>D.+Wales+1

From: People to People - Learning Center - Destination Overview Wales, where medieval castles share the land with deep coal mines and the language is the oldest in Europe, is a unique and colorful part of the United Kingdom. Wales is an industrial country, although its coal mines are mostly all closed now, yet it also possesses a lovely countryside and three million warm, friendly people. Quaint villages are filled with traditional cottages, and narrow-gauge steam railways snake through ancient oak woodlands and over rugged mountain passes. Croeso I Gymru! (Welcome to Wales!) || Cardiff is noted for its striking city-center castle. The city has splendid museums and large areas of parkland. Its shopping center is famous for its canopied Victorian arcades. Exciting developments are taking place on the old waterfront. The mammoth Cardiff Bay redevelopment scheme is transforming the old coal docklands. Much has already been achieved, and attractions such as Techniquest, the hands-on science discovery center, are bringing new life to the waterfront. || The Vikings first settled the area and called their outpost Sveins Ey (or Swein’s Island, probably referring to the sandbank at the mouth of the river). The Normans built the castle, but the town of Swansea didn’t reach its peak until the Industrial Revolution, when it became a center for copper smelting and refining. Copper ore came from as far away as Chile, Cuba, and the United States for refining, while Welsh coal was the main export. By the 20th century, the industrial base of the town had declined, although the German Luftwaffe still considered it a worthy target and leveled the town in 1941. || The harp is regarded as the national instrument of Wales. By the end of the 18th century, the triple harp - so called because it had three rows of strings - was widely known as the Welsh harp on account of its popularity in Wales. The harp is used as an accompaniment to folk-singing and dancing, and as a solo instrument. One interesting custom of the Welsh is the giving of lovespoons. A lovespoon is a wooden spoon carved by a young man and presented to his sweetheart as a token of his affection. The earliest surviving specimen is dated 1667 but the custom was widespread in Wales before that date. The spoon may be plain or intricately decorated with various symbols — birds, hearts, wheels, balls — each representing good luck, the blessing of children, wealth, health, etc. || Cawl is a traditional soup made from meat, root vegetables, herbs, and roots. Sausages are excellent, and Wales is known for its lamb. Beef and fish are also featured. Glamorgan sausages are traditionally made from cheese, breadcrumbs, herbs, and chopped leek — no meat. Welsh cakes are a bit like a pancake. || About 1000 B.C., Celtic people came to the British Isles from Europe. They were skilled in iron working and war, and dominated the islands for a thousand years. However, when the Romans legions finally came with a large, very experienced fighting force, in about 80 A.D., they were able to overwhelm the Celts, and the Roman era in the British Isles began. Remnants of their roads and culture are still to be seen at Caerleon and Caernarfon. After the Romans, the British Isles were invaded by the Vikings, Saxons, and Normans. The Celtic speakers of Wales were cut off from their fellow Celtic speakers by the Battle of Deorham in 577 and the Battle of Chester in 615. The following two centuries were largely filled with struggles against the English. Christianity was established in Wales by the 6th century. During the following centuries, Wales was not a unified country. Each area was ruled by a Prince, and they were often in conflict with one another. They only united when a strong Prince took control, or to defend themselves from the English. In 784, King Offa of Mercia constructed Offa's Dyke, marking the border between the territories of the Mercians and those of the Welsh; it gave Wales, for the first time in its history, a clear, defined eastern boundary. In the 13th century England was ruled by the ruthless and ambitious Edward I. He defeated and killed Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last of the native Welsh princes, in 1282. Today Cilmeri, where he was killed, is a place of pilgrimage for those who respect the independence of the Welsh. The King placed Wales under English laws. His son, Edward II, who was born in North Wales, was made Prince of Wales in Caernarfon in 1301; since then, the elder son of the sovereign has usually been given this title. Prince Charles was made Prince of Wales in 1969. At the beginning of the 15th century Owain Glyndwr, who effectively ruled Wales between 1400 and 1408, attempted to unify the people, arrange a parliament at Machynlleth and establish Welsh officials and bishops. He also wanted to establish two universities — one in the north and another in the south. His power gradually diminished, though his name has remained a source of inspiration to the Welsh. By the end of the century, the English throne passed to the Tudors, who were descended from Cadwaladr, the 7th century Welsh Prince. Henry Tudor was crowned King of England in 1485 and his son Henry VIII initiated the Act of Union in 1536 bringing Wales into line administratively, politically and legally with England, with representatives in the English parliament. Even with the union, differences between the Welsh and the English remained. During the Industrial Revolution, Welsh coal, iron and steel were of major importance to the British economy, and a large labor force arrived from England and Ireland to work in the mines and factories. After World War I (1914–1918), the major sources of employment — agriculture, coal, and steel — all began to decline, and unemployment was widespread. Many Welsh people left Wales for England and overseas. There was an enormous drop in the population of Wales in the 1920s and 30s. || You can find copper in many of the things you use today, but do you know where it comes from? Well, about 340 million years ago North Wales was under a shallow tropical sea. This sea bottom was filled with layers of the skeletal remains of plankton and shells. Being made of mostly lime, these layers eventually formed limestone. If we wait a few million years, the Earth’s crust will move around and crack the limestone. These cracks allow pockets of hot materials, liquids, and gases to escape which dissolve the limestone. When the ingredients finally mix and settle they form copper. Facts about the Great Orme Copper Mine britannia.com/wales/whist.html A brief history of Wales britannia.com/celtic/wales/facts/ Facts about Wales and the Welsh www.lonelyplanet.com/dest/eur/wal.htm Lonely Planet's "Destination Wales" website www.swanseahistoryweb.org.uk/ Swansea: What's new in local history, social history, and community history in and around Swansea in South Wales www.totalcardiff.com/ Total Wales, the definitive source of information for Wales and The Rugby World Cup. www.cs.brown.edu/fun/welsh/home.html Language: Online Welsh course with pronunciation ||
 * DESTINATION OVERVIEW ||
 * || **Wales** || **CONTENTS:** ||  ||
 * Cardiff || Welsh Mining ||
 * Swansea || Copper Mining ||
 * Culture || Slate Mining ||
 * Did you know? || Druid Circle ||
 * Famous People || Money ||
 * Food || Related Links ||
 * History || Vocabulary ||
 * Talk the Talk || Weather ||
 * Talk the Talk || Weather ||
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 * Although there was a castle and small settlement at Cardiff before the coal mining era, Cardiff owes its major development to the coal mines in the valleys to the north. Tons of coal were shipped out through the port city from the mid-1800's to the mid 1900's. As the coal industry declined the city came upon hard times, and it was heavily bombed in World War II. However, in 1955, it was made capital of Wales, and gained a new prosperity as an administrative, business, political, and media center.
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 * Swansea is the second largest city in Wales, and home to the famous poet Dylan Thomas, who once called it an “ugly, lovely town.” Indeed, despite some of the drab concrete architecture, Swansea is in a lovely location on the bay. Of particular interest are the excellent maritime museum and several interesting art galleries. Swansea is also a popular departure point for those traveling by ferry to Ireland.
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 * The Welsh language is thought to be the oldest living language in Europe. It is a Celtic language, related to Breton, Irish and Scots Gaelic. Welsh and English are both spoken in Wales, and approximately one quarter of the population speaks Welsh fluently. In many parts of Wales at least seven out of ten people are Welsh speaking, and use Welsh as their first language at home and at work.
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 * * Wales is famous for having the longest place name in the world: Llanfairpwllgwyngllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. Translated into English it means "St. Mary's church in the hollow of the White Hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the church of St. Tysilio near the red cave.
 * The sea off the coast of Wales is surprisingly warm in summer, and Wales has some good places for surfing
 * Laverbread, used to make a breakfast cake among other things, is cooked seaweed ||
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 * **Dylan Thomas** - famous poet
 * Richard Burton** - Shakespearean actor and movie star
 * Anthony Hopkins** - Also a Shakespearean actor, a current movie actor, and a knight (known as "Sir Anthony Hopkins") ||
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 * A typical breakfast in Wales might consist of eggs and bacon, combined with more unusual ingredients - laverbread and cockles. Cockles are a type of shellfish, and they are often scrambled together with eggs for breakfast.
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 * In prehistoric times, Wales, like the rest of the British Isles, was populated by a succession of immigrants and invaders from the mainland of Europe. The archaeological record shows that they established villages and traded with others throughout the islands.
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 * Wales has the unique distinction of having two legally recognized languages. Anyone who works in an official capacity must speak both Welsh and English. Welsh is considered one of the oldest languages still spoken in Europe. The Society for the Welsh Language has saved the language from dying out. As a result, education was made bilingual, and in some districts instruction is given in Welsh. Approximately one-quarter of the population speaks Welsh fluently. In many parts of Wales at least seven out of 10 people are Welsh speaking and use Welsh as their first language at home and at work. On your travels through Wales look for road signs in both English and Welsh. ||
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 * Wales is home to some of the world’s oldest, largest and most innovative mines. Many of our travelers will experience the Orme Copper Mine, which dates back over 3,000 years to the Bronze Age, and the Llechwedd Slate Caverns, which contain the steepest passenger incline railway. As you may have guessed, the two chief products mined are copper and slate. Although many mines are still in operation, this industry has been on the decline in recent years. ||
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 * As a visitor to the Great Orme Copper Mine you will not only find the mining processes amazing but you will leave with knowledge of prehistoric times as well as a sense of respect for this dangerous profession.
 * Tunnels date back to 600 B.C. Children as young as five used to work in the tunnels mining for copper.
 * Heavy stone hammers, which weigh up to 65 pounds, are used to smash the walls of the tunnel.
 * Animal bones were used to scrape the loose rock; some 30,000 bones have been found here.
 * At depths up to 220 feet below the surface, fire setting was used to expand the rocks creating cracks when they were cooled. ||
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 * Slate is a unique type of material that is comprised of crushed rock particles, minerals, and mica. As the earth shifts around, the immense pressure over many years forms slate. Welsh slate is special because of the tiny mica particles — they make the slate easy to split into thin layers. In fact, a skilled quarryman in about 1872 split a block of slate that was only 21/2 inches thick into 45 layers! ||
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 * Near Snowdon in the north of Wales, this circle consisting of 12 still-standing stones was built next to a prehistoric trade route. In 1958, excavations by W. Griffiths that uncovered bones in the center of the ring led some archaeologists to believe that this circle was for the dark rituals of sacrifice. The stones and rings of Wales differed from those of England in that they were usually smaller and had their own style. Some of the more inland regions of Wales had little contact with other villages and people and therefore developed sites to suit their own needs. ||
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 * Wales’ unit of currency is the British Pound. To find out the current exchange rate between the dollar and the British Pound, go to @http://quote.yahoo.com/m5?a=1&s=USD&t=GBP ||
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A hill, in Welsh Traditional male-voice choir, traditionally associated with the coal mining communities of the South Wales valleys A traditional Welsh festival of poetry and music English people who have moved to Wales or bought vacation homes in Welsh villages ||
 * //bryn//**
 * //Cor meibion//**
 * //Eisteddfodau//**
 * //Incomers//**
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 * The weather is a subject of constant discussion in Wales and the UK. This is because the weather is so variable, it is sometimes difficult to plan any outdoor activity. However, summers in Wales are usually warm (not hot), and sunny. Rain is always possible. ||  ||   ||   ||   ||