It's not the winning ...
That's it then - another Eisteddfod over and the bright pink pavilion in the centre of Cardiff that launched a thousand fuchsia choral blouses (or subtle pink accessories in our case of course) is on its way down.
Where next? Bala in 2009 followed by Ebbw Vale in 2010 - two towns that sound as though they were almost handpicked to illustrate a speech on the Welsh language by Carwyn Jones.
Could Cardiff City Council have put up a few more banners and signs bang in the centre of town pointing people in the direction of a festival that was happening just out of sight, two hundred yards behind the castle walls? Yes but let's not be churlish. Their skating rink on the 'maes' was a big hit and there was something surreal about the experience of landing flat on my back, again and spotting - through the haze of fake snow spewing from the corner - the leader of the council, Rodney Berman, looking down from on high on the papal balcony of the city's stand.
What's the Eisteddfod about? If your answer is 'taking part' then you won't think twice about the fact that Plaid held a celebration towards the end of the week to mark fifty years since one of their most prominent members joined the party. Which member? Dafydd Iwan, the current president who is in the throes of an election campaign to hang on to the job.
Then again, if your answer is 'winning' and if you're in any way connected to the man who has challenged for the party presidency, Elfyn Llwyd MP, you may well have raised at least one eyebrow. Was it really appropriate for Plaid to be seen to be throwing a party for Dafydd Iwan in the middle of an election campaign in which he's involved? The Elfyn Llwyd camp didn't much like it so why didn't they say so out loud? Probably because their man wasn't in Cardiff at all, opting for Croatia instead and the line that the Eisteddfod is not an appropriate place to canvas for votes.
Really? Who told him that?
The final competition was "Individual Humorous Presentation". The final competitor, his name on a piece of paper shoved in my hand, was "Rhodri Morgan". Oh please, please let it be him with a medley of greatest metaphor-hits, a First Ministerial open mic session with his honest take on Gordon and the Millibandits, or 'how to afford a General Election when the coffers are empty' and a quip or two thrown in on stamp duty.
It turned out to be a teenager from Swansea, who came second out of two.
I'm Betsan Powys, BBC Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on 
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The Dancing Druids looked spendid on the "telly"....if a little angry...like their frocks hurt.
"What, TV Cameras, transmitting to ENGLAND??? Next there'll be Swansea lapdancers in classical Welsh dress necking vodka brezzas. Stop the rot now!"
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I ask once again why was there no Labour Party stand on the Maes.
every one seems very shy to ask the question or mention it at all in the media.
Very strange
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Quite right, no Labour Party stand on the Maes. Perhaps it's not 'grass roots' enough for Elined Morgan and her kind. I've commented elsewhere on her attempts to belittle attempts by Plaid MEP Jill Evans and the WAG to enable people to use Welsh in dealing with EU institutions.
That didn't work, fortunately for Wales, and I think we can draw our own conclusions from Labour's no-show. Just the same at Y Sioe Fawr of course - they just don't care.
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The Eisteddfod was the place to canvass and Elfyn Llwyd's absence was noted as was Dafydd Iwan's prominence...and yes it will make a difference to the way I intend to vote.
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Did you see Huw Lewis there with his son
No one commented on that either
May be Elfyn Llwyd only does North Wales events.Ive never seen him in the South ,unlike Dafydd Iwan who is frequently around even in the Valleys
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Be fair. How can Elfyn Llwyd find the time to trot round the Valleys? He's got a big constituency to look after and he has to earn a crust as a barrister.
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Yes there were individual Labour MPs and AMs there I saw a few.
That still doesn't answer the question why was there no Labour party stand.
Incidentely huw Lewis only had to cross the river estuary to get to the Maes as he lives in Penarth not in his Merthyr constituency.
I still ask why no media questioning.
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