Swansea(PART 1 OF 3)
Karuizawa (軽井沢町)
Karuizawa is a town located in Kitasaku District, Nagano, Japan.
As of January 1, 2008, the town has an estimated population of 17,833 and has a total area of 156.05 square kilometres (60.25 sq mi).
Karuizawa is known throughout Japan as a popular tourist spot.
People from Tokyo will travel to Karuizawa to get away from the city especially in summer.
There is a Shinkansen (bullet train) station as well as a large outlet store shopping mall.
It is also known for its historic shopping street known as "Ginza dōri" or "Kyū-dō" (Ginza Street, or the Old Road).
Karuizawa hosted equestrian events in the 1964 Summer Olympics.
The town also hosted curling in the 1998 Winter Olympics.
To date, it is the only city in the world having hosted both Summer and Winter Olympic events.
<iframe width="400" height="305" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YfnYpGJfJw0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="400" height="305" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IzOwMkxsYv8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="400" height="305" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_OQ8ABnx_fI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
SOURCE: Karuizawa,
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kato, I would love to be in Karuizawa with you.
That would be lovely. I wish I would take you to Japan Someday.
Your lady friend, Madame Taliesin, lives over there, doesn't she?
No, not always. You see, Karuizawa is famous mainly because wealthy and well-known people have their sumptuous summer cottages.
So, Madame Taliesin has a magnificent second home, hasn't she?
Yes, she has.
...looks like a mansion, doesn't it?
Actually, it is an expensive residential condominium. She owns one suite.
I'd like to see her.
You should be able to see her. I'll introduce her when she visits Vancouver.
I can hardly wait for the occasion.
I'm pretty sure that Madame Taliesin and you are getting along quite well.
What makes you think so?
'Cause Madame Taliesin and you have one thing in Common.
What is that?
Taliesin---the Welsh poet. You know Taliesin, don't you?
No, I've never heard of Taliesin before.
No kidding!
I don't recall ever hearing about his name. Kato, are you really sure about it?
Yes, of course, I am.
Taliesin
(c. 534 – c. 599)
He was an early British poet of the post-Roman period whose work has possibly survived in a Middle Welsh manuscript, the Book of Taliesin.
Taliesin was a renowned bard who is believed to have sung at the courts of at least three Celtic British kings.
A maximum of eleven of the preserved poems have been dated to as early as the 6th century, and were ascribed to the historical Taliesin.
The bulk of this work praises King Urien of Rheged and his son Owain mab Urien, although several of the poems indicate that he also served as the court bard to King Brochfael Ysgithrog of Powys and his successor Cynan Garwyn, either before or during his time at Urien's court.
Some of the events to which the poems refer, such as the Battle of Arfderydd (c. 583), are referred to in other sources.
His name, spelled as Taliessin in Alfred, Lord Tennyson's Idylls of the King and in some subsequent works, means "shining brow" in Middle Welsh.
In legend and medieval Welsh poetry, he is often referred to as Taliesin Ben Beirdd ("Taliesin, Chief of Bards" or chief of poets).
He is mentioned as one of the five British poets of renown, along with Talhaearn Tad Awen ("Talhaearn Father of the Muse"), Aneirin, Blwchfardd, and Cian Gwenith Gwawd ("Cian Wheat of Song"), in the Historia Brittonum, and is also mentioned in the collection of poems known as Y Gododdin.
Taliesin was highly regarded in the mid-twelfth century as the supposed author of a great number of romantic legends.
According to legend Taliesin was adopted as a child by Elffin, the son of Gwyddno Garanhir, and prophesied the death of Maelgwn Gwynedd from the Yellow Plague.
In later stories he became a mythic hero, companion of Bran the Blessed and King Arthur.
His legendary biography is found in several late renderings, the earliest surviving narrative being found in a manuscript chronicle of world history written by Elis Gruffydd in the 16th century.
<iframe width="400" height="280" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QXqHJe6VdWA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
SOURCE: Taliesin,
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Amazing! Taliesin is quite somebody, isn't he?
Yes, he is a well-known bard in the literature world.
How come I didn't come to know him? My father was a Welshman from Swansea---a Welsh town.
'Cause you were born and brought up in Canada, I suppose. Did your father tell you about Swansea?
No, not really. He wasn't much of a talker.
But he was a clergyman, wasn't he?
Yes, he was. However, he didn't tell me much about Swansea.
That is usually the case, you know. A father doesn't talk much about his birthplace. So, I looked it up in the wikipedia.
(To be continued)