Patagonia: Daffodils planted to mark Welsh settlers' anniversary
David Mardones, who helped to plant the bulbs, said it would help them to "reinforce Welsh culture" in the area.
The idea came from David's aunt Peca Jones, a relative of the first Welsh settlers to arrive.It was funded by Welsh artists, Wrexham supporters groups and previous visitors to the area.The daffodil field will be located in the Trevelin area on Route 17 near Nant y Fall.David said the project had only been possible thanks to "all the Welsh people who united" behind it.
It took two days for the three of them to plant the bulbs."We didn't have any sort of machines or anything," said David."Just a spade to dig these long trenches."The bulbs are set to bloom in October, at the start of the Argentinian spring.David has planned an official opening ceremony to commemorate the 160th anniversary with relatives of the Welsh settlers invited, along with the community and the local tourism secretary."It's going to be a big event to thank everyone for the love and support for the project," said David.He added there were plans to plant more bulbs next year."Hopefully we'll have a drilling machine by then because my back would thank me for it," he said.
It is also hoped that the project will attract visitors when the daffodils bloom in October.Gwion Elis-Williams, who moved to Patagonia from Wales in 2016, said: "Hotels are booked up for miles around."I'm sure we will see Welsh tourists visiting and coming to see the daffodils."Gwion and his partner Nia, who works at a local Welsh school, have seen the area grow dramatically over the years."It's an up-and-coming sort of destination in terms of attracting visitors," he said."Since we've been here, Trevelin has doubled in size in terms of population."Gwion said it was wonderful to meet people who are "enormously proud" of their Welsh heritage.Any bulbs not used were donated to Nia's school - Ysgol Y Com - where they will planted by the children.
The daffodils, a symbol of identity and rebirth in Wales, are part of an initiative to highlight the cultural connection between the two regions.Pete Howell, who organised the fundraiser, said it was "important" for people to understand the link."It's amazing to think the people went over all those years ago," he said.His job was to "get the ball rolling" to make sure they had enough bulbs."Some of the donations were amazing. We were getting money from all over the place," he added.
But the project would have gone nowhere without David's infection enthusiasm, according to Pete."He was so willing to get going," he said."If you get something in his head it's all systems go."Pete said he would love to go and visit the area in the future to witness the fruits of his labour."To see that field full of daffodils. What a story that would be.""I'll try and save some pennies for it."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
15 hours ago
- Telegraph
The nation that benefited the most – and least
A flat third Test, with spicy selection debate and brief confusion over who was the proper player of the series, was probably the ideal way to restore animosity between the four nations that make up the British and Irish Lions. As they go their separate ways after a summer of comradeship, who will be most satisfied with the past few months? England ⬆️ Tourists: 15 Test players: 10 From the captain to 20-year-old tyro Henry Pollock, via a couple of centurions drafted into the group, England's was the most eclectic cohort. Maro Itoje and Ellis Genge have added a unique and intense experience to their ice-and-fire leadership double-act, which is bound to benefit Steve Borthwick in the short- and medium-term. Ollie Chessum will learn from a tough night at the line-out in Sydney, too, and was evidently popular among new colleagues. Peers seemed to embrace Pollock as well, while Tom Curry's ferocity earned him a trio of Test starts. Borthwick is eyeing up a seven-one bench with good reason. There is a varied gaggle of talented back-rowers to squeeze in, including Ben Earl and those who impressed with England in Argentina such as Tom Willis, Ben Curry, Guy Pepper and Sam Underhill. The prop stocks are healthy. Will Stuart was eventually ousted by Tadhg Furlong as first-choice tighthead, yet contributed to the Tests and looked to be having a blast off the pitch. Tommy Freeman was one of 11 individuals to start all three Tests. After a sizzling season, he may feel as though he did not quite hit his straps and might have anticipated scoring more than two tries. The 24-year-old was threatening when brought into the action, though, and will remain integral to the England side. It will be intriguing to see whether he spends more time at outside centre or even full-back, for club as well as country. Elliot Daly, the original utility man, underlined his poise and was pushing for the Tests when he broke his arm. At 32, he still is valued by Borthwick. Another Northampton Saint, Alex Mitchell was ever-present in match squads. This reflects his dependability and he cannot fail to have learned constructive lessons from Jamison Gibson-Park. Scrum-half is an area in which England need to develop depth. Hooker is, too. Jamie George joined Luke Cowan-Dickie with the Lions when the latter picked up a horrible concussion. Below that, the pecking order is somewhat uncertain with Theo Dan and Curtis Langdon treading water above Gabriel Oghre and Jamie Blamire. Fly-half is another head-scratcher. Fin Smith and Marcus Smith returned a grand total of 14 Test minutes between them, courtesy of the latter's brief cameo in Brisbane. Fin did not take the field during the series, while Marcus did not receive a single start on Australian soil after spending the entire game against Argentina at full-back. Ultimately, the arrival of Owen Farrell edged them out. The hot potato of Farrell now passes back to Borthwick, who has respectfully hinted that a return to form for Saracens must be the first step. That seems eminently sensible. There is no rush to make this decision, as delicate an issue as it may be. Do not forget that Borthwick picked Fin Smith, Marcus Smith and George Ford – the three centrally contracted playmakers – in the same squad to face Wales and still managed a six-two bench. Clarity is essential and the Smiths should be emboldened, but it could be damaging to completely cast out experience with a World Cup coming into view. And that is not Borthwick's style anyway. Whatever happens, the opening weeks of the Premiership are sure to be full of compelling subplots. Verdict: Depth is not a problem for England. It never should be, but this Lions tour has strengthened it. Borthwick will, though, need to review a busy summer and address tricky questions. Scotland ⬆️ Tourists: 12 Test players: 4 The number of Scotland tourists, which did not include the unfortunate Zander Fagerson due to the tighthead prop's calf complaint, is undoubtedly swelled by the convenience of their concurrent trip to New Zealand and Fiji. Equally, though, Tom Jordan could have been whisked in as a utility back and one feels that other call-ups should age well. Darcy Graham must have been close to the original crew, while Ewan Ashman and Gregor Brown are bound to be in contention for 2029 if those two dynamic forwards deliver on potential. Even though he will have wanted greater Test involvement for his players, Gregor Townsend will be pleased. Finn Russell is in his prime, having admirably absorbed the diverse experiences of his career. He will turn 35 on the cusp of the 2027 World Cup and there is nothing to suggest he cannot be Scotland's lynchpin at that tournament. Blair Kinghorn was compromised by a knee injury yet still showed his class off the bench at the MCG as Russell guided the Lions down-field like an NFL quarterback on a winning drive. It felt like a seminal two months for Huw Jones, who deserved his three Test starts regardless of Garry Ringrose's availability. His days in the back three, where the Lions nudged him after an in-game reshuffle in Sydney, may be limited, but Scotland will not need him there because of their alternatives and he should be brimming with confidence. Jones and Sione Tuipulotu, arguably the Lions' most costly omission from the third Test squad, showed their class and will take some dislodging as Scotland's front-line centre pairing when fit. Tuipulotu, by his own admission, plays with a chip on his shoulder. He has all the skills, and is bound to take some motivation from his disappointment. Scott Cummings and Pierre Schoeman, both largely excellent in the tour fixtures, are in the same boat, and will be vital as Scotland's forwards bid to provide a platform for their glittering backs. Duhan van der Merwe will have to fight to make the first-choice line-up in November because of quality elsewhere, which would have been unthinkable four years ago. Scotland have fine options at scrum-half with George Horne and Jamie Dobie, the latter a good enough wing to facilitate a six-two bench, but Ben White was accurate and unfussy upon replacing the stricken Tomos Williams. The zip of his pass and the distance of his kicking game, as well as the running threat he demonstrated with a sniping try in Adelaide, give him the full package. As much as defeat in Fiji was an unfortunate outcome for Scotland, it was also no disgrace. Games against New Zealand and Argentina, book-ended by USA and Tonga, headline their November and Townsend will want three victories as well as a determined tilt at the All Blacks. Verdict: Scotland will always need to box clever because of their lack of depth but this could be a game-changing tour for them if it ends up breeding greater self-belief and players like Tuipulotu and Cummings channel any frustration constructively. Wales ↔️ Tourists: 2 Test players: 1 The hamstring injury suffered by Tomos Williams deprived the wiry scrum-half of a tilt at the Tests to supplement his excellent season with Gloucester. Jac Morgan stayed on, impressed amid huge competition for back-row spots and was rewarded with two bench appearances against the Wallabies. In the thick of the Melbourne comeback, he was also combative in Sydney, scoring a close-range try and snaring his seventh turnover of the trip. Crumbs of comfort are what Wales supporters are clinging onto right now, with the appointment of Steve Tandy, the return of Louis Rees-Zammit, and a dogged defeat of Japan representing three positive pieces of news in a sea of dread. In Morgan, however, they have an outstanding player as a figurehead. Argentina and Japan are their first two November opponents before New Zealand and South Africa hit Cardiff. Winning at least one of those first two will be Tandy's aim. Verdict: Certainly a positive outcome, though obviously severely limited by the numbers. Ireland ↔️ Tourists: 18 Test players: 12 It was no secret that Ireland were heading towards the 2027 World Cup with a mature squad, but this tour reinforced as much. Whether Bundee Aki makes it back to Australia for that tournament, when he will be 37, must be in doubt. Robbie Henshaw and Stuart McCloskey are strong contingencies, though both will be 34. Hugh Gavin is a strapping 21-year-old and an age-grade star who made his Test debut against Portugal in July. Stuart Lancaster is overseeing his development at Connacht. Having flitted around Leinster's backline last season, Jamie Osborne arrived with the Lions and showcased his rangy running. The 23-year-old is a big talent and voiced his desire to nail down a permanent position as soon as possible. There are prospects pushing through. Sam Prendergast is ahead of Jack Crowley in the fly-half shoot-out. As for younger Lions tourists, the magnificent Dan Sheehan is only 26. Joe McCarthy is 24 and Thomas Clarkson – a contentious call-up yet undoubtedly a promising tighthead – is 25. Caelan Doris, poised for the captaincy of the 2025 Lions at just 27, is recovering from a shoulder operation and should be fresh for a tough autumn schedule comprising New Zealand in Chicago before Japan, South Africa and Australia at the Aviva Stadium. Aged 28 and 30, respectively, James Ryan and Garry Ringrose should have plenty of caps ahead of them if they can overcome concussions. Ronan Kelleher and Mack Hansen are only 27 and Andrew Porter, despite a somewhat strange tour in which he was held back until the Test series and then failed to make a significant impact, has time on his side at 29. Hugo Keenan is the same age and was excellent once he had returned to full health. But to emphasise the discernible age issue facing Ireland, three more of their Lions in Tadhg Beirne, Jamison Gibson-Park and Finlay Bealham will be 35 in 2027. Another four – Jack Conan, Tadhg Furlong, Josh van der Flier and James Lowe – will be 34. Even if provincial sides have shown a willingness to rest and rotate their squads, two full seasons and a World Cup summer could feel like a long road for some of them. Will they all get there? It should be stressed that Beirne was immense against the Wallabies, with Gibson-Park also among the most influential Lions. Furlong and Conan also merited their Test selections. Lowe's was a tale of light and shade in Brisbane and Melbourne before he was dropped. The struggles of Lowe and Porter were more jarring because they have been close to indispensable to Ireland since Farrell began as head coach. Depth at loosehead prop, for instance, is unconvincing and Lowe's left boot has been an important the game plan. The 2026 Six Nations, which will contain a sole rest week rather than two, will challenge squad depth and durability like never before. There are three straight fixtures on the bounce with a break before two more to finish. It will be a grind, and Ireland visit Paris first up. If all that seems overly pessimistic, a 34-5 win over Georgia in Tbilisi a month ago should hearten Ireland fans. Coached by Paul O'Connell and captained by Craig Casey, a young team produced an assured performance. Gus McCarthy, Nick Timoney, Ryan Baird, Gavin Coombes and Tommy O'Brien all stood out. Renewal does not have to mean drastic regression. The effect of the Ireland-heavy backroom staff with the Lions is something else to monitor. Will Farrell and his lieutenants – such as Aled Walters, Simon Easterby, Andrew Goodman and Johnny Sexton – be able to exploit what they have learned about players from other nations? Or will it benefit the other nations to have had such acute insight into Farrell's tactics and coaching traits?
The Independent
4 days ago
- The Independent
In a miniature world, climate change and environmental issues loom large
Watching his dad make a brand-new miniature train car look old, placing the wooden parts to weather in the sun and rain, pulled Peter Martínez into the world of miniatures. He recalls his father, who made model trains mostly for collectors or hobbyists, wondering why anyone would pay him to do what he thought was the most fun part of the hobby. 'But luckily they did, and we were able to build an industry around it," Martínez said. The Argentine family business, United Scale Arts, is now partnering with Germany's Miniatur Wunderland, a museum that houses the largest model train set in the world, to develop new exhibits depicting parts of South America, including the Amazon rainforest and Atacama Desert. But with miniature power comes great responsibility — and both Martínez's company and the museum are determined that the miniature world reflect both the good and bad of the real thing. Real world problems So alongside the perfectly shaded rocks and trees, they depict poverty, crime and environmental degradation. In the exhibits already running in Hamburg, built by a team that has grown over the years to hundreds of people, it means that tiny trains pull tiny coal cars into a mining town, but also, on a city bridge, a tiny semitruck hauls the tiny giant blade of a wind turbine. And the builders say it means the new models won't shy away from illustrating real life in the Amazon: they will include scenes of illegal mining, deforestation and forest fires. 'These are social problems that exist in the real world, and we need to show them also in the models, because I think it's important not to make this kind of idealistic view of the world, but also to show reality and to use these tools as a learning experience for everyone that visits the Wunderland,' Martínez said. Replicas of famous landmarks Visitors have a lot to see in the multistory warehouse that is Wunderland. From Las Vegas to Miami Beach, from Rio de Janeiro to Monaco, cars zoom past tiny replicas of buildings as throngs of people, with heads smaller than your fingernail, mill about famous landmarks. Cargo ships dominate the glasslike surface of a tiny bay as they chug in with their deliveries. Planes taxi down the runway of an airport. And of course, plenty of trains roll through every landscape to the delight of kids and adults alike. 'A dream come true' Twin brothers Gerrit and Frederik Braun joined with business partner Stephan Hertz and took out a loan to create Miniatur Wunderland after they left the nightclub business. Frederik had visited a model railroad shop in Zurich, called his brother and suggested they create their own — but a whole lot bigger. Gerrit laughed at first. Unlike his brother, he loved the nightclub. But he eventually agreed and now can't imagine doing anything else. 'It's a dream come true that we sit here 25 years later, and playing all day,' he said, chuckling. Serious work mixed with play But he takes the work seriously. The brothers came up with most of the initial plans for the museum within two weeks, Gerrit said. It's grown in scope and ambition since then. 'Ten years ago, we were looking to the old section and saw the real world has changed in this time,' Gerrit said. They realized they needed to update the exhibits to include technologies like electric cars, wind turbines, nuclear power and more. 'I have children, and I believe in global warming and I'm sure that we have done it ... So if you believe in this, and you have the possibility to show the images, why not?" Political issues There's no one process by which the designers and model builders decide what to include in their models, but as they have added to the collection, they haven't shied away from depicting technology or from political or contentious topics. In 2017, when Donald Trump was first elected U.S. president, the Wunderland put up a model concrete wall with barbed wire around the section with the American landscapes. In 2019, Wunderland launched a scathing exhibit on the treatment of animals in large-scale farming that sparked deep criticism from the agriculture industry. Next came weeks of conversation, farm visits and the eventual launch of a special exhibit aimed at depicting the current reality of pig farming, featuring industrial production and organic farms. They're usually striving to depict the world exactly as it is. But building models also reminds Gerrit that 'you can build the world a little bit like you want,' he said. Feelings of nostalgia It's an art form that can have practical purposes but also can capture longing, nostalgia or other feelings about a particular time or place, said Kit Maxwell, a curator with The Art Institute of Chicago, which houses the popular Thorne Miniature Rooms. ' One of the most compelling things about these rooms is that you imagine yourself in them," he said. Aware of that power of imagination,Martínez also said builders have to be careful not to unfairly cast countries in a bad light as they seek to include imperfections. 'You need to kind of balance, when you show the bad things in contrast with the good things, that they are not overdone or they are not too much,' he said. 'You want also that the people that go there have a good time and not get really sad after seeing this model.' ___ Follow Melina Walling on X @MelinaWalling and Bluesky @ ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
The Independent
28-07-2025
- The Independent
Trump moves to lift visa restrictions for Argentina in boost to right-wing ally
The United States and Argentina on Monday announced that they are working on a plan to allow Argentine tourists to again travel to the U.S. without a visa. It will likely take two to three years before visa-free travel becomes a reality for Argentine passport holders, but the Trump administration's move to kickstart the process marked a show of support for President Javier Milei, its staunchest ally in South America and a darling of conservatives around the world. The gesture coincided with a visit by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to Buenos Aires for closed-door meetings with Milei and his officials. Noem signed the statement of intent alongside Security Minister Patricia Bullrich in Milei's office. The Department of Homeland Security praised Milei for reshaping Argentina's foreign policy in line with the U.S. 'Under President Javier Milei's leadership, Argentina is becoming an even stronger friend to the United States — more committed than ever to border security for both of our nations,' the statement quoted Noem as saying. This first step toward Argentina's entry into the Visa Waiver Program, it added, 'highlights our strong partnership with Argentina and our mutual desire to promote lawful travel while deterring threats." The department cited Argentina as having the lowest visa overstay rate in the U.S. of any Latin American country. Trump's loyal ally in South America The removal of rigorous U.S. visa requirements — particularly at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump is tightening restrictions for foreign nationals — would offer a symbolic victory to Milei, a self-described 'anarcho-capitalist' who rose to power as a far-right outsider mimicking Trump's war-on-woke rhetoric and skillful use of social media. When he became the first world leader to visit Trump after the U.S. election, Milei pranced around Mar-a-Lago like an excited school boy. At the Conservative Political Action Committee convention in Washington last February, he gifted billionaire Elon Musk a bureaucracy-slashing chainsaw to support his DOGE campaign to eliminate government waste. When not riding the far-right, pro-Trump speaking circuit, Milei is focused on straightening out South America's second-largest economy after years of turmoil under left-wing populist rule. Through tough budget cuts and mass layoffs, Milei has succeeded in driving down Argentina's notorious double-digit inflation. The last time Argentines didn't require a visa to enter the U.S. was in the 1990s under another free-market devotee, the late former President Carlos Menem. Menem's neo-liberal reforms and pegging of the peso 1-to-1 to the U.S. dollar destroyed Argentina's industry, exacerbating poverty in what a century ago was one of the world's wealthiest countries. In the crisis that followed, the U.S. reimposed visa restrictions in 2002 as young Argentines seeking to flee misery lined up at European embassies and began to migrate illegally to the U.S. The Argentine presidency described Monday's preliminary agreement as 'a clear demonstration of the excellent relationship' between Milei and Trump. 'This bilateral link is not limited to the commercial or economic sphere, but constitutes a strategic and comprehensive relationship based on a shared vision,' the presidency added. Noem, who grew up on a farm in rural South Dakota, later Monday toured a military base on horseback and enjoyed asado — Argentina's traditional meat-centric barbecue and national passion. She is the third member of Trump's Cabinet to meet Milei in Buenos Aires so far this year, after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Tough limits on travel to Trump's America Over 40 mostly European and wealthy Asian countries belong to the exclusive club that allows their citizens to travel to the U.S. without a visa for up to three months. However, border officers have the power to turn anyone away. About 20 million tourists use the program each year. Currently, Chile is the only Latin American country in the program. Overseas travel to the U.S. plunged in the early days of Trump's return to the White House as tourists, especially from Latin America, feared being caught in the administration's border crackdown. Some canceled travel plans to protest his foreign policy and anti-immigrant rhetoric. But those numbers began to rebound in April, with more than 3 million international arrivals — 8% more than a year ago — from countries other than Mexico or Canada, according to the International Trade Administration, an agency under the U.S. Department of Commerce. In addition to clamping down on the southern border, Trump has put up additional obstacles for students, tourists and others looking to travel to the U.S. His recently passed 'big, beautiful' bill of domestic priorities calls for the enactment of a new 'visa integrity fee' of $250 to be charged in addition to the cost of the visa itself. Travel industry executives have expressed concern that the charge could drive away tourists who contribute more than $2 trillion annually and 9 million jobs to the U.S. economy, according to the International Trade Administration. About a quarter of all travelers to the U.S. come from Latin America and the Caribbean, the agency says. Arrivals from Argentina have jumped 25% this year — a bigger increase than from any other country. ___ Goodman reported from Medellin, Colombia. ____
