TO BE BORN WELSH

To be born Welsh
is to be born privileged.
Not with a silver spoon in your mouth,
But music in your blood
And poetry in your soul
- Wilfred Wilson

Most of the Welsh have descended from people who began settling in the British Isles thousands of years ago. Early settlers were the Iberians and later arrivals were the Celts, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Normans and Englishmen who invaded Wales.

Struggling against these invaders and efforts to

For years I have been acquainted with Wales through two of my silver screen favorites, Sir Anthony Hopkins and Richard Burton. Their brooding Celtic nature and distinctive Welsh accent mesmerized me. Then along came the honey-voiced, hip-swiveling singer Tom Jones and I was hooked on Welshmen. These entertainers along with Dylan Thomas have been great ambassadors for Wales.

The Welshmen are friendly and neighborly and enjoy visiting pubs in the evening. Pubs play an important role in social life throughout Great Britain. They also keep close family ties and are deeply religious. They love to sing and talk. They are famous for their excellent choirs and glee clubs, so it is not surprising that they are quite a poetic bunch.

Meet my guide

John Wake was my tour guide and indeed Welshman extraordinaire! From the first time you meet John, it is easy to surmise that he is passionately in love with his country. John is as rugged a Welshman with a background in law enforcement, yet he has the heart and soul of a poet. One of the best parts of touring with John was meeting all his wonderful friends throughout the trip.

Cardiff

We started the tour in Cardiff, which was established on the fabulous wealth of a coal empire and is fast becoming one of Europe's finest maritime cities. Many of Britain's finest department stores fill the pedestrian-only city center, along with countless specialty shops.

In the heart of the city of Cardiff stands a very aristocratic structure, the National Museum and Gallery Cardiff. It houses an impressive collection of art, natural history and science exhibits. There's a spectacular exhibition on the creation of Wales, complete with animated Ice Age creatures and simulated Big Bang.

John didn't want me to miss the gorgeous giant statues decorating the inside of majestic Cardiff City Hall. I also found some lovely portraits of my favorite British lady, Princess Diana. Every place we visited, I got a history lesson, John Wake style!

The landscaping in this area was beautiful, highlighting daffodils, the national flower. I was happy John pointed this out to me, because I kept a lookout for daffodils at every turn in the countryside.

Cardiff Bay Visitor Centre was a special place to visit, housed in a white futuristic tube-shaped structure, overlooking the water. It offers an insight into the history of Cardiff dock lands.

In the center of the city stands the 1900-year-old Cardiff Castle, which was restored in the 19th-century by Victorian architect genius, William Burges, to create an extravaganza of color and exquisitely detailed craftsmanship. My favorite was the Animal Wall where whimsical designs of endearing creatures are the focal point of the stylish room.

Before leaving Cardiff, John took me to his friend Bob's souvenir shop, Castle Welsh Crafts, directly opposite Castle entrance. This was my first introduction to the art of Love Spoons. Basically, the tradition of carving and giving Love Spoons dates back to antiquity. They were given as pre-courting presents and are thought to have been proffered as betrothal gifts once the proposals were accepted by the ladies. The symbols carved on the spoon held some significance such as Heart = Love; Wheel = Work; and Shield = Protection, to mention a few. Love spoons are still given as a lasting token of affection.

Please see WALES IN YOUR HEART for more on Wales