Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Wales

Photo credit: Rob Gale

The longest officially recognised place name in the United Kingdom, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch or “Llanfairpwll” for short is a coastal Welsh city with a population of about 3,000 people.  Literally meaning “St. Mary’s Church in a hollow of white hazel near the swirling whirlpool of the church of St. Tysilio with a red cave,” this town was named in the 19th century in an attempt to distinguish it from other villages.  And distinguished, it most certainly is.  I don’t even want to attempt to pronounce the name.

What Cheer, Iowa, United States

Photo credit: k_hargrav

The United States has no shortage of funny and interesting town names.  What Cheer in central Iowa is definitely one of them.  A town of 678 people, the name makes you wonder if it’s a terribly unhappy place to live.  Apparently an ancient English greeting dating back to the 15th century, many believe that “What Cheer” was named after this expression, though there is not one officially held belief as to the origins of the name.  Guess I should visit to find out for myself!

Batman, Turkey

Photo credit: Bryce Edwards

Talk about lost in translation.  The eastern Turkish city of Batman is named after the Bati Raman Mountains that are located in the area.  Home to the Batman River and the capital of the Batman Province, this city is rather large with over 300,000 inhabitants.  In 2008, Batman mayor Kalkan looked into suing the Batman movie franchise and Warner Brothers for the use of the name “Batman” without permission from the city.  No word from the caped crusader himself on this one, though who’s to say he doesn’t have a bat cave located here in the town with which he shares his name?

Saint-Louis du Ha! Ha! – Quebec, Canada

Photo credit: scazon

Yes, Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! is really the name of this Quebec municipality – exclamation marks and all!  Taken from the ancient French word haha, meaning an unexpected obstacle or end to a path, it is supposed that the parish’s name refers to the nearby lake, and refers to one of a number of famous men named “Louis” who had an influence on the region in its early days.  The exclamation marks were added later and have now become an accepted part of the area’s name.  It makes me wonder if people would be more excited to live in London!! or Los Angeles!!?! than they are currently without the excess punctuation?

Why, Arizona, United States

Photo credit: Venturist

All of these unique and funny names lead us to the last in today’s post – Why, Arizona.  Why? A small community in southern Arizona in the United States, Why gets its name from the fact that its located just at the intersection of two major highways.  These highways originally intersected in a “Y” shape and town founders named it after this unique roadside feature, but spelled it “Why” to comply with regulations requiring all town names to be at least three letters.

This post has been so much fun to write, that I’ll be preparing another one soon with some more funny and interesting names that I’ve found.  Feel free to share ideas if there’s a place you’d like to see featured!

Photo credit: leppre

Taking its name from the Irish “fionn uisce” which means “clear water,” Phoenix Park contains huge areas to explore and enjoy, especially when the weather is nice.  There are plenty of open areas for picnics, as well as some interesting monuments and other things to do and see. The Wellington Monument (below) is a huge obelisk that celebrates the victories of the Duke of Wellington.

Photo credit: dusi_bbg

One of the main attractions in the park is the Dublin Zoo, which is actually one of the most popular tourist sites in all of Dublin.  Home to hundreds of species and open since 1831, the Dublin Zoo attracts nearly 1,000,000 visitors a year and also plays a key role in endangered species conservation.

Photo credit: gordonflood.com

If you’re a fan of animals in their natural habitat, you’ll be delighted by the large herd of fallow deer that have called Phoenix Park home since the 1700’s.

Photo credit: infomatique

The Park is a fantastic place for hikes, running and walking and appreciation of nature and greenery in general.  With a reported 351 different plant species in the park, it’s a great place for aspiring botanists and people who love plants and trees.

Photo credit: John_Brennan

Looking for some urban park exploration yourself?  Take this opportunity to go to Dublin to check out all that Phoenix Park has to offer.  Fly from London to Dublin for a long weekend in the end of April from only £28 return.  Flights from Manchester to Dublin the same weekend also start at £28 return, and from Birmingham to Dublin are again only £28 return.  These are fantastic deals all around that will allow you to discover this beautiful park and of course all of the other the sights and sounds of Dublin!

Photo credit: lyng883

Perhaps one of the most famous landmarks in Copenhagen, the Little Mermaid statue sits on a rock in the Copenhagen harbour and honours one of the city’s most renowned residents, author and poet Hans Christian Andersen.  Though I was surprised by the small size of the statue when I first visited, it has become such an icon of Danish culture and history, that I feel it was definitely worth a visit.

Photo credit: B a m s h a d

As Copenhagen is a very pedestrian city, take advantage of some spare time and stroll along the waterfront area to take in the brightly coloured buildings lining the water.  Though its quite touristy, sometimes popping into a café or sitting on an outdoor terrace here will fulfil your people-watching desires and make you realise you’re actually in Copenhagen!  Whilst strolling, don’t miss the National Museum (Nationalmuseet) which houses a huge, authentic Viking ship that has been rebuilt and sits massively in the centre of an exhibit hall.  Seeing this glimpse of the Viking culture of Denmark’s past and enjoying some of the other prehistoric artefacts and treasures in the museum was one of the highlights of my trip.

Photo credit: Stig Nygaard

If you’re looking for a bit more fast-paced adventure and fun, head over to the Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen’s own famous amusement park located right in the centre of the city.  The most-visited park of its kind in Scandinavia, and the third-most visited throughout Europe, Tivoli Gardens includes whimsical architecture, tons of rides including a wooden roller coaster and the world’s tallest carousel and is a great place to spend a day, especially with children.

Photo credit: Double Feature

If you’ve got the time, head out of town to visit the gorgeous Kronborg castle on the far eastern tip of Denmark.  A UNSECO site and setting of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the Kronborg castle is so breathtaking, it makes you wonder why “something was rotten in the state of Denmark!”  Surrounded on all sides by water, and with Sweden just 4km across the sea, it’s easy to see how this was a strategic location for the Danes.  The castle is definitely worth a trip out of town and the gorgeous views from the location will not disappoint.

Do you want to see Copenhagen for yourself?  Fly from London from only £46 return, or from Manchester from only £73 on the last weekend of June.  It’s a fantastic city with tons to discover!