Mumbles

Catherine Zeta-Jones was a wee lass of 10 from Mumbles when she first got her break into showbiz, and later into stardom, starting with "The Darling Buds of May" in 1991. We stopped at this "tiny village by the sea, near Swansea" and had a pleasant cold day stop, gazing out into the Swansea Bay. Could this little seaside town (I don't think its a village anymore) gives us a clue to the character of the Welsh?




As I gazed across the bay, dotted by buoys and a few boats, I could see other cities at the other side of the bay, but I could not make out which one was Swansea. I knew Port Talbot was one of them. Never mind. It was lovely, and the sea was rising as it was approaching night.




The water must have risen right up to the top of the walled barrier as we can see kelps scattered around the beach, very close to the wall as we looked down. There were little signs of people wandering on the beach as it looked pristine and undisturbed.




This place must be really crowded in the summer, as the noticeboard from the City and County of Swansea said that parking tickets must be paid and displayed (including disabled car owners) until the month of September. And there were many boats parked there, waiting forlornly for their owners to tow them out to sea again next summer.



There were many luxury and high-end properties around, probably due to the Zeta-Jones star factor, but really, this place has got a charm of its own. Other places on the Gower Peninsula, such as Rhossili Bay and Oxwich Bay are famous as well, but I feel that Mumbles was different compared to other British Isle seafronts that I came across. There was something charismatic about it. Like a relentless need to resist and not to be overtaken by commercialism and greed.


Mumbles, what a name! Read this link to find out what it means. I don't know, perhaps one day I will come here again, this sweet natured little town.