Tintern Abbey was built in 1131 on the River Wye in Monomouthshire, Wales. The reason we went here is because the British Literature class is studying the poems of Lord Tennyson and his poem "Tears, Idle Tears" and William Wordsworth's poem "Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey" were both written after the authors were inspired from this beautiful place. The ruins really were spectacular here are some pictures to prove it :]
Me by the south west corner. 
The best full view of the Abbey I took. 
I can see why a poem would be inspired from this place. Our second stop was at Big Pitt, the largest coal mine in all of the UK. We went on a tour of the largest shaft of it. For this tour we had to be decked out in hard hats, head lamps, and emergency CO2 filters. (While I didn't use the gas mask I kind of wanted to, bit disappointed not being able to use it actually) Our group was so large that we had to take three separate tour groups and I must say, my group was the best! This is me and my tour guide Wayne, I promise that I don't always make stupid faces like this, but Wayne told me to make my manliest face possible and this was the best I could do, obviously I fail at being male and I am actually OK with that :]
This is Big Pitt. Please note the snow on the ground. I have finally become comfortable with the cold wind and the rain of London and then snow gets thrown at me in Wales. Let me tell you, it was not a pleasant surprise to be woken up to. (I slept every time we got on the bus) But actually, it wasn't too bad. There was no cold wind and it was sunny and those two factors counter balance the fact that it was snow :] 
This is me, Alyssa, Calvin, and Ali at the top of Big Pitt looking over the coal valley. It was beautiful.The third stop of our first day in Wales was at the Welsh History Museum. This was an outside museum that had Welsh dwellings from all different time periods of Wale's history that had been disassembled on their original site and reassembled here.
This building, for example, was built in 1916 as an institute for ex-coal miners 78 miles from the location of the museum.
This is just a pretty scene and I wanted to be in it. It would have been a better picture if there had been a cute couple in the picture but you'll have to enjoy it with just me :] hehe
In one of the houses I went into, there was a spinning wheel. I was reminded of Sleeping Beauty and decided to recreate the scene where she pricked her finger. :] I enjoyed it more than she did let me tell you. I probably should grow up a little, but I heard there was also a castle at this museum and castles always bring out the little girl in me :] 
This is the entrance to the gardens of said castle
Sadly the castle gate was locked and I could only look at it through the keyhole of the gate, but it did make for a good picture :]
The castle was the highlight of the museum in my opinion but I was able to pet a pig that had to weigh more than 3 of us students combined. I also saw bulls and sheep and dragons (K the dragons were only a stuffed animal in the gift shop but I think it still counts) After this busy and long exhausting day we checked into the hotel and the only thing that kept me from jumping into my bed (we had 2 students to a room, so much space!! After sleeping with 7 other girls in a room in a tiny twin bed, only being with Alyson in a room and in my very own double bed [twice as big! room to spread out! wonderful] it was a bit overwhelming) was the growling of my hungry stomach. I went with these girls
. My roommates Reesa, Margret, and both Sarahs, Alyson and Ali also came with us. It was at a Mexican restaurant!! I was very very happy :] The only thing that could have made it better was for it to be spicy, there wasn't any good spicy sauce in the whole place. I miss my mom's good flaming hot salsa, at this point I miss spicy so much that I could probably drink my mom's homemade salsa. This is the end of day one of Wales, stay tuned for day two!! Have a great day!
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