Birthday Treats

A busy weekend - birthday treats for Hazel - to the Halle Orchestra and Fireworks at Tatton Park on Saturday evening. Took a picnic and trudged through cornfields for 15 minutes to the lake where the stage was set up. Over 6,000 people attended apparently and it felt like it. We decided we could never go to Glastonbury or similar big gatherings- just one evening amid a big crowd was bad enough. We had to move shortly after the music started as the party next to us just got louder and more drunken! We moved our folding chairs closer to the stage and lake and got a better view as a result. The fireworks and floating Viking ship on the lake etc. were quite stunning as was the music- Nessen Dorma and a few other classical chestnuts which we have been humming since we got home. The Ride Of The Valkyrie with rockets was something else!
Luckily got a quick exit and out of the park by 11. We imagine some people nearer the stage didn't get out of the park by midnight.
The next day we drove to Llandudno and stayed in our usual B&B on the front overlooking the sea. It poured at first but soon brightened up. In the evening went to see Ken Dodd and his Happiness Show again at the Venue Cymru.
Another great show that went on until midnight - 5 hours! Mind you there were two other acts - a ventriloquist and a lady pianist/singer. No Diddy Men this time round.
The next day we got the tramway up the Orme again and walked down to Happy Valley (see video) where a herd of sheep pole vaulted over the fence and ran amok through the park. The new gallery Mostyn has been re-furbished and now a wonderful exhibition space for local and other contemporary art. Nice opening show of varied sculpture painting video and junk pile by African artist to walk through. Hazel bumped into one of her old students in the shop there who was working behind the counter. Small world eh?
Nice meals of fish and chips and pizza/pasta and walks along the pier - the penny slots- air hockey - shopping for tat etc. All the things you do at the seaside.