• Aberystwyth
• Llanidloes
• Welshpool

He also went to Nardini’s in Largs, which I’ve been to a few times.

Small world.

I think you’ll agree - some pretty interesting stuff. Thanks Michael.

(current) ToDo list

A bright an early start (and excellent breakfast) from Llangollen meant that we were up and over the Horseshoe pass and into Mold quite early. We did look around but couldn’t find an obvious ex-NMB. (when I got home, I found an email from Mold Tourist Information, explaining where they thought it was - but, alas, it wil require another visit).

Then into Wrexham to take a picture of the Photo Shop that used to be an NMB and then onto Oswestry (for another failed wander around).

Finally home, and a third place in the quiz.

Maybe I should set a quiz with an NMB-themed round

1. It was quite a long way
2. Wales was nice
3. We weren’t really that busy

So we stopped at a B and B. The first vacancy we found was in Llangollen. Luckily it was the weekend after the Eisteddfod and so there were places to stay.

We had a very nice curry in a Bangladesh restaraunt called ‘Red Rose’ and then went along to see the live music at the Sun Inn. Th pub had a jukebox requests book. The only argument in it was about the GLC (Goldie Lookin’ Chain). Which was quite mature and restrained if you ask me. The band were good. My favourite number was the one they were playing as we arrived. We met some characters. Safe.

So, on to the last stop. I’d already visited Bangor, but it was a Sunday and it was closed. This was the last NMB that I needed to have a cup of tea in. Whilst there is still much NMB-related activity to do, it felt like this was an end.

Approaching the NMB from inside the shopping centre, we noticed that it said ‘Restaurant’ outside (contrary to the designation on the Napkin. Sure enough - it did have the NMB standard menu (the first one we’d seen today). But it wasn’t Waitress Service.

I had Tea and Scone, Jam and Butter (no cream here, unlike in Machynlleth when the chef whipped some especially for me) simon had a glass of milk.

As it was quite early (4 o’clock) I phoned up my Auntie in Harlech and arranged to have a cup of tea there too. It took a bit longer to get there than I expected - mainly due to a Swedish Volvo driver doing 22.5 MPH over the Llanberis pass. The tea was excellent, dare I say it, the best that day. The views from her house over the Lleyn Peninsula are just amazing. That’s what you get when you live in a house called ‘Bryn Mawr’ (Big Hill) I guess

We set off for home.

After driving around Llandudno for what seemed lik an eternity, we squeezed the m-m sideways into a tiny space and trundled to the National Milk Bar. Again, no NMB meals menu, but this time, we found another Map on display. This one was just on an A4 sized piece of paper (and not painted on the wall or etched into glass) but it did add to the knowledge a bit.

One tea and one Hot chocolate later, we left. On the way to Bangor and the last known NMB that I hadn’t yet visited. We went via Conwy - which is very pretty.

Passing through Abergele in another futile attempt to stumble across an Ex-NMB, we entered Colwyn Bay on the A55. Taking the prom exit, we drove into town and parked the m-m just around the corner from the NMB. I was a little worried that it might be closed - but everything was fine. I had a pastie with chips and gravy, simon had sausage chips and beans.

After the NMB, we had a little walk around town. I bought some books in a ‘Help the Aged’ and we made an NMB related discovery. Down near the station was a KFC which was operated by National Milk Bars.

Flushed with success - we headed off, the pretty way, to Llandudno. We stopped at the Chapel of St. Trillo, the smallest chapel in Britain. I bought a postcard for 20p in the Honesty box.