imdi ondo wbancrw
The Eisteddfod.
I've decided it was good, but very intense. Two and a half days of Welsh really did my head in, and Gog Welsh is often damn near unintelligible. I finally got a tenuous grasp on it by the third day when I was waiting for the bus in Caernarfon--where you NEVER hear a word of English--and a woman sat down and said, "Peryg', 'dydy!" (pair-ig dud-ee), which I now can recognise as Gog for "Perygl, ond ydyn" (pair-ug-il on dud-in). It means 'dangerous, aren't they" (referring to the swooping pigeons). The Eisteddfod itself was good; lots of stands selling Welsh books, crafts, advertising Welsh companies, etc. I met lots of Elin's friends (all Gogs, mostly from Anglesey) all of whom had really cool Welsh names: Gwenno, Rhys, Gwyndaf (not Sion's), Dyfed (the boy I liked last year), Nia (Dyfed's long-term girlfriend), Nest, Annest, Ffion, Mair, Sioned, Gwawr, Meleri, Llion, Eirug, Branwen, and the list goes on. Most of whom I was briefly introduced to, but God, the total Welshness of the Eisteddfod cannot be exaggerated. The drunkenness can get pretty wild too, at least in the Youth tent field where we stayed last night. Unfortunately Elin wasn't able to get tickets for Gruff Rhys, but we spotted him wandering around the stands wearing his trademark sunglasses and a Che cap. He's gotten quite shaggy with a bit of beard, and he's really tan now, probably from recording in Brazil. He was with his new girlfriend--"Gruff's squaw," according to Ticket Boy Rhys. She wasn't as I expected her to be at all; yeah she was dark but not identifiably Native American, she's on the short side, pretty but not stunning, and she looked really trendy--lots of makeup and jewelry....not the 'deep' or 'different' type I'd have expected Gruff to go for. Elin was surprised too. Tuesday night I went with Elin&friends to see a couple Welsh indie bands play at Cofi Roc in Caernarfon; Mim Twm Llai was the headlining act. The lead singer/song-writer Gai Toms really cleverly plays with the language in lines like "imdi ondo wbancrw" which is a back-formation of "dim ond crwban" (only a tortoise). I'll have to get the new album sometime. I think all the Welsh all the time really literally did my head in because I fought a headache both Tuesday and Wednesday, and I almost never get headaches. Wednesday was alright; it was Elin's 21st, which she played down admirably. I was absolutely skint the entire trip which was a total pain the ass--all because I left my bank card at Carrie's. I was lucky to get money out from HSBC in Aber at all without it! Even still, I miraculously made 40 pounds stretch the whole trip. 10 pounds for transportation, 10 pounds for admission, 10 on drinks, 5 on an instant camera, 5 on food. Wednesday night we saw Welsh folk artists Brigyn, Meinir Gwilym, pop queen Elin Fflur, and folk legend Meic Stephens, who's kind of like the Welsh Bob Dylan. I was a bit pissed off when some lout behind us spilled his pint all down the back of my trousers and Gwawr's skirt. Totally soaked. Luckily I had a change of clothes. Most people gathered around a massive bonfire in the middle of the camp field after the gig but Elin and I went to bed. Elin and possibly her friend Llion are going to join Jas, Jas's friend Gwyneth, Eve, and me in Cardiff next week. I'm so excited!
I've decided it was good, but very intense. Two and a half days of Welsh really did my head in, and Gog Welsh is often damn near unintelligible. I finally got a tenuous grasp on it by the third day when I was waiting for the bus in Caernarfon--where you NEVER hear a word of English--and a woman sat down and said, "Peryg', 'dydy!" (pair-ig dud-ee), which I now can recognise as Gog for "Perygl, ond ydyn" (pair-ug-il on dud-in). It means 'dangerous, aren't they" (referring to the swooping pigeons). The Eisteddfod itself was good; lots of stands selling Welsh books, crafts, advertising Welsh companies, etc. I met lots of Elin's friends (all Gogs, mostly from Anglesey) all of whom had really cool Welsh names: Gwenno, Rhys, Gwyndaf (not Sion's), Dyfed (the boy I liked last year), Nia (Dyfed's long-term girlfriend), Nest, Annest, Ffion, Mair, Sioned, Gwawr, Meleri, Llion, Eirug, Branwen, and the list goes on. Most of whom I was briefly introduced to, but God, the total Welshness of the Eisteddfod cannot be exaggerated. The drunkenness can get pretty wild too, at least in the Youth tent field where we stayed last night. Unfortunately Elin wasn't able to get tickets for Gruff Rhys, but we spotted him wandering around the stands wearing his trademark sunglasses and a Che cap. He's gotten quite shaggy with a bit of beard, and he's really tan now, probably from recording in Brazil. He was with his new girlfriend--"Gruff's squaw," according to Ticket Boy Rhys. She wasn't as I expected her to be at all; yeah she was dark but not identifiably Native American, she's on the short side, pretty but not stunning, and she looked really trendy--lots of makeup and jewelry....not the 'deep' or 'different' type I'd have expected Gruff to go for. Elin was surprised too. Tuesday night I went with Elin&friends to see a couple Welsh indie bands play at Cofi Roc in Caernarfon; Mim Twm Llai was the headlining act. The lead singer/song-writer Gai Toms really cleverly plays with the language in lines like "imdi ondo wbancrw" which is a back-formation of "dim ond crwban" (only a tortoise). I'll have to get the new album sometime. I think all the Welsh all the time really literally did my head in because I fought a headache both Tuesday and Wednesday, and I almost never get headaches. Wednesday was alright; it was Elin's 21st, which she played down admirably. I was absolutely skint the entire trip which was a total pain the ass--all because I left my bank card at Carrie's. I was lucky to get money out from HSBC in Aber at all without it! Even still, I miraculously made 40 pounds stretch the whole trip. 10 pounds for transportation, 10 pounds for admission, 10 on drinks, 5 on an instant camera, 5 on food. Wednesday night we saw Welsh folk artists Brigyn, Meinir Gwilym, pop queen Elin Fflur, and folk legend Meic Stephens, who's kind of like the Welsh Bob Dylan. I was a bit pissed off when some lout behind us spilled his pint all down the back of my trousers and Gwawr's skirt. Totally soaked. Luckily I had a change of clothes. Most people gathered around a massive bonfire in the middle of the camp field after the gig but Elin and I went to bed. Elin and possibly her friend Llion are going to join Jas, Jas's friend Gwyneth, Eve, and me in Cardiff next week. I'm so excited!