Where would you emigrate to

[Always hopeful]

I've never seen that side of Wales tbh. Just got back from our 12th (?) trip in the last 10 years. We always go to a village by the name of Clynnog Fawr, which is in between Caernarfon and Pwlhelli. Some of the villages are lovely, very close to the sea and the Llyn peninsula does seem to get some excellent weather. We've always found the folk to be really friendly but whether that would be the same if you were a neighbour I don't know.

Welsh is pretty much spoken everywhere now, even amongst the young so I imagine it would be worth learning if you were to live there permnantly.

I agree. However, as Bobo's mentioned earlier, the Hopeful family also live in Wales, just 1 mile from the border with Cheshire. My kids, along with 99% of their fellow pupils who have absolutely no need for Welsh and no interest in learning it, have to complete Welsh as a compulsory GCSE, therefore wasting the opportunity to learn about something more worthwhile. Apparently, in the past, the heads of the border schools were able to bend the rules a bit and only make it compulsory if they chose. This 'privilege' was taken away a few years ago. Madness. Madness I tell you.

[bobo the clown]

I've never seen that side of Wales tbh. Just got back from our 12th (?) trip in the last 10 years. We always go to a village by the name of Clynnog Fawr, which is in between Caernarfon and Pwlhelli. Some of the villages are lovely, very close to the sea and the Llyn peninsula does seem to get some excellent weather. We've always found the folk to be really friendly but whether that would be the same if you were a neighbour I don't know.

Welsh is pretty much spoken everywhere now, even amongst the young so I imagine it would be worth learning if you were to live there permnantly.

Oh, Harry. Bless you ... you crack me up.

The Cymraeg see Welsh as entry to their world. They piss on people who don't speak it ... & they piss on learners. Try as you might you'd always be seen as an incomer, buying "their" houses, making homes unaffordable for "their people". The only people they loathe more than the Saesnaeg ~(English) are the 'plastic Welsh' of Granada-land (think Clwyd. Welsh people who speak little or no Welsh) and the South Welsh who they view as having betrayed them and their aspirations far too often.

Welsh is barely heard outside North West Wales ... where you go..... bits of Pembroke/Swansea area, and pockets here & there and some 'intellectuals'.

The "Welsh" qualification they boast that so many now have (see Hopeful above) has been watered down from the language to Welsh in general. History, geography, culture and a bit of language. That's fine & well, but don't be fooled into thinking the 5 wasted years give you the language. They don't, but it allows the Government to say x'% have "a qualification in Welsh" when doing their stats.

They are as racist as any group you will ever meet and will waste no time whatsoever trouncing someone they feel doesn't belong. Language is all and learning it ... or trying to ... will get you nowhere. Stick to the holidays.

[Bijou Bob]

Aw Feck Bobo, I was just buying his rail tickets.......

[Bruce Rioja]

My kids, along with 99% of their fellow pupils who have absolutely no need for Welsh and no interest in learning it, have to complete Welsh as a compulsory GCSE, therefore wasting the opportunity to learn about something more worthwhile.

Mate, we had to do Latin.

[Always hopeful]

My kids, along with 99% of their fellow pupils who have absolutely no need for Welsh and no interest in learning it, have to complete Welsh as a compulsory GCSE, therefore wasting the opportunity to learn about something more worthwhile.

Mate, we had to do Latin.

Fair point, and I have genuine sympathy for you, but that was back then. Things should have moved on by now and these days, the (relative) masses shouldn't be forced to do something that's of no real value, just so the Welsh Assembly can prove a point.

[Bruce Rioja]

Back then? Back fecking then?

[bobo the clown]

Back then? Back fecking then?

Ho ! Ho, ho, ho. Right back then !!!

(you both being about the same age!)

[Always hopeful]

Back then? Back fecking then?

That was the most polite way I could think of phrasing it!

There were also things from 'back then' that should still be around today. The cane for example, or kids that show respect, or a Welsh language that was confined to a few people in a small area of North Wales who realised that the future is to be polite to visiting English holiday makers instead of being rude and switching to speaking Welsh when the English entered the pub/chippy/shop, or signs that were only dual language where they were absolutely necessary.

Having said that, I genuinely like living here. It's just a pity it's in Wales.

[Harry Genshaw]

Oh, Harry. Bless you ... you crack me up.

The Cymraeg see Welsh as entry to their world. They piss on people who don't speak it ... & they piss on learners. Try as you might you'd always be seen as an incomer, buying "their" houses, making homes unaffordable for "their people". The only people they loathe more than the Saesnaeg ~(English) are the 'plastic Welsh' of Granada-land (think Clwyd. Welsh people who speak little or no Welsh) and the South Welsh who they view as having betrayed them and their aspirations far too often.

Welsh is barely heard outside North West Wales ... where you go..... bits of Pembroke/Swansea area, and pockets here & there and some 'intellectuals'.

The "Welsh" qualification they boast that so many now have (see Hopeful above) has been watered down from the language to Welsh in general. History, geography, culture and a bit of language. That's fine & well, but don't be fooled into thinking the 5 wasted years give you the language. They don't, but it allows the Government to say x'% have "a qualification in Welsh" when doing their stats.

They are as racist as any group you will ever meet and will waste no time whatsoever trouncing someone they feel doesn't belong. Language is all and learning it ... or trying to ... will get you nowhere. Stick to the holidays.

Well that's my retirement dream well and truly pi55ed on!

I can only imagine you've had some pretty rotten experiences with our Taffy bretheren to make you so bitter. A guy at our place (English) who took early retirement years ago bought a pub in Beaumaris and, I was told, was pretty much run out of town after getting dogs abuse for several months. I preferred to think he'd just been unlucky. Now I'm not so sure....

[thebish]

Bobo's not bitter - he loves it - it's all for effect - we'd believe him if it weren't so overdone!

[bobo the clown]

Well that's my retirement dream well and truly pi55ed on!

I can only imagine you've had some pretty rotten experiences with our Taffy bretheren to make you so bitter. A guy at our place (English) who took early retirement years ago bought a pub in Beaumaris and, I was told, was pretty much run out of town after getting dogs abuse for several months. I preferred to think he'd just been unlucky. Now I'm not so sure....

I'm saving you ... not pissing on you. Your Beaumaris mate got the typical 'welcome' these days, not the exceptional one.

Hey, you're a big guy, make your own mistakes. Just do it with your eyes open.


... & Bish. You married one. But you got her out. You did well.

[Prufrock]

You can all feck off. There's a lot more point doing Latin than there is Welsh. Latin is the best argument against the faux-patriotic nonsense of perpetuating dying languages for no other end than political posturing.

[bobo the clown]

I have NO idea what you just typed meant Pru, but ........ yay !!

[Montreal Wanderer]

You can all feck off. There's a lot more point doing Latin than there is Welsh. Latin is the best argument against the faux-patriotic nonsense of perpetuating dying languages for no other end than political posturing.

Latin still lives in our own language etymology and grammar, in our legal and religious institutions. Not spoken at length perhaps but fundamentally a part of these things. Nil desperandum, Prufrock, et tu Bobe, Latin will outlast Welsh.

[Worthy4England]

bam, bas, bat, bamus, batis, bant...;.

It all comes horribly flooding back...

[Hoboh]

Whats folk like around the Llangollen area? Thats one of the places I'd considered if I remained in the UK.

[jaffka]

Anyone been to Odessa?

[Zulus Thousand of em]

Whats folk like around the Llangollen area? Thats one of the places I'd considered if I remained in the UK.

Inbred.

[bobo the clown]

Whats folk like around the Llangollen area? Thats one of the places I'd considered if I remained in the UK.

Inbred.

Ah, now I know it very well indeed.

It's Welsh (which is OK) as opposed to Cymraeg (which, emphatically, is not).

Llan' is a bit of a one-horse town but there's enough going on, plenty of outside recreation with climbing, walking, kayaking (!!) and yet only 30m from Chester and Shrewsbury. A few too many tree-huggers move in but the locals keep them in their place. Can get very busy at weekends from Easter to September.

There's a serious drinking culture in the town. (& I mean serious, drinkers abound and it can be a bit Wild-West on a Friday/Saturday night.)

If anyone ever needs a tour round Hopeless & I would be happy to oblige.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

bam, bas, bat, bamus, batis, bant...;.

It all comes horribly flooding back...

You too? Anglesey or Gwynedd?