As in the States, people in Britain have been trained by the media to talk about “The Crisis.” For 10 days, all I saw was Britain at play. But the metabolism of tourism is certainly down. It’s sad to see lively cultural events like the medieval folk banquet in Ruthin (North Wales) and the sheep shows (Ewe-phoria in North Wales and the Cockermouth Lakeland Sheep and Sheepdog show near Keswick) fall on hard times. All three were major sights in my guidebook. And now all three are gone or dramatically reduced.
For 20 years, I’ve built my North Wales coverage in part around the medieval banquet at Ruthin Castle. But they recently reduced the schedule to just two a month, making it more difficult for my readers to take part in the festivities. Driving into Ruthin, I intended to cut the town entirely from my guidebook. I was on edge, moody, as if I was about to commit a violent act. I was mad that the town would drop the one thing that put it on travelers’ map. I was going to kill it.
But as soon as I entered my good old Ruthin — and saw the funky half-timbered pubs, the humble fountain, the cheap but beloved WWI monument, the home where Cynthia Lennon lived after John left her, the church with the never-locked wrought-iron gate where everything is in Welsh, and the views down cobbled lanes leading directly into forested hills — I lost my nerve and knew I’d have to keep it in my book. Even with the reduced schedule of the banquet — the wenches playing harps, the noble lord telling Irish jokes, and the rotund voices of Welshmen and -women raising the rafters of the castle dining hall to the delight of tourists from around the world — I couldn’t cut Ruthin entirely. I scaled my coverage down, but kept the city.
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The new attraction for me — perhaps a sign of the times — was not the medieval folk banquet, but the panache that Christopher and Gavin (a big-city couple) have brought their adopted hometown with their artful guesthouse and restaurant. They’re gay, artsy, and flamboyant — a little dicey when they first came to this rural town. But within a couple of years, they and their restaurant were established. In fact, Gavin was actually mayor (actually, “president of the town council”). Today when locals want the best meal in town, they go to the Manorhaus, and are served by Gavin and Christopher.
Culture doesn’t always hit you with a goofy stage show. Especially these days, you need to look harder to find culture in action. Anyone can point you to a great ruined castle or a fine restaurant. But how do we see the culture in action for today’s residents…not tourists? It’s tough. In Conwy (North Wales), I found it in a Bingo Palace. Here’s the new entry for my guidebook:
Conwy’s former cinema is now the Bingo Palace, where nearly every evening people who are very serious about their bingo gather. Visitors simply fill out a free membership card and buy in. Don’t show up after 19:15, because you can’t start late. As the woman calls numbers with her mesmerizing tune (“eight and seven…eighty-seven…all the twos…twenty-two, only five…number five”), intense old ladies who dress up to go play blot their numbers. The tension breaks each time someone calls, “Line!” It’s keyed in with a national game, so someone can really win big. Note: As posted, “If you bring your own teabag, you’ll still have to pay 40p” (joining the game costs £7-14 depending on the evening, Thu-Tue 18:00-22:00, closed Wed, across from Castle Hotel on High Street).
I share your frustration with the media as it pertains to the ever present drum beat of economic gloom and doom. It compounds the problem. I'm convinced that if the media talked enough about "the Overpopulation of Unicorns" people would suddenly become alarmed, companies would develop repellants and citizens would stop leaving their houses at night for fear of being skewered on their horns because of the alarming rise in Unicorn accidents. Bills would be proposed for the utilization of the National Guard in the thinning of the herds in urban areas so as to eliminate the risk. It would be the biggest crisis in America since the "Cyclops Invasion of 1978". Phew, that diverged fast and far didn't it?
Real stuff vs Staged History is always best in my book. I like quirky originality… not spoon fed interpretation…so hurrah for the new reality…enough Potemkin villages.
Lordy, lordy he is over forty – but not by much. And he is running a business which depends on an ebullient belief in "let the good times roll." I like Rick Steves even tho I never met him. Why? Because I admire and respect the people he hires like Deanna Woodruff and Helen Inman. There is a message in his skills right there (or at least in his ability to listen to his most intelligent advisors.) I took one of his tours and he is as advertised in a country, the US, that is more often about BS. But look folks, unless you work for big govt, unless you inherited money, unless you are affluent (income over $500,000 per year – even if you don't work for it but just clip coupons), the US is a country of debtors who count upon paying back debt with cheaper dollars. Ditto the US govt itself. Capitalism is about self-interest, some would call it greed. And to some extent we have all benefited from it in the form of things like mortgage interest rate reductions (pity renters); low interest loans (one can buy a $200,000 Mercedes in the state in which i survive and pay only $300 in sales tax,), and cheap labor from people who have no other recourse. And for what? So we can pay $10,000 to visit countries which do take care of their citizens. None of us should be too sanguine about how all of this is going to play out. The media is co-opted. Some of us are celebrating festivus for the best of us, pardon the pun. And many are simply so uninformed we accept our toys and blessings without even thinking about the consequences. After all, if times get tough, we can just smoke a little weed.
I went to the website for Ruthin Castle and they have nothing about it not being open.. Its even got an entire schedule for 2010 and into 2011. So color me confused. It seems like a very expensive version of Medieval Times.. which is fun if kind of hokey.. I imagine Ruthin would be the same It would probably be something especially fun to do with historically minded youngsters anyway. just because it isn't strictly historically accurate it doesn't mean it can't still be fun..
The bingo night thing is a true insight into real life in small town Wales. I agree that "canned culture" (The hotel yodeling show in Innsbruck, Touristy "Flamenco" shows in Barcelona) can be a little wooden. Although they certainly have their place for people with only a small amount of time in a city. I go to them myself. What's best is if you can find a way to come to town and meet a local contact… A distant relation, a friend-of-a-friend, some distant work connection…and have them show you around. I'm always shy about making contact with these people, but am always pleasantly surprised by the welcome I'm given and by how proud they are of their town and how much they want to show it off.
About the medieval castle banquet: it used to be almost daily. Now it's offered only a couple times a month. I don't like to devote space in the guidebooks to something so sporadic. That's why, in my mind, they've dropped the ball with the banquet.
I enjoyed the medieval banquet at Ruthin castle. It was medieval entertainment and food but not a re-enactment of history. It was the best part of Ruthin.
Thanks for the clarification, Rick.
Hi Rick; thanks for the postings on GB as I am in Bath right now anticipating the start of the England tour. So far my favorite activity was chatting up the ladies at #1 Royal Cresent and the least favorite..Heathrow! Thanks for your recommendations…also liked looking at the backs of the Royal Cresent townhouses…it is all about facade!
It would be good to give more coverage to things involving gay/bi/ts/tg people. Also things involving religious minorities in Europe (non Christian)
Always wondering why you talk about so few places in Wales…wonderful people, castles everywhere, beautiful rolling landscapes…there's so much more!
Just stayed at the Manorhaus in Ruthin and Gavin told us you'd just been there 3 wks ago! He told us this after our telling him we were following your book for our month-long journey through Great Britain. Gavin gave us great directions to the castles – gorgeous scenery through Northern Wales – wonderful if you have a car! Between your recommendations and the little green B & B book, we are finding wonderful places to stay.
We're traveling to England in April to visit our daughter who is living there and could use some recommendations on good B & B's. What is the little green B & B book?
we found ours after we arrived (maybe at the airport, possibly at the TI, but definitely at one of the B & Bs we visited). Check this site: http://www.bedandbreakfastnationwide.com
Ruthin is a waste of time, just drive through the city taking photos from the car, very scenic city thats all folks. Spend your time outside the city in the surrounding villages. Now thats the real treat, quaint little towns and B&Bs in the countryside.