Tag: LIfe

Welsh Wedding

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The most special day of the summer. The wedding day. Not mine, but that of my nephew. He found the right girl, she found the right boy.

After the stress of the buildup, the day finally comes. Family and friends, coming together in celebration. Beautiful surroundings, and a beautiful couple. A splash of rain can’t spoil this day.

But it is just the beginning. It’s been eight years since my special day, and we are not just a couple anymore. Now we are a team, working, playing and growing together.

I can’t wait to see what the future holds for my team and for the newlyweds. Every day is a new beginning, with a new path to follow.

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© Neil Hayes and neilsworldofenglish

The Beach – Barry Island

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There have been many fun days during this summer. Lots of interesting places, chances to both play and relax. But one day stands out, our trip to the Welsh seaside.

My family and I live in the Czech Republic which, if you don’t know, is a landlocked country. No sea or ocean. Lots of lakes, where many Czech people spend their summers, but it’s not quite the same.

My children love water and sand, so this day in Wales was a rare opportunity for them. And the weather gods were kind to us, for once. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day. The weather, in Wales, is inconsistent. That’s the nicest way I can put it. So when the sun shines, you have to take advantage of it.

So, we decided on a visit to Barry Island. Located in South Wales, near the capital city of Cardiff, this is a famous summertime destination in Wales. It has lovely beaches, as well as a small fun park and everything that a British seaside town usually boasts. Penny arcades, fish and chips, ice cream and seagulls to try and steal your prized treats.

But, of course, the best thing about any family day out are the smiles on the children’s faces. The excitement you can feel from them, when they are doing something new or different to the normal. Swimming in the sea and building enormous sandcastles, with my wife’s help. Looking through rock pools, in search of aquatic life. Being a child at the beach, that was my childhood in Wales.

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For my kids, it is an occasional treat, but life in the Czech Republic has many compensations for the missing beaches, so they don’t miss out on much. And we crammed a lot into our few hours on Barry Island. They had the time of their lives, got some sun and filled their bellies. And even had time for a bit of rugby practice.

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© Neil Hayes and neilsworldofenglish

My Struggle: Book Review

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Karl Ove Knausgaard. Honestly, I’d never heard of him. Until, last year, I started reading about this guy. People were saying that he has been writing the literary accomplishment of the decade/century, apparently. Quite a claim, and somewhat hard to believe. Who wants to read the autobiography of someone you have never heard of? I had my doubts, believe me.

I decided to give it a go, with the first volume of five, “A Death in the Family”. Now I’m not going to keep you waiting. Straight away, I will tell you that I loved this book, as well as every other in the series. The best thing I can say about these books is that I am getting excited again just thinking about my first experience with them.

But, thinking back to that first volume, I really wasn’t sure. As I was reading, and becoming absorbed in the story and in his life, I couldn’t help but feel unsure. Unsure about whether this thing was really that good, it was just too simple. Then, suddenly, it wasn’t, it became philosophical and tragic. There was something about it, I just couldn’t put it down.

And so it continued with the next volumes. Each one captures a different time in his life, but they are not sequential. Events overlap, characters appear, disappear and later re-emerge.

This was definitely one of the greatest reading experiences of my life, but also one of the most uncomfortable. But doesn’t great art always make us feel a little discomfort? I have some similarities to this man, and at times I was close to tears, as it was sometimes a little too close to home. There is something about his style which makes you feel as if you are there, feeling with him and for him.

His struggle is personal, but he reveals himself to his readers. His wounds are bared and open for examination. Family, relationships and his art. All these things are examined, to the bare bones.

And finally, the greatest compliment I can give this series is the sadness I felt when I finished the fifth book. The realisation that, for now, there isn’t another volume to immerse myself in. Hopefully, in the  future, there will be more. For now we have to wait and be patient. But not for too long, please.

Text © Neil Hayes and neilsworldofenglish

Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash