Caernarfon

Traveling to Caernarfon from Dublin was a bit hectic to say the least. I started off my Monday at 6am and was unable to find the stop for the bus I needed to take to the ferry. Last minute I was able to hop into a cab I found at a stop light and hoped I had enough euros in cash to pay the cab driver, luckily I had 2 euro to spare! The ferry ride to Wales was a nice little trip, but I was counting on the wifi to be working so I could map out how exactly to get to my hostel, and of course, it wasn’t working. Three hours later I made it Wales, and took a train to Bangors, where I needed to get a bus to Caernarfon. I didn’t have any pounds on me, so I then began a long journey to find an ATM. While carrying my 45lb pack along with my backpack, I wandered the streets of Bangor for about an hour, and finally found an ATM after asking a couple people for directions. It was quite exhausting and took a lot longer than I had anticipated, but when I finally made it to the bus stop I came across this little scene which I would've missed if everything had worked out smoothly:

Easter Monday casual

I eventually made it to my hostel, Totters, which turned out to be a great little hostel, very clean, bright, quiet and right along the castle wall of Caernarfon Castle. Upon arrival I met my roommate, Maggie, from LA who is studying abroad in Norwich and was in Wales to do research on Medieval castles. While the sun was still up, I headed out to get acquainted with the town and snap some photos of the sunset and the castle. After a bit of exploring, I then went to dinner at The Black Boy Inn with, Maggie, where I ordered the lamb pie, which was delicious.

Fountain in the town square

Caernarfon Castle Wall

Sunset

The following day I got up and decided to check out the castle, which was highly recommended to me by my old boss, Morgan Griffith. Luckily it was gorgeous day in Wales, perfect for a castle invasion! It was about 5 euro for the entrance fee, and then I paid another 3 euro for a tour. The tour was very informative, given I knew nothing about the castle previously, and our tour guide was very enjoyable with a great sense of humor. We learned much about its history and architecture, and that its where Prince Charles was crowned Prince of Wales, and if he keeps with tradition, it will also be where he'll have Prince William crowned Prince of Wales upon Charles becoming king.

When the tour concluded, I explored the castle on my own and was surprised at how accessible it was. Visitors are able to climb almost any tower and walk along all the passageways. It was not the best place for someone who is as terrified of heights, as I am, especially with little children running all around you about to knock you off a tower. All of the stairs leading to the top of the towers were super tiny and narrow, but at least they provided a rope for you to hold onto and pull yourself up! Due to my fear of heights, I only committed to climbing one tower, Eagle’s Tower, which is the main one of the castle. The view from the top was definitely worth it. It was a bit cramped, but I managed to take some photos along with some selfies to prove I was there!

View from the top

After I seized the castle

After about two hours of wandering the grounds, I decided to check out more of the town. Caernarfon is very charming and quaint, with cobblestone streets, and small alleyways. It didn’t take much time to walk around the whole town, so then I headed across a bridge to see some of the countryside. I walked along a road that bordered the water and a rocky beach, then went off the beaten path and hiked up a hill that lead to a great view of the castle and all of Caernarfon.

People crabbin'

That night, Maggie and I ate at a restaurant overlooking the town square where I got a burger, not too adventurous, but just what I was craving. I went to bed early since I would be traveling all of the next day to Amsterdam, and unfortunately felt a sore throat coming on.