England 2011, Day 4: Conwy Castle, Wales!

We all headed out this morning around 9:45am for Conwy Castle, Wales!!  Pretty drive, pretty day.  As soon as we arrived and it was in sight, the kids were beside themselves with excitement -- "Wowwww, look at the CASTLE!!!" It's one thing to say you're going to visit a castle,
but another thing to see it right in front of you, so beautiful and unlike anything else that you've ever seen.  We all wandered in and out of the endless rooms and passageways, up and down the impossibly steep and narrow stairways, holding on for dear life to the rope railings.  Ollie loved the hidden passageways and the super high turrets.  The views of Conwy, the harbor, and the countryide beyond were just stunning from the top,

and it was soooo windy up there!

We had a mini-picnic lunch in the castle green, then on to the Knight Shop where Ollie and Maddie each got toy swords.  Carole and I took the kids on a quick trip out on the sightseeing boat, then we all drove a few miles away up Great Orme, a great big hill that has a famous tramway going up and down it.  Ollie and Carole took the cable train back down to Landdudno, while the rest of us drove down. Big fun for a little boy!  In town we walked out the big

long pier, got ice cream, and then headed home. We saw a rainbow on the way home! At night we made a lovely coal fire to keep us toasty.  Pizza and salad for dinner, then Carole's coffee walnut cake for dessert (YUM), followed by another quick trip t'pub with Andy.  After today, for weeks and weeks Maddie would often exclaim, apropos of nothing, "I LOVE castles!!"