Holywell, Llanasa, St George, Rhyl, Towyn and Llandudno

Well we covered a bit of ground today, looking up all the places were Thomases once lived and worked. We began by heading for Holywell which is the Welsh Lourdes according to a sign but seemingly not as popular. We went in search of Pen y Ball Hill (once called Pen y Ball mountain) for reasons we soon understood when we started to climb its 878 ft ascent. The climb was well worth it though.  It was reasonably clear so from the top we could actually make out Blackpool Tower, which is a long way away, as you will see if you feel the urge to check it out on good ol google.
From there we went to a wee village called Llanasa via a somewhat circuitous route (translate to "got lost" as I had the map). A lovely village with very pretty cottages. St George was just as lovely, another typical Welsh village with stone cottages with slate roofs.
Rhyl by comparison was awful, seething with people, caravans, holiday chalets and funfairs. Towyn, the quiet little seaside town where my family spent many a holiday when I was a child, had grown into a horrible monster. Green fields had been filled with acres of caravans and chalets aand bungalows and I could hardly recognise any landmarks at all. Then I suddenly spotted an old house that I recognised. It was on the corner of the street where Fourways Caravan Park used to be sixty years ago. Amazingly when I looked down the road there was still a sign saying Fourways Caravan Park. They had retained the name but the tiny caravan park that used to have about a dozen caravans now has hundreds. Is that progress?
We finished the day at Llandudno, and had to have the compulsory greasy fish and chips with salt and vinegar while sitting on a bench on the promenade, gazing out to sea, watching all the windmills slowly turn in the breeze.