Caernarfon and Cricieth Castle and the Llechwedd Slate Mines

We started off the morning with it being a little foggy and damp as usual. We drove to the first castle called Caernarfon Castle located in Caernarfon about 8 miles south west of Bangor. The building of the castle started in 1283 by King Edward I. This is also the place where the Prince of Wales was crowned. The eldest son of the King of England is crowned the Prince of Wales. It was the most amazing place ever!!!! There were little tunnels everywhere and even ones inside the walls. There were things there like murder holes, arrow loops, and spy holes. The whole place was just enchanting.

To get to the towers there were small, dark staircases we had to climb. It was so steep that there was a rope on the inside of the staircases that we could hold onto to help climb up.

The tallest tower in the castle was Eagle Tower. There were lumps where the statues of the eagles used to be but it was still amazing.

The view was spectacular. But the next castle had even a better view.

There were so many passages and tunnels that we didn't have time to go through them all but it was still amazing! We would walk through the tunnels and end up in some room that was full of sunshine. There was one room that had a window but then there was a picture of a crest in the window. The little sunshine that was coming through the clouds was pouring in through them. It was neat.

The next castle was called Cricieth Castle in Cricieth. It was in complete ruin on top of a hill over looking the sea. We were right on the coast and there were waves crashing beneath us. This castle was built in 1230 and was one of the castles in the link in the chain of castles as a defense mechanism built by King Edward I. The whole Central group got to climb all over the castle. It was like a big kids playground.

The place was just beautiful. It made you really appreciate what God has made. Iowa is beautiful in its own way but this kind of scenery just blew my mind. I can't even imagine what God was thinking when He created this earth. To give us something so beautiful when we don't even deserve it. But He did anyway and I am in awe. He is one amazing God!

My friends and I took a picture upon the perfect hill overlooking the town and sea. The place is so cool. We played on this for a little while and then went back down to the bus to load up and go to the slate mines. Along the way there wer several sheep. The sheep grazed on green grass fenced in by crumbling stone fences. It is what I have always wanted to see and I got my wish. But there are more sheep than people in Wales! There are 3.9 million people in Wales and 11.1 million sheep! I'll have to say that sheep definately dominate the population. My program director also mentioned that hardly anyone in Wales goes to church. The government does not give them money to fix up the church so when hardly anyone goes, they aren't getting the money they need to fix them up so they are having to shut down. Now churches are turning into fun centers for kids, homes for the elderly, pubs, and night clubs. It broke my heart to hear that. How could people take the house of God and use it for something like that?

On a happier note, our group went to the Llechwedd Slate Mines next. There are hills upon hills of slate waste. About 90% of slate that is mined is waste and so back then they just dumped it in a pile. there are piles that are as big as the mountains here! It is the tallest slate waste pile in the world. We all got to wear hard hats and go down deep into the mines. It was very wet and cold in the mines but it was amazing. We went about 8 stories deep down and even farther. There was a "ghost" that gave us a tour. It was pretty cheesy but all the same it was pretty cool.

It was a very tiring day but it was so much fun! I had a blast. Tomorrow is more orientation but with the academic person. They will be explaining the process of how to sign up for classes and how different their education is from ours.