25 August 2007

More from Wales

A chimney sweep outside of Wrexham Cathedral. He was at the entrance waiting for a bride and groom to appear, after being married inside - it is apparantly good luck for a bride to see a chimney sweep on her wedding day, here in Wales. That was part of our 'learning something new every day' for today. Why is it considered good luck? Apparantly Ging George III was in a runaway carriage, and a watching chimney sweep was the only one with presence of mind to stop the horses. So the King declared that chimney sweeps were good luck, and before long, they were being asked to hang around churches at weddings. Nice little side business - get the dirty fella to bring luck to the bride. Here is a link.

The narrow Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, designed by Thomas Telford on the canal near Trevor Basin (or Treffor in Welsh) and in the Llangollen area of Wales. We walked across and back again. Built just more than 200 years ago, and ten years in its construction, this is the highest canal aquaduct in Britain. It was the last major civil work built by Telford, and completed in 1805.

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