American undergraduate students from the School of Natural Sciences at Colgate University in Hamilton NY swopped science studies for Celtic studies and voted the visit to Dylan Thomass birthplace at 5 Cwmdonkin Drive, Uplands, Swansea as one of the highspots of their visit to Wales over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend.The university is 100 miles from New York and takes its name from the founder of the Colgate soap dynasty and students take a year out of their science studies to follow a course in literature and the arts.Course lecturer Ken Belanger who devised the programme said The ethos of the university is to give students the opportunity to graduate with a rounded education which suits them better for the ever flexible modern working environment.At Cwmdonkin Drive we were able to combine superb hosts with a beautiful house to give the students an outstanding experience of the influences on Dylan's work.T James Jones of Cardiff University has been responsible for organising the visit said Historically we have only looked at the house which was so much a part of Dylan and his work from outside but this year we had a wonderful tour which has really brought Dylan alive.Although we look broadly at Celtic literature Dylan and his work is very popular with the students and visiting the house is a privilege and a real bonus.The students entered into the spirit of the Edwardian house experience by helping to prepare afternoon tea made from loose tea served from a teapot into china cups accompanied by home made Welsh cakes.The Bank Holiday Celtic trail continued with a visit to the Thomas family home at Fernhill near Carmarthen before travelling to an overnight stay in St Davids.The holiday weekend produced a steady stream of visitors for the pre booked guided tours of Dylans birthplace which last about two hours and Anne Haden said We have been delighted with the response and the Bank Holiday sunshine brought out so many people that we ran out of Welsh cakes at one stage.