Wales and Black Ferns Game #2

It would be remiss of us to be in the United Kingdom without visiting Wales so to Wales we went.  How do you know you are in Wales?  The signs are bilingual - Welsh and English.

We chose to stay at a little town called Pontypool for two reasons - 1.  We could pronounce it.  A lot of the Welsh towns have hard to say names eg: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (longest town name in UK) and 2.  It had a Park Run.  On Saturday morning, Rosie and Grant put on their walking shoes and walked the 5km Pontypool park run around one of the more famous club rugby grounds in Wales.  Apparently they have had some very good players represent the Lions from this club.

I stayed in the car since I can't walk!  Fortunately, the rain stayed away and they had a good chat to some of the locals on the way round.

From our travels so far, we can most certainly say that the Welsh are the most friendliest people, very much like us Kiwis, and if you want somewhere to stay in Wales, The Little Crown Inn is the place!!!  Great accommodation, bar and restaurant!

Whilst in Wales we went exploring and found a village called Hay on Wye which had numerous book shops so if you are into reading, this would be the place to hang out!

The Hay castle, whose 13th century gateway has survived numerous sieges in the middle ages, is in the middle of the village.  It survived attacks by King John in 1216 and Llywelyn the Great in 1231.  The history of the UK that we are hearing and reading about is just so fascinating and mindboggling!!  

On the way back to Pontypool, called into a market town called Abergavenny.  Had some quirky wee shops and stalls to have a nosey at.

We woke up on Sunday morning to the news that the Southland Stags had secured the Ranfurly Shield off Waikato so it was antlers up for the rest of the day!!

Back in England we drove straight to Exeter for the next Black Ferns game, this time against Japan.  In front of a sell out crowd, the Black Ferns were too good winning 62-19.

One of the highlights was Portia Woodman-Wickliffe's 50th try for the Black Ferns, and record for tries scored by a NZ player!

The Japanese were very plucky and courageous in their play and just so respectful after the game, bowing to every side of the stadium.  

Definitely crowd favourites but in the next game, France vs Brazil, when Brazil scored their very first rugby world cup try, the crowd went nuts!!! So, so supportive of the underdogs and thoroughly enjoying women's rugby!  Rosie tested out the MVP back drop before Braxton Sorensen-McGee had her turn!

The next day was spent catching up with one of Grant's friends in the lovely, seaside town of Teignmouth in County Devon.   On one of the town centre streets, we just happened to come across the filming of Bergerac, Series 2 with the actress Zoe Wanamaker, acting out a scene.  That was quite cool to watch for a bit.

It was also good to breath in some sea air and eat some yummy homemade scone with jam and clotted cream!

Also had a look at another seaside town called Torquay, which is where Agatha Christie was born.  If you don't know who she is, do a bit of googling.

And that is just the start of another week, more exciting adventures await us as we enter the month of September, yay Spring but here in the UK, Autumn!  A lot of sad children around now as they are back to school this week after a couple of months Summer holidays!