Returned from my tour of Wales. Wow. Ten days, eight castles, a bunch of hikes (mostly uphill it seemed like), a slew of historical places, some really great food (how come Americans don’t have triple cooked chips everywhere, the way they do over there?), super pleasant bed and breakfasts . . . and three gigabytes of pictures.

For those who ever wondered, the exterior of Castle Caerphilly was my inspiration for the Caerleon in The Chronicles of Tethera, while Castle Pembroke inspired the interior. After seeing them all, my favorite has to be Castle Carreg Cennen. There is not even a trail leading up to this remote place. My wife and I were able to gain access to the hill  and the castle from the farmer that owns it. The two of us were totally alone up there. We even descended into the deepest depths of the Neolithic caves far beneath it (that could be entered only through the interior of the castle).

I’m feeling motivated to crank down on The Queen of Deception now–I’m sure she’s been feeling neglected.