h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This year, I've decided to work through the alphabet, choosing for each letter a word or name that means something to me and writing about it. When I run out of letters I'll start again.

So today is A for Aberystwyth.
I put Coleg Prifysgol Cymru Aberystwyth on my UCCA form on a whim, and ended up there because my grades weren't good enough for anywhere else! Aberystwyth had the feel of a town stranded on the Western edge of the country. The train journey through Shrewsbury, Macchynlleth and Dovey Junction ran part of the way along single tracks through scenic countryside.
The University, in those days, consisted of a campus built on a hill and some lecture halls and tutorial rooms in an old building in the town, which had spiral staircases and looked something like Hogwarts. It was a hotbed of Welsh nationalism, which made it rather uncomfortable sometimes for an English girl. When Prince Charles arrived to do a term of Welsh, somebody threw a smoke bomb, though most of the students greeted him politely, if without enthusiasm.
I loved the place, with the ever-changing sea as its backdrop. I could walk along the front, up the dark bulk of Constitution Hill and along the beach to Clarach. The sea could be violent - when there was a storm students living in rooms along the front were drenched even as they came out the back way. But I remember the sunsets and watching dolphins in the bay.

Wales is on my list of To-Visit places.

That sounds just lovely. I'm with Superfrenchie, a place you'd want to visit. I've only been to England and Ireland. Odd, considering some of my ancestors spent at least a thousand years in Cheshire.

You talking about the train trip reminded me of that Housman poem that begins, 'High the vanes of Shrewsbury gleam islanded by Severn stream...' It always sounded so exotic...Welsh names do, even in Pennsylvania, where we used to live in Tredyffrin Township, and even attended Gwynedd Meeting once.

[Amy P]

Twenty minutes from the welsh border! Maybe a little too close! Lol

Deb

Splendid idea, mvp! I shall read your journals daily, or nightly.

Thank you. I must look for that Housman poem, Dmitri.

Although I don't know Aberystwyth that well, your description took me right back through the years to the last time we stayed there. Pounding surf all night sounding all night long through the hotel windows on the front. Thanks for the memory!

I had a lovely day out in Aberystwyth with my Grandad once. It has a rather spelndid WW1 memorial, a somewhat angry woman with magnificent breasts. Made an impression.

Great idea for a series.

I spent a lovely week in Harlech, time back way back. Incredible huge sand dunes and a splendid castle ruin...

Those spiral staircases remin me of some the buildings that my old school used to have, we spent a good few lessons in 'The Rookeries'. They were part of the Convent, which was also a really cool place to hang out.

Sadly, the school, convent and buildings are all gone. I do wonder what happened to 'The Little Sisters of the Poor' - might have to Google.

Thanks for this description, MVP. Sounds like a place.