1st port of call, Porthcawl

On driving into Porthcawl Sian and I immediately fell into nostalgia as we both as kids spent many a summer’s holiday there. Our very red Vauxhall was transformed into a green half-timbered Morris minor packed with five screaming children, a drooling dog, Sian’s mam and dad, beach paraphernalia (including essential stripey wind breaker as Rest Bay was always windy) and a pressure cooker full of steaming stew!

No beach visit yesterday but to the sea front and the Jennings factory, the oldest marine warehouse in Wales and former indoor skate park. An incredible location right on the harbour front, next to a mini rusty lighthouse and the harbour masters shed.

Fantastic vast long open space inside with exposed rafters that had the feel of a strange industrial chapel complete with surrounding balcony, which unfortunately was inaccessible, as the stairs have been removed.

Huge potential for an architectural intervention of some kind in which performers could inhabit/engage with or for an isolated contemplative installation.

It reminded me of former locations used for site specific work by the likes of Brith Gof, for ‘Gododdin’ for example (which I was fortunate to be a part of) at the Rover factory in Cardiff Docks, it certainly had that 80’s feel about it. Great space, definitely worth some creative pondering…. a very good start!

Onwards to another child hood haunt, Mumbles pier…. But first we payed homage to a real icon of my youth and the Big apple kiosk which miraculously was still there!
It sits above the pier, next to Limslade Bay and is tucked into the corner of a car park, brightly painted in very vivid green with a splash of bright red…..unfortunately it was shut so the lurid stripy rock purchase will have to wait.

Down to the pier…which is in desperate need of repair, as a child I always remembered it being precarious beneath the feet but its now dangerously rotten, I even had to cling onto Sian for security as the planks were so loose but we managed to make it and witness the end of the pier show – a fenced in large drunk gorilla with a bright red bra top all legs akimbo facing out to sea (refer to pic, if I’ve managed to upload it that is!)

Onwards (post retro ice cream, a whipped and wavey 99 complete with flake but minus the red goo) along the coast past Llanelli, Bury Port, St Clares and onto Laugharne where I had never been before so of course we stopped and visited Dylan Thomas’ Boat House which I found it a bit too renovated and restored for my liking ( at least the outside). I was more enamoured by his precariously placed cliff top wooden writing hut but I would, being a big fan of sheds….and what a glorious view over the estuary which unfortunately and bizarrely is occasionally bombed by the M.O.D, it was in Thomas’ day and is still today!

Onto our final destination, Tenby and the Atlantic hotel. Fortunately I have a sea view overlooking St Catherines’ fort – what a view and what a site, we have a meeting with the owner later this morning…very exciting!!!

Last night I spent an hour and half attempting to load photos and video clips of our trip so far but my dongle wasn’t having any of it, what is it with gay men and technology or is it just me? Hopefully Sian can sort it and you can see the pics and stuff later.

Anyhow breakfast calls, a full English for sure…..when in Rome…..

Greetings from a sunny sea view room in Tenby with the sound of waves crashing on the rocks of St Catherine’s Island nearby.

Hwyl for now

MR

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