Cultural Events

· Brecon Jazz Festival, Brecon

· Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, Cardiff

· Hay Festival, Hay-on-Wye. A literary festival, which Bill Clinton aptly described as 'The Woodstock for the Mind.'

· Dylan Thomas Festival, Swansea An annual event held between 27 October and 9 November (the dates of the poet's birth and death) to commemorate the works of Thomas. In addition, the festival hosts the awards' ceremony for the winner of the Dylan Thomas Prize - a biannual writing competition for most outstanding literary talent in English, aged under 30.

· Dylan Thomas Fringe, Swansea. Compliments the main events at the Dylan Thomas Festival and is held at various venues throughout the city.

· Faenol Festival is organised by the internationally renowned opera singer Bryn Terfel, and takes place on August Bank Holiday weekend every year at Y Felinheli, between Bangor and Caernarfon.

· International Eisteddfod, Llangollen. An international festival of traditional music and dance.

· National Eisteddfod (Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru) First week of August. A Welsh Language week long event with simultaenous translation available for the main events that is hosted by a different town each year, alternating between north and south Wales. In 2011 it was held in Wrexham (its 150th Anniversary in the modern form).

· Sesiwn Fawr World Music Festival takes place every July in Dolgellau. With 6 stages, there's something for everyone.

· Swansea Bay Film Festival, Swansea. The UK's largest international indie film festival.

· Swansea Festival of Music and the Arts, Swansea. An annual (October) three week bash of culture at various locations in Swansea, and the second largest such festival in the UK.

· Wakestock [60] is a music festival combined with a wakeboarding contest, which takes place in Abersoch every July.

Eat

Wales may not be associated with any particular dishes (with the possible exception of lamb) but there are a number of unique foods that you might like to try. The quality of local ingredients is often very high, with a drive towards locally sourced, organic produce in many restaurants in recent years.

· Roast lamb - Wales is noted for the high quality of its lamb. Often served with mint sauce and vegetables.

· Cawl - a lamb broth.

· Bara brith - a rich, sweet bread loaf speckled with dried fruit. Similar to a fruitcake.

· Welsh Rarebit - a melted cheese dish spiced with onions, ale and herbs and served on toasted bread.

· Laverbread (pronounced "lar-ver") is not, as the name implies, bread, but a purée made from seaweed (the same kind that is used in the preparation of Japanese nori). It is generally rolled into small cakes mixed with oatmeal and served at breakfast alongside bacon rashers, though it is delicious simply heated and served on buttered toast. This dish is traditionally a Swansea area and west coast speciality and can be purchased raw at Swansea Market, although it is also available elsewhere.

· Ice-cream - due to an influx of Italians into Wales, the area has some of the best cones and tubs in the country. The following are UK national award winners: Frank's Ice Cream in Carmarthenshire, Joe's Ice-cream[74] in Swansea and Fecci & Sons Ice Cream in Tenby. La Belle Rouge [75] in Aberystwyth is also very highly recommended. One of the most well-known ice cream cafes in the north west is a chain called Cadwaladers[76], which has since expanded to include 3 cafes in Cardiff and a few in England.

· Welsh cakes - a delicious type of griddle scone, usually containing dried fruit or sometimes jam and covered in sugar. Best eaten warm.

It should be noted that several of the these dishes may not always be found on restaurant menus. Many cuisines are now represented in Welsh towns and cities, with even small towns and villages usually having takeaways, with Chinese, Indian, pizza and kebab being most common. The larger towns and cities, and in particular Cardiff, have a much wider range of restaurants and cuisines represented.

For more information, see the general article on eating in the UK.

NB: Smoking in enclosed public areas, which includes restaurants and cafes, is illegal in Wales, and there is an on-the-spot fine of £50 for those who violate the ban.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-29