Poor Little Wounded Sea Gull Recuperating Overlooking Fishguard Bay, Wales

Problem
Dreadful cawing outside the window. I go to look and a sea gull is standing there with its beak open, standing on one leg, and the foot of the other leg is missing. I later looked up the word for a bird's foot. If it has three linked bones in a foot used for swimming it can be called a webbed foot or palmate but it's okay to refer to the bird's feet as feet.

The gull turns its head upward. Its beak opens in a V-shape.

Answer
I call a friend Anita. She says it looks like an old, healed wound. I must admit, he is balancing very well on one leg. Not sure you and I could do that for a long time with a tiny leg relative to a big body.

After a while he (or she) stops making a noise and watches us, quite happily. The view over the Fishguard Bay is good, soothing, restful. If you must recuperate from physical or mental stress, Fishguard Bay is as peaceful a place as any. Providing you don't mind squawking sea gulls.

Long-lived Albert The Sea Gull
Another friend, who also goes to Wales every year, said, "This year I didn't see my friend Albert, the sea gull. I wonder if he died."

We started speculating. Would you know Albert she sea gull from his twin brother, twin sister, or offspring?

How old was Albert when you first met him?

How long does a sea gull live?

At least my sea gull with the missing foot had identifying characteristics. I think I should give him a Welsh name. How do you get a sea gull to answer to its name? I read how you train dogs. You call them by their name and give them treats (to eat). After a day or two when this becomes a habit, then alternate treats with hugs.

If you see a sea gull, with a missing foot, please give him our regards.

Photo courtesy of Anita.











View from Fishguard Bay Hotel.
You can get the view over the bay from a front bedroom window or from the front terrace.

Fishguard Bay Hotel
Pembrokeshire
Fishguard
Wales
visitwales.com

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.

Fishguard Bay and Films in Wales and Welsh Sea Gull

Problem
Which films were made in Fishguard Bay?

Answer
Moby Dick.
Dylan Thomas's poem Under Milk Wood.

Story
I discovered Fishguard Bay hotel because it is the venue for Writers Holiday. They hold writers' events in spring, summer and autumn. The summer event lasts a week and you get courses all day long included in the price and free evening entertainment. On the last night the entertainment is a male Welsh voice choir and sometimes a Welsh harpist playing the Welsh harp and singing Welsh songs, if a person is available.

Afterwards the choir often stays in the bar and will sing songs on request. (I am sure they won't say no to a drink.) What could you request? Men of Harlech, if they didn't have that on the programme. I have a couple of their DCs which I bought one year or two. They usually have two or three different collections of songs for sale.

Fishguard Bay Hotel exterior. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Fishguard Bay Hotel restaurant view. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Tips
Fishguard has two stations. The Fishguard and Goodwick is the last stop on the last section round the corner for those catching the ferry to Ireland, or going up the hill to the Fishguard Bay Hotel.

Fishguard Bay Hotel napkin showing phone number. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

The Writer's Holiday price is for a day, or a whole week covering all food and accommodation, no drinks except a welcome drink before supper not he first evening. You have to pay for and arrange your transport to Fishguard but they can meet you at the station for free on arrival day, or send you back in a taxi which you can pay for. 

How to get there? Research the times and trains in advance but here are some of your options. Fly into Heathrow and see London; then drive west to Wales on the M4, maybe taking a break overnight in Cardiff or see a Welsh vineyard, or stop for a trip to the theatre in Bath. 

From Europe take a plane to London City airport, or the ferry and train, or train from Paris to London, arriving at Victoria station. Head to Paddington station for the train west. Don't be in a hurry. It could take you all day, if you go on a Sunday when there's only one train and you have to change. Wales is about relaxing, unwinding, seeing a new country where they speak another language but understand English.

Whilst in Wales, see the tapestry in Fishguard Town Hall. It is the Welsh equivalent of the boastful Bayeux tapestry celebrating victory. It depicts wonderful Welsh women wearing their national costume of tall black hats capturing frightened French enemy soldiers who had hoped to invade.

Fishguard Town Hall. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Fishguard. Welsh speaking sea gull. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Review from Seagulls' Trip Adviser: Excellent location for fish and leftover food on the patio tables. Friendly guests ignore signs saying not to feed gulls. Most bedrooms are accessible but some guests shut windows to keep out seagulls. Local hazards: Black cat.

TRAVEL AND HOLIDAY INFORMATION

Fishguard Bay Hotel, Fishguard, Wales

tel: 01348 873571.

www.writersholiday.net

www.visitwales.com

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/nostalgia/hollywood-took-over-seaside-town-

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. See my other posts on Fishguard; Wales, Writers' Holiday, destinations worldwide, and learning Welsh and other languages. Please follow me, bookmark posts and share your favourite posts.