Walking around Llanelli, Monday afternoon, we noticed some changes since our last visit. Yes, everything changes, but Wendy soon pointed out that we were looking at the town from a different prospective.

Almost three years ago, we had a room at the Thomas Arms, in city center. (SIDE BAR: just saw that it's rated as Llanelli's Most Haunted Building...boo!) It was close to the historic areas which today remains mostly untouched. It's was also the area close to the majority of pubs & night clubs. During the day & a half were there, we never left to explore other areas.


This time, we are in the area known as Millennium Park. It is a quiet residential area and completely different from the City Center Area. So, Tuesday, we explored more of this busy, working town.


Millennium Park is built along the docks used during the turn of last century. Ships along these docks loaded on Tin & Copper carrying these minerals out of the local mines. The old Bollards are still present.


Made into a tidal lake by a spillway, its now a place for recreational water sports.


In 1915, the Lewis family, all 11 plus 2 paying boarders lived in this home, near the City Center. They decided to leave everything in Wales and cross the Atlantic for Canada. One of them was a little girl named Mary Margaret, Wendy's grandmother.

They travelled to Liverpool and boarded the S/S Corsican. The ship had just crossed the ocean to the U.K. as a WW1 troop carrier. It most likely offered cheap transit, as it "dead headed" back across the Atlantic. It was not alone but had as company a military escort ship. It was a dangerous time!

Today the city center is undergoing a transition. Some buildings have been demolished to make way for new supermarkets, department stores, and a motel. But, some buildings that were close to crumbling have been saved by the city council and are undergoing refurbishment.


The town market is still up & going, but struggling. Like small markets in a lot of places busy people, with busy lives, bypass the slow wander of these markets to go to groceries here like: Iceland's, Aldi, or ASDA (looks like and is owned by Walmart).


This produce stand, run here for the last 50 years, is one of two remaining. Run by a local farmer who still brings produce to the market.


Over the years several church buildings became abandoned. This one was bought by a mattress retail shop which itself went out of business. It went into collections and was put up for auction. The sale was a bust as no one met the minimum bit. Two nights later a mysterious fire broke out, hummmm! That was over a year ago and here it sits today, again for sale.


When the tide goes out it goes out miles!


The major crop here is cockles. This small bivalve is dug from this mud and clay mixture.


This mud mixture is sticky, gooey, and slippery.

It can be dangerous, as every year someone who is not paying attention gets caught up & drowns while too far out on these mud flats as the tide rushes in. Our clue was to watch the commercial gathers, when they left so did we.

Tomorrow we are off to Cardiff, the capital of Wales.

Fair Winds & Quiet Anchorages,
Jeff & Wendy