we do, they can be spectacular. This storm wave, breaking on Porth-y-Ffynon headland, just around the corner from St Non's (where St David, our patron saint, was born 1500 years ago) was captured dramatically on camera by local photographer Phillip Clarke.

Days like this aren't recommended for swimming or even the most adventurous coasteering - well not here, anyway, but for dramatic walks and a close eye on the sea, they can be unforgettable. If you're lucky, you'll catch the drama of the ocean too.

The Pipe and Glass Inn

James — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 UTC

I have always warmed to pubs sporting a name a little outside of the ordinary. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that The Pipe and Glass Inn holds an attraction for me, conjuring up (as it does) visions of a cosy pint of real ale in front of a log fire, accompanied by a pipe of aromatic tobacco. Unfortunately, being a physician, I have to warn against the latter. However, the mental image is still there!

The good news is that the multi-award winning The Pipe and Glass Inn does not disappoint. The current proprietors, James and Kate, have gone a long way to ensure that this gem of a pub is so welcoming that you would be counting the days until you can return to savour their hospitality again.

Tucked away down leafy country lanes, South Dalton is a small hamlet belonging to the estate of the Lord Hotham. However, despite its seclusion, patrons flock there from far and wide. Even mid-week it is rarely quiet and to ensure the availability of a table for dining, it is wise to book in advance, as it has the reputation of being one of the best gastro-pubs in East Yorkshire.

Anna and I decided to call on Wednesday last, and what a day to choose, for the first of the season's Grouse was hitting the menu. It was simply delicious...as was the home-made treacle tart that followed it!

As for the wine list...well, whatever your preference, you will find something on the extensive list to please you (the photograph just shows their latest finds...there are pages more!)

So, if you are anywhere near Beverley, East Yorkshire, insist on being taken to the Pipe and Glass Inn at South Dalton for a meal - and if you have no-one to show you the way, for the price of a meal I shall be only too pleased to make myself available to accompany you!

Wild Food

Andy — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 UTC

September is a special time of year around here for hedgerow harvesting, and gathering that extra handful of freshness for your evening meal. Handy too, is the annual Really Wild Food Festival which takes place in St Davids at the end of the summer - it's a great combination of food and craft displays with lots of opportunity to catch up with local friends for conversation and chat. Including the great British tradition of welly boot (gum boot) throwing, ferret racing and hawking displays, my top three were a) the sensational organic and local cheeses from local farms, b) home-made vegetarian sausages, c) the lovely views across the valley towards the coast.

Beyond the festival, the countryside continues to beckon; despite our wet summer, the hedgerows have plenty of blackberries for making into pies, we picked blueberries from our mountain bikes last week, and there's a healthy crop of wild mushrooms in the garden too.

Whatever the time of year, there's plenty to forage for in the countryside in most areas of Britain and with care, you can find many a tasty bite!

Winetasting in Wales

Sarah — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 00:00:00 UTC

I had the challenging task of arranging my best friends hen weekend and we decided to partake in a little wine tasting and pampering!

We visited Llanerch Vineyard in the Vale of Glamorgan . A very convenient location, just off the M4 10 miles west of Cardiff, although it really didn’t feel like you were very near anything. The setting was beautiful, in 20 acres of farm land, so peace and quiet was guaranteed. We enjoyed a lovely walk around the vineyard exploring and learning all about the different grapes.

The staff were extremely friendly and flexible but most importantly the wine and food was divine. We tasted a variety of the “Cariad” wines, the vineyards trading brand (and also Welsh for the word Love), and in the evening we enjoyed a beautiful meal in the restaurant.

How you spend your time there is entierley up to you, you can do something as simple as pay a visit for a walk and wine tasting or stay for a longer break as we did. I would recommend it to anyone and will be definitely going back. This is an ideal trip out of the city and most definitely a lovely treat for a special occasion!

http://www.llanerch-vineyard.co.uk/index.html

Scotland Holiday

Phil — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 00:00:00 UTC

My two eldest daughters were going on holiday with my parents so we asked our youngest daughter where she would like to go on holiday with just us (she will be going on holiday with my parents in a few weeks time with her cousins her age) and quick as a flash she said Scotland!

Well I have been to Scotland before (Glasgow, Ayr, Edinburgh, Kelso, Aberdeen etc.) but I had never been to the Highlands so we had a look at a map and decided somewhere near Loch Ness and Loch Lomond would be great.

Twelve hours to drive there, won't be doing that in one go again, but the scenery was stunning, it is really noticeable the way the geography produces such different landscapes as you travel through the UK.

Highlights of the week were Urqhart Castle, where my daughter started an epidemic of hill rolling amongst the students who were on a coach trip there by rolling down the hill from the entrance down to the moat, the Loch Ness (Nessie) visitor centre was very interesting and well worth a visit, as was the underwater boat tour in the Mull of Skye and the Isle of Skye Otter Sanctuary was good, we didn't see any Otters while we were there but from the hide we saw nine seals and a heron, the people before us had seen a basking shark!

We looked every day, sometimes twice a day to try and see the infamous monster of the loch but without any luck. Loch Ness is so large,so deep and has such awe inspiring scenery you can see why there are such myths and legends about it but for now Nessie remains elusive.

Talking of creatures from the deep on a trip to the Black Isle an area north of Inverness we saw some Dolphins from the beach jumping and leaping after Salmon which was amazing, they were only ten feet from the shore and are one of my daughters favourite animals so she was really pleased.

We took the dog who absolutley loved running through the woods next to our cottage, she did manage to make very good friends with a Tic or two but apart from that she had a great holiday too.

I'll tell you all about my trip to Kenilworth Castle in my next blog.

Ta ta for now, Phil.

Notting Hill Carnival...

Andy — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 00:00:00 UTC

As I mentioned in a previous post, my busy bank holiday weekend continued with the Notting Hill Carnival extravaganza! Sunday saw the start of the 2-day Carnival, one of London's biggest events and Europe's largest street festival. The area was packed full of carnival goers and you could hear the music from almost a mile away! Anyone who's ever been to this carnival will tell you that it is a crazy day whenever you visit. The first day of the carnival is always family day, which is much calmer than the second, adult's day. The latter certainly isn't for the faint-hearted as I found out on my visit on bank holiday Monday!

The whole carnival is absolutely packed every year with a huge variety of people, both old and young. This year seemed to have attract more people than usual. Entering the carnival we were immediately welcomed by the carnival parade. Dancers and masquerade bands with vibrant and colourful costumes as well as DJ's and steel bands paraded the streets, radiating a warm and fun atmosphere.

If the music, dancing and shows aren't enough of an incentive to visit, the carnival is full of food stalls selling delicious Caribbean food and a variety of other foods including Thai and Chinese. This alone made the visit worthwhile.

Rhyl

Suzie — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:00:00 UTC

Rhyl was probably the highlight of the holiday for the children. We met up with my mother, who still lives in the Midlands, on bank holiday Sunday and took the children to the fair and the arcades. They spent just about all their holiday allowances in the arcades but they had a great time.

I was not brave enough to go up in the viewing tower to take a birds-eye look at the surrounding area as I am afraid of heights but I am told that the view was spectacular. I preferred to wander along the seafront and dip my toes in the sea - taking care to miss the messages left by passing donkey's! lol.

We also got the visit the sea life centre and took some great photo's which I will post later for you all to see. It was not cheap to get in but it was worth it to see all the wonderful fish - not to mention the sharks at close quarters. And after what happened to Steve Irwin I was too scared to tickle the sting rays!

Some of the toen has been allowed to get into a state of disrepair but talking to some of the locals we learned that there is a plan to restore the seaside resort to its former glory, the one I remember as a child when I had some of the happiest holidays of my life. Rhyl Rocks...

Chippy Jazz...

Tim — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:00:00 UTC

If you like jazz, and find yourself in the Cotswolds this September, then the 11th Chipping Norton Jazz Festival on the 7th is a must, and some of it is completely free too!

Rebranded as Chippy Jazz this year the festival includes free jazz giggs around the town from midday to 11pm. Then there's an 'Afternoon of Swing with the Chippington Norton All Stars Jazz Band' in the Chipping Norton theatre at 2pm - tickets cost £8.

There's also a great paid-for evening concert which features 1920s/30s jazz, comedy, vocals and fun with an eight-piece jazz band. The concert takes place in the Town Hall and tickets cost £14, including a free pre-show drink.

Check out www.chippyjazz.org.uk for more details.

LLandudno says NO to boredom!

Suzie — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:00:00 UTC

The kids were bored, the dog was bad tempered and we all wanted to do something different. solution? Llandudno!

It was an easy drive from Denbigh to Llandudno along the A55, a sort of dual carriageway/motorway, although after only recently passing my test, I chickened out and let hubby drive my car. We passed some great towns and will return next year to visit them.

On arrival we found a car park, eventually, and made our way to the sea front. My in-laws went to the pier for a leisurely stroll and we hit the shops. the children were soon passidfied with a meal from KFC (friend chiken and fries) and we sat eating our meal facing a wonderful old church. I managed to drop some of my chicken and the dog thought he had got a gift from above, which was funny considering where we were sitting!

We stayed most of the day and still didn't manage to see everything. We made our way to the cliff railway, known as the Great Orme but it was so busy we had to give it a miss this time around. That was pretty disappointing as we really wanted to go up the mountain to see the view, but for now I will have to share that via this fantastic site.

Also, if we had managed to go on holiday earlier in the year we could have been part of a fantastic festival tat takes place there every year, the Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza. Again, maybe next year.

Guide to British wildlife: The badger...

Tim — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:00:00 UTC

Us Brits have a strange love-hate relationship with the badger, some of us love them and some of us hate them. Personally, as an animal lover, I love our little black and white friends but much of the nation's farming community believe that they are a nuisance, spreading tuberculosis amongst cattle. It's a contentious debate and one that has been raging for years!

However, for badger lovers the chance to go badger watching is as good as it gets, so why not give it a go yourself? There are always events and places you can go to around the Midlands. Try Warburg Nature Reserve for starters.

Badgers live for around 14 years but sadly around 50,000 are killed every year on our roads, so you're probably more likely to see one on the side of the road than in its natural habitat!

They're predominantly nocturnal creatures and more commonly found in rural areas than in our towns and cities. They live underground in huge setts, some of which are known to be around 100 years old and home to generations of badgers.

So next time you're in the countryside in the evening, keep an eye out for a badger or two, you might have to be quite patient though!

Holiday memories

Suzie — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:00:00 UTC

As I have recently been away on holiday I got to thinking about what we all view as a traditional British holiday? We all have memories of going on holiday to the coast as children with our parents. Dad strolling across the beach with his trousers rolled up and a knotted handkerchief on his head, mum trotting along behind holding the bags and trying to control the children who are fighting to get free and run into the icy waters that beckon them.

To me the bristich getaway has been replaced somewhat with the cheap package holidays, but there are places that still capture the essence of a true British holiday, and Rhyl is one of them. I loved the old fashioned games arcades and the Donkey rides on the beach. The children sucking rock dummies and holding prizes they had won on various arcade games. It took me back to my childhood and I was able to pass my memories on to them by letting them experience the best of British seaside holidays.

The sea was cold but inviting and the weather was grey but warm, and the smell of fish and chips mixed with the sweet aroma of candyfloss filled the promenade, enticing you to try them. Let me tell you, you can't buy that on a package holiday...

Welsh lingo: Welshisms that still flummox me Number 1

Paul — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:00:00 UTC

As a non-Welsh speaker and well, a non-Welsh person to boot,

Go anywhere in the UK and you’ll find a regional dialect, a language or choice of diction that is entirely unique to that part of the country. It is one of the most endearing part of the British Isles and one that gives colour and individuality to these places. And Wales has it all in abundance.

Despite having lived here for seven years, there are still certain sayings and phrases that still catch me out, confuse me and force me to stop and ponder for a moment what is being said to me. And the one that catches me off-guard every time is, “Where you to?”

“Where you to?” – it seems straight forward enough, right? Take a look at the words again. Now tell me what the question is really asking you. Is it:

Where are you going?

Where have you been? Or

Where are you right now?

Ask a Welshman to explain what it means is usually met with a frustrated repetition of the question because the Welsh, unlike their English counterparts (i.e. people like me) think that it is soooo obvious that they cannot understand why we could possibly be confused by it.

So, the next time you happen to venture into this fair country and someone walks up to you and asks, Where you to?, what they actually mean is “Where are you?”

Arthurs Labyrinth in Corris, exploring the caves!

Natalie — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:00:00 UTC

The caves up in Corris were a good adventure for my cousin and our kids during the summer break. We headed up to Corris which was a 5 minute drive north of Machynlleth, which is a shortish drive north from Aberystwyth.

10 crafts shops are housed here, including an interesting wood turning workshop, a glass shop where the guy made a glass daffodil in front of us, much to the kids fascination and a nice cafe where we ate welsh cakes and drank tea in their cafe there before venturing down the caves by boat!

King Arthur´s Labyrinth was an exciting underground adventure with caves cold and dripping with water, atmospherically mood lit with model dragons and legends of merlin and Arthur scattered along the way. We travelled by long narrow boat which had a bench down either side and mystical Welsh music played in the background, whilst our guide was dressed in a hooded hessian get up. It was all a lot of fun!

It all unfolds as you sail along a subterranean river, through the great waterfall, deep into the spectacular caverns of the Labyrinth and far into the past. We heard tales of King Arthur and other ancient Welsh legends, as we explored the dramatic underground setting, stories of dragons, of giants, of battles and much more... fascinating for all of us including the kids.

Back above ground, we explored the maze of the Bards´ Quest. Below is one of the mystical trees along the maze which was also a quiz challenge for the kids to do.

Wales has many other wonderful legends which have evolved over the centuries and been passed down by bards and storytellers. Now, they are known to only a few and are slowly becoming forgotten. Take on the challenge of the Bards´ Quest and help to save them from extinction by searching for them in the maze of time.

Having heard some of the tales from the Mabinogion we all headed back to the surface and the air felt tropical in comparison to the cold underground.

I recommend this as a day out for sure, the kids were actually petrified down the caves which equated to enjoyment - being scared was all in their remit for enjoying themselves! Watch your head though - despite my helmet and the warnings to duck I banged my bonce 3 times! In terms of location in Wales, this is a good stop off between Aberystwyth and Snowdonia. It's close to the Centre For Alternative Technology, I reckon you could squeeze both of those attractions into one day.

Ear plugs and an umbrella required? Welcome to Wales

Paul — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:00:00 UTC

Every country has its stereotypes. The Irish are known for their Guinness, red hair and jovial nature. The Scots are proud, hardened drinkers with a penchant for deep fried Mars Bars. And the Welsh are known for their passion for rugby, loud singing and a weakness for a wee glass of the amber nectar – especially on rugby day. That was about the extent of my knowledge of Wales before moving here in 2001.

When I told all my friends that I was planning to up-sticks and leave Manchester – arguably one of the best cities in the UK – and move down to South Wales in 2001, the resounding response that I received was, Why?

Why indeed. Admittedly, most of us non-Welsh (i.e. English) can’t help but recall that classic sketch from Blackadder the Third when Rowan Atkinson’s character, Edmund Blackadder described Wales in a conversation with his sidekick, Baldrick:

Blackadder : Have you ever been to Wales Baldrick?

Baldrick : No, but I've often thought I'd like to.

Blackadder : Well don't, it's a ghastly place. Huge gangs of tough sinewy men roam the valleys terrorising people with their close-harmony singing. You need half a pint of phlegm in your throat just to pronounce the place names. Never ask for directions in Wales, Baldrick, you'll be washing spit out of your hair for a fortnight."

But like most of the people I knew, none of us had ever been to Wales so how could we even mock a place we had never seen?!

In fact my only experiences of anything or anyone remotely Welsh was my old English teacher at school who claimed that her mother was once friends with the great Dylan Thomas, and the fact that two of the greatest footballers ever to have graced the hallowed turf at Anfield – the home of Liverpool Football Club – just so-happened to hail from Wales.

Ian Rush, Liverpool FC

So, after seven years are the stereotypes true? In terms of their passion for the game of rugby and their reputation for drinking, the answer is a BIG Yes. And the passion for the game is matched by their passion for their country.

Wales is perhaps the only country in the UK that you will see the national flag prominently displayed on flag posts, car stickers or any public places. And in that sense, Wales is akin to the US.

But don’t worry about taking an umbrella with you!!