[Leica] IMG: Wales pics 2

[lluisripollquerol at gmail.com (Lluis Ripoll)]

Very nice pictures Larry, the first one is my favorite

cheers
Lluis


El 18/12/2010, a las 2:47, Lawrence Zeitlin escribi?:

> OK. this is almost the last time that I will talk about the Menai  
> Strait
> although it is the defining characteristic of north Wales. It and the
> Snowdonia mountains proved such formidable obstacles that the Romans  
> never
> really conquered Anglesley and it took the British a generation to  
> do it. As
> a result this region, Gwynedd, is the most Welsh part of the  
> country. The
> Welsh language is required in schools. Residents speak it at home  
> and many
> road signs, place names and TV shows are in Welsh. It's tough on  
> foreigners
> since Welsh is rarely spoken or taught outside of an area roughly  
> the size
> of a large Texas ranch.
>
> The Menai Strait itself is about 14 miles long, quite wide at each  
> end and
> narrows down to a constricted channel of a few hundred yards at the  
> Telford
> Bridge. There is a regular 26 ft. tide but at the full and new moons  
> the
> tide can swing up to 30 ft. The different water levels between each  
> end of
> the strait force a swift current through the narrow portion that can  
> reach
> almost 15 miles an hour. On a mild day the strait looks peaceful  
> enough but
> when the wind picks up the waters can be stormy. The tidal currents  
> are said
> to be the fiercest in the British Isles.
>
> The strait is pockmarked with small islands, some barely more than  
> large
> rocks, but a few of considerable size. The small ones disappear when  
> the
> tide rises, the only evidence of their existence being ripples and  
> eddies in
> the current. Of the few that remain above water, the most  
> interesting is
> Church Island, a five acre plot of rocky land containing a tiny stone
> chapel, the church of St. Tysilio. It is surrounded by a flower  
> planted
> cemetery. The island is reached by a narrow causeway from shore. The
> causeway and walk to the church is called the Belgian Walk. It was  
> built as
> a gift by Belgian refugees who were sheltered in the area during WW1.
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Bridge+and+Church+Island.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Church+Island+1.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Church+of+St_ 
> +Tysilio.jpg.html
>
> The other interesting island is about half a mile south of Church  
> Island. It
> is much smaller, only about one acre at low tide. Right in the  
> center is a
> stone farmhouse that would be unremarkable if it were anywhere but  
> in the
> middle of the Menai Strait. There is a family living in the house  
> and a few
> sheep in a pen just outside the door. There is no way to reach the  
> island
> except by boat, and that only when the current is slack. At the  
> bimonthly
> spring tides, when the water reaches its highest levels, little  
> wavelets lap
> against the front stoop and the sheep get their feet wet. A bit more  
> global
> warming and the family will be forced to move to the second floor  
> and raise
> ducks.
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Menai+Strait+farm.jpg.html
>
>
> Larry Z
>
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