Strolling in Wrexham

After traveling for half a day and a night, our group dispersed for the most part, some of us eating, some of us napping and some of us taking an excursion into downtown Wrexham. Along with a couple other students and Dr. Schmied, I chose to see the city, which proved an interesting and valuable experience.

The city itself is an amalgamate of culture. Not far from the booming industrial center of Manchester, Wrexham itself has both a little of history and a little of the modern world. As far as history is concerned, one of the first sights on the largely pedestrian street is an aging yet beautiful chapel. Mossy gray on the outside and dusty brown within, it brought a few moments of silence--and, most of all, some time out of the rain--to our trekking group. A little after passing the church, we reached the bustling center of the city, a central walkway brimming with people huddled against the rain and cold and cruising through a multitude of shops. Celtic staples, such as pubs and Internet cafes, along with some familiar American shops, such as Claire's and McDonald's, lined both sides of the cobbled street. Like a bustling downtown, people mingled as seagulls flew overhead, one of the few indications of the proximity of the ocean.

Exciting though the excursion was, the cold, the rain and, most notably, the jetlag forced us to retreat back to the inn. We hope, though, to venture out into the heart of Wrexham again in the seven-odd days we are to remain here. In fact, the University of Glyndwr, which is offering us a short Celtic studies class in the next couple of days, is not far from this district. We will be sure to have an incredible time! On a final note, please forgive us if we don't share this upcoming experience with you soon enough--the Internet is quite costly here!