Fabulous weekend!!!
We got to Hay-on-Wye about lunchtime and had a smallish pub lunch at The Blue Boar. Then I wandered around loads of bookshops while Guy paced impatiently outside. But I managed to ignore him.
Then we drove around in the mountains and found snow, much to his delight. Me? After 20 years of living in New England, I don't find it all that appealing.
Late afternoon, we headed to our hotel near Crickhowell. Beeyoootiful place. We had a tiny room (because I'd begged them to let us book for only one night instead of the usual mandatory two nights), but it was still lovely. We had drinks in the sitting room in front of a roaring fire. Then dinner which was divine. Yum. Then back to the fire for more drinks. Weirdly, the hotel seemed to be staffed by a ton of Canadians, and there were several American guests!
Next morning we headed back in the general direction of home. Once we got out of the mountains, it was warm and sunny ... so the top of the MG came down. It really was heavenly. We first stopped off at a chimpanzee (and other primate) sanctuary, which I'd been wanting to visit for a really long time. It's an amazing place. They rescue chimps, etc. from circuses, zoos, etc. and give them good homes. In addition to chimps, baboons, lemurs, and loads of monkeys, they also had goats, sheep, ducks, shetland ponies, a fox, etc.
After that, we stopped at Aberglasney Gardens, much closer to home. I want to go back in June when all the flowers are in bloom, but it's a lovely place anytime of the year. We had lunch outside overlooking the gardens and it was absolutely gorgeous!
Overall, the perfect belated birthday weekend!
