posted on Mar, 17 2010 @ 04:17 AM
Hi All, nice to know your eager to visit Wales.
I've lived here all my life so I thought I'd have a go giving you a rough guide!
Firstly Wales is largely Rural but with pockets of intense urbanization along the south coast. The exception to this being the post industrial
landscape of the South Wales Valleys, which has some huge scars from the now dead coal empire that fulled the industrial revolution.
If your looking for history then Wales has the highest concentration of castles in the world (Mainly built by the English during the Medieval ages to
suppress uprisings and rebellion).
Also it has many neolithic burial chambers and mini-stone henge's, and also Bardsey Island which reputedly has 20,000 saints buried under the soil of
the tiny island (It also has its own king).
Wales has its only language (Welsh) on which 25% of the population still speak in mainly rural areas. If you've been you'll notice the bilingual
road signs. The language is brythonic in origin, originally it was spoken by people all across the UK but due to invasions and war most of the people
were forced into the far corners of the British Isles. Wales was one of the area's that offered protection due to its mountainous terrain and the
people who fled there are the direct ancestors to todays welsh (Well a part of the gentic milkshake!).
There are some great mountain ranges and if hiking and exploring is your thing then visit the Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia. Also the beaches around
the Gower and Llyn Peninsula are untouched and unspoiled.
Population wise, most of the locals are friendly rural or urban and will happy gives directions/recommendations about local places to visit/eat etc.
Tourism is growing in importance in Wales since the old heavy industries have died out- so expect a warm and enthusiastic welcome!
Although its not all gloss since Wales is on an economic par with Romania and there is a fair bit of poverty and serious drug problems in Urban areas,
but its still just as safe as anywhere in the Uk to visit!
Millions of people in the USA have Welsh heritage, and many of the founding fathers were directly welsh. Griffith Park in LA was donated by a welshman
and a welshman also fought at the Alamo.
Also worth checking this out-
www.historic-uk.com...
tm