s in Bwyth Wells All though the word Small shouldn't come into it, it
was a huge collection of stalls and displays and a much larger
audience. It's strange that we sometimes need reminding that Wales is a
very rural country with a large proportion of its ground given over to
agriculture. The endless green fields I drive past on my commute
everyday aren't just there to look tranquil and pretty but they at the
heart of what appears to be a thriving industry.
There were thousands of exhibitors showing everything from gas turbine
driven post holers (Very handy in event of Vampire attack BTW) to
speciality cheese makers. One of the cheesemakers have a product
called Chedderella which is a mozzarella/cheddar hybrid, the taste of
which was so distinctive it split our party into the "So vile its
putrid" camp comprising of Em, Caz and Rob P. and the "Mmmmm Delicious
camp", featuring, urm, just Me.
Sadly although there were brewers at the show there was no 'Beer tent'
so we bought a couple of bottles from a few select brewers , after
sampling all their wares of course. We then had a beer break every hour
or so where we shared a bottle between the four of us whilst having a
five minute sit down. Gosh darn civilised I have to say.
The livestock exhibitions were really interesting, there were turkeys
that looked so hideous they seemed to be unused characters from the
Dark Crystal, rabbits the size of Dobermans, and llamas. Now I love a
llama but I did hear a couple of heavily accented farmers referring to
them using the Ll sound which really made me chuckle.
After we'd sampled the delights of the fair, and the Parry's had
decided on the type of pigs and sheep they wanted for their small
holding we headed to the glittering metropolis that is Llandrindod
Wells. The hotel was cheap and Fawlty Towers old school but the sheets
were clean the rooms were large and quiet and everything worked so I
can have no complaints at all.
The bathroom window had a beautiful view of the surrounding hills and
greenery which was unsettled slightly by the way the toilet basin faced
out upon it. So whilst you were in a situation that demands the utmost
privacy you were all the time facing all the mountains and valleys of
the region. Slightly disconcerting to say the least.
We headed out to a pub I'd found in the good beer guide (Undoubtedly
one of my best purchases) and whilst the beer and atmosphere were
superb and convivial the menu lacked a certain something. I suppose
we'd been spoilt by the wide variety of produce this greenest of lands
can offer and frozen Scampi and Oven Chips just wasn't going to cut
it.
We walked out into the pouring rain (there's a reason why Wales is so
green) and after a brief saunter we decided upon the Indian restaurant
that Caroline had spotted on our way in. To say to was delicious is to
do it a disservice. It was one of the very best Indian meals I have
ever had and being that I've eaten in Brick Lane in London and the
Curry Mile in both Birmingham and Manchester that's high praise
indeed.
Not quite ready to face the hotel yet we stopped at a bar and had a
pint in a underground bar. That is to say, a bar below the surface
level of the street rather than an illegal boozer. Although it did feel
a bit shady being the four of us outnumbered the regulars and bar
staff. We talked music for an hour or two and then headed to bed
Saturday well and truly done.
The breakfast next morning was chaotically organised by the staff but
highly pleasant and we headed back to North Wales in the sunshine.
