I went to bed at 3AM and woke up 3 hours later. I made myself an egg sammich, ate some yogurt and packed a hearty lunch. At 7AM, I made my way to Wimbledon Station. My trek to Swansea, Wales was an estimated 4 hours and 35 minutes. I knew I'd be able to nap on the train, but I wanted to stay awake so I could make my transfer and, more importanly, see the countryside.
The Scottish and English countrysides are ridiculous! I did get a little bored at times, but I listened to a mix Annie made me for throughout most of the ride(s) while I happily watched the rolling green and myriad of farm animals. As we crossed over into Wales I realized something: Wales kicks f'ing a.
Neath seemed rustic and modern all in one. I would have gotten off the train to muck around a bit, but I feared I wouldn't catch another train to Swansea at a reasonable hour. Regardless, Swansea was beautiful in its own right, though. It had the same juxtaposition of old and new buildings sitting side by side in temporal harmony.
Well, Internet Audience, unbeknownst to me, I basically traversed nearly all of Swansea by foot. I had studied a map of the city the night before and sketched a miniature version in my notebook. One of the first things I noticed was this fortress wall and leaf-boat sculpture. I liked them. Hence, I photographed them. Duh.
At this point I knew one of my top sites (Swansea Castle) was to the Southwest of the rail station. Now, Swansea proved to be a very small city - which was not drawn to scale on the map I perused the previous night. It looked fairly spread out. So, I decided to walk in the general direction where this Castle might be and was sure I'd hit up some other sites along the way...
I haphazardly stumbled upon Swansea City Football Club's (old) stadium: Vetch Field. I wanted to find Liberty Stadium (their new pitch - and supposedly the biggest in all of the UK), but according to the map I perused the night before, it seemed far from the city limits. So, I resigned myself to eyeballing Vetch. While walking around the neighborhood, I found a prison. Yes. It was weird and it almost just blended in.
I kept walking and hit the coast and some sort of library/community center with a serene view of the ocean, a government type building and a funny Jesus sign. I've decided when I self-photo, I just want to take pictures where my face lurks in the lower corner of the frame. It's funny to me - and uncomfortable for everyone else:
I walked and walked and kept getting excited when I'd see some stonewalled building - thinking it was the elusive Swansea Castle. However, after walking for a good hour, I decided to start walking northbound in case I had missed it. I made a huge loop back toward the "City Centre" and finally asked someone where the damn castle was. She told me I had to walk a ways down and I'd run right into it.
Strange. I'm usually really good with directions. I didn't know how I could have passed it. I also noticed when I spoke to the woman it was the first time I had spoken at all that day. It was 2PM. It felt kind of nice. I felt so happy and at ease. I was really enjoying my alone time. I wasn't even listening to music - just listening to Swansea and taking it all in.
Once I got closer to the City Centre, I felt too close to the rail station and feared I'd passed it again. Then there was a sign that pointed to nowhere that simply read "Castle." I decided to just start walking South at this point and try to find some familiar-sounding streets.
I ended up walking to the water again - and passing Plantasia. Plantasia had SOUNDED awesome (a greenhouse with tons of exotic and rare species of flowers/plants) but when I walked past and looked through the window, it was retarded. It looked like the garden section of Home Depot. Good thing I hadn't set out to find it first.
I then walked into a mall and just asked a dude with glasses and a blazer. He seemed trustworthy. I mean, a dude wearing a blazer and spectacles. He had to know his shit. AND of course he gave me excellent directions. Told ya, bitches. He said Swansea Castle was located just in front of the shopping mall. Strange, Part II. I had already passed the shopping mall on my initial walk from the rail station.
Then I saw it - at least a wall of it. As I walked around this wall, I was expecting to find this spectacular and epic castle. I slowly walked around the first wall of it. I took my time and debated whether I should eat a sammich on the lawn before I entered. I figured I'd searched for it for so long, I might as well enter, walk around and then eat. So, I literally skipped around the wall to get to the front. I was so stoked. However, imagine my anger when I saw this:
It was just that fucking wall I had seen next to the fountain when I had first arrived! What the fuck?! It wasn't a standing castle; it was a fragment! Instead of getting pissed, I laughed hysterically. The first words I said to myself aloud all day were "You've got to be fucking shitting me!" I sat on the fountain and ate a sandwich, took some pictures and laughed intermittenly. Swansea schooled me hard. That map had lied to me. Swansea was tiny afterall. Tomfoolery! I felt like a buffoon. Whatever, I saw so much of the city because of this comedy of errors.
At that point, I felt rested and decided to walk toward the Swansea Museum, the Waterfront Museum and a few other little nooks and crannies to take awkward pictures. Big doi. Awkward faces, awkward mannerisms and awkward pictures are what I do best. Why would a different country change that about me?
I was pretty tuckered after that. I had arrived in Swansea at noon and left at 5:30. I was definitely on my feet walking in the cold from noon until 5:15. Whatever, it was rad. I mean, all in all, Swansea was fun. I got to see a lot of stuff on foot and napped like crazy on the train back. However, I think if I had had a car, I could have seen all of Swansea in about 15 minutes. It's small.
I sat on the train(s) and napped and read and napped and read. I got to Jamie's flat at 10PM and have been tuckered ever since.
Jaime and I were going to trek to Stonehenge tomorrow, but I called Laura (in Hawaii) and she's down to go on Wednesday so we can "bond." I haven't seen her in years! I can't wait to have a reunion in London on Tuesday and then again with others on Friday.
Also, Hilo: Max and I are meeting up for drinks tomorrow night. It should be super offensive and super fun. He can't wait to "hear [my] dirty little accent." Ha! He's hilarious! I can't wait to launch into Offend-o-con 3000 with him. I have been really tame here with my language. Yes, people, Tanya has limits and social tact that she SOMETIMES adheres to.
Anyway, I'm done being on the internet while I could be doing something better. See you soon, guys! I'll let you know what me and the Jaime end up doing in Londontown tomorrow! I hope you are all well.
Hearts and farts,
Tanya Lasagna
PS. I only spent 3 pounds today. I rule!
PPS. I saw Liberty Stadium from the train on my way out! Rockage!
PPPS. I don't think I hate Bukowski afterall. I read "Women" from cover-to-cover in like 5 minutes. However, I still think he was an asshole.
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