Carmarthen August 18+19 2017

Walk to Carmarthen was only ten miles—would have been nine, but lack of signage made it ten, if you get my drift—and there was a patch of thick, thorny, brambly overgrowth to walk through, which kind of tore up my arms.  A ton of bites, probably from disturbing the little critters that live in that mess of growth, was the consequence.  Oh, friends of the Carmarthenshire Path, where are you?  Anyway, at hotel, changed shoes and pants, and lady at desk suggested I look about the town, though I was prepared to go to the botanical gardens.  The weather was iffy (it poured several times during the afternoon), so I took her advice and had the best time visiting some galleries.  I must say I have met wonderful people on this walk:  B and B owners, shop keepers, gallery owners and artists.  Today, for example, lady at a gallery sent me across the street to the local herbalist to get a potion for my bitten arms.  For a few dollars, I got instant relief. Then herbalist sent me to the best local ice creamery where I did get a delicious chocolate chunk cone.

Next morning, I did visit the botanical gardens.  Not wowed by any means, but there were some highlights. In the apothecary section were walls covered with exquisite embroideries of plants used for medicinal purposes.

The materials used in each piece are different, one from another, but every one is detailed and delicate:

In this one, the petals are fabric and the berries are beads:

There were growing flowers as well, of course;

Onions, just kind of flopped over:

The best exhibit was the butterfly house:

Isn't it pretty?

This big specimen is a male moth.  This is day five of its seven day life in its moth stage:

There was a gorgeous big blue butterfly, but it refused to alight long enough to have its picture taken. 

 Back in town, I popped into the castle where they have a gaol, now closed, but there is one cell, cell #2, to show how prisoners lived.  The sign pointed out that conditions were not meant to be comfortable (in case you were wondering), so no mattresses, window was not transparent, there was no heat, and, as for the rations, well, you can see for yourself: