ABC Wednesday - P is for...

...Portmeirion

Last year NAH and I had 2 holidays in North Wales. The second time, at the beginning of October, we decided to go to Portmeirion for the day. Even if I wasn't a fan of the 1960s TV programme The Prisoner, I think this would still be one of my favourite places in the whole wide world.

Portmeirion is an italianate village perched on a perfect estuary backed by the lovely mountains of Snowdonia National Park. As you can see from the picture, we were there on one of the rare hot and sunny days of last year. It was the brainchild of Clough Williams-Ellis, who spent around 50 years of his life (1925-73) rescuing buildings he felt were of architectural merit and reassembling them at Portmeirion. He wanted to prove that building in a place blessed with natural beauty doesn't necessarily lead to its defilement. His result is a mixture of kitsch and glamour - buildings painted in ice-cream flavour colours, a magnifient Art-Deco hotel, lots of statuary, all within a lovely garden. Noel Coward wrote Blithe Spirit there during WWII. Then there are the views - magnificent is the only word required to describe them.

William-Ellis' daughter, Susan started the famous Portmeirion pottery. Her designs are strong on wildflowers, garden plants and produce. I always thought there was similiarity between her designs and some of those that came out of Poole and I found out recently she did indeed spend some time there in her early pottery career.

Next year is a big wedding anniversary for us and a big birthday for me - I'm hoping NAH will whisk me away to stay at Portmeirion at some point for our special celebrations.

For more groovy ABC Wednesday pictures consult Mrs Nesbitt's Place.

Comments

  1. Karen7 May 2008 at 07:58

    Good choice. It is such an amazing place isn't it.
    Regards
    Karen

    ReplyDelete
  2. FO - 27 May 2008 at 09:42

    Interesting P.
    Great.

    Ida

    ReplyDelete
  3. imac7 May 2008 at 10:14

    Looks a nice place, Nice shot.

    Pop over and see my Pot

    ReplyDelete
  4. Gerald (SK14)7 May 2008 at 11:13

    Tried to book a trip there last year but it was full up - maybe one day we will get there.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Silly Goose7 May 2008 at 13:00

    Such a lovely place to visit! Lucky you to have been there in person not just via a blog like me. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous7 May 2008 at 13:28

    I love ABC Wednesday. I get to see the world through it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Andrea7 May 2008 at 14:03

    Interesting Post.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Kyanite7 May 2008 at 14:33

    A perfect P in my eyes, as I so knew where you were coming from.
    And, I actually liked that weird Prisoner series - shows my age!

    Blue

    ReplyDelete
  9. Pernille7 May 2008 at 15:27

    Very nice P and a nice shot:)

    Have fun:)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Suburbia7 May 2008 at 16:26

    One day I shall get to visit, I have always wanted to.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Mrs Mac7 May 2008 at 16:57

    Beautiful.
    I want to go there.
    NOW!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Texas Travelers7 May 2008 at 18:22

    This is a great post. I had always wondered about The Prisoner.

    this site had lots of things that I love.

    Photography
    History
    Computers
    Gardening

    I am adding you to my "Check it Out - Favorites" Blog roll.

    I have added a new Blog roll for Gardening, so I will put you there to.

    Come visit,
    Troy and Martha

    ReplyDelete
  13. Neva7 May 2008 at 19:55

    My every day dishes I use are Portmeirion Pomona....lovely .....
    This is my ABC.
    as well as this.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Leslie:7 May 2008 at 19:59

    Wow! WE'll definitely stop in there when we do our driving tour of Wales - hopefully next summer (2009).

    ReplyDelete
  15. Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen8 May 2008 at 06:17

    Sounds lovely. I've never been to Wales but from what I've seen on the telly it is very beautiful corner of the world.

    ReplyDelete
  16. mrsnesbitt11 May 2008 at 22:59

    Special birthday? Special anniversary>.............
    us too. week T!


    Loved this post!
    Sory a bit late...been riding into the sunshine!

    ReplyDelete
  17. mrsnesbitt12 May 2008 at 11:31

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  18. VP12 May 2008 at 14:51

    Hi everyone - thanks for your comments. I've left you a comment round at your place, rather than answering you all individually here.

    ReplyDelete

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I love hearing from you and welcome thoughtful conversations :)

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