Observations About Wales:

From Travel To Business & Politics

Dear Editor,

I am American-born and the only Welsh roots I have spring from my heart. If you allow me, despite those shortcomings, Cambria, I feel I can offer a useful outside perspective to Jan Morris’ open letter to Rodri Morgan (Spring 2001 issue).

Even though Ms. Morris looks to Mr. Morgan to revive Wales’ national enthusiasm, I believe love of country and the organic development of its culture cannot rise on demand. Witness what happened in London just last year with the failure of both the Millennium Dome and the Prime Minister’s Cool Britannia campaign.

With all due respect to Mr. Morgan, a charismatic leader, say a Winston Churchill, cannot be made as bees make their queen by feeding her royal jelly. Such a person comes along less often than the proverbial blue moon; and it helps if his personality collides with an extraordinary time in world events.

I agree, however, that doing something pro-Wales such as proclaiming St. David’s Day a national holiday and Wales having its own postage stamps would be worthwhile. Time would show which of these and other ideas flourish at the pleasure of the people.

Along these lines, I would like to suggest that the citizens of Wales start at an individual and community level imbuing everything they do with a can-do, world-class attitude. Many times a good idea has taken a bad turn because a person did not think his or her input was important enough to be voiced to keep the good idea on track.

Take for example Gelert’s grave. The local legend is a good story. However, should a thinking person pick her way across the field to the minute shrine she would be appalled. The story on the slab in English begins “A Prince had a palace in Beddgelert…” How could the palace already be in Beddgelert when at the start of the story the Gelert tragedy had not yet taken place? Was there not a person to proofread this copy before it was expensively set in stone? If no one is willing to put confidence in their own eyes in this little corner of the world, the Emperor will surely catch his death of cold should he ever come parade his new clothes here.

Another example: In May, after a wearing two months of FMD, the major paths up and around Snowdon were reopened to hikers. Only no one could take advantage of them, since the parking lots were off limits. Would-be hikers were told to drive to the nearest town, park there and take the regular bus back to the path. The buses were scheduled to run every 45 minutes. But this schedule existed more in theory than reality. And when a bus finally showed it was devoid of hikers. How much nicer it would have been if the local councils of Conwy and Gwynedd had gotten their acts together to make sure that the visitors would be, indeed, welcome in the glorious Welsh hillsides.

When asked in villages, the innkeepers and restaurateurs didn’t know about the hiking/parking Catch-22 in the hillsides. When informed they made the facial gestures of those presented with an insoluble riddle. A bit of mutual support within and among the local councils would surely have resulted in a happier month of May for all with visitors enjoying their day and finding reason to come again to Wales. Conversely, if FMD were still considered a threat to the area, the paths should have remained closed along with the parking lots and this information unequivocally communicated so local people and visitors alike would know what to expect. So much countrywide could be accomplished if citizens took an attitude of individual excellence to heart. Diolch.