Day 7, Cardiff, Wales

Cardiff

Today, I took a train trip from London to Cardiff, Wales. The trip was arranged by Evan Evans, which is Grayline’s major competitor. I was to meet the Evan Evans representative at 8:15 a.m. at London’s Paddington Station at the main ticket office. I took a bus to Paddington as I didn’t have to be there very early in the morning and worry about not arriving in time. However, the Evan Evans representative did not arrive on time. Two young women saw me looking like I was waiting for someone and asked me if I was going on the tour to Cardiff, as they were. We took turns walking around the station, as since there appeared to be two main ticket offices there, perhaps we were waiting at the wrong place. It got closer to train time, so one of the women called Evan Evans and was told that their representative was held up in traffic. She finally arrived nine minutes before train time and gave us our tickets and a voucher for the hop–on hop–off bus plus a map of Cardiff. I sat with these delightful women (school teachers from the Washington, DC, area) both going there and returning. Our train left at 8:45 a.m. and we arrived in Cardiff at 10:46 a.m. There are two reasons to visit Cardiff––one just to say that you have been to Wales (good reason) and to see Cardiff Castle. This photo is a scanned postcard of Cardiff Castle (you’ll see why I scanned in it later).

Cardiff

Cardiff Castle

The girls and I parted company to do our own sightseeing. I couldn’t find the hop–on hop–off bus stop, so I walked the short distance from the station to the castle. The London heat wave was also in full force in Cardiff. Photo is of the entrance to the castle.

Cardiff Castle

This is what I saw after entering the gate to the castle. Very disappointing as the outside of the castle is supposed to be quite a sight to see as it is a collection of different castle designs. Cardiff Castle was originally a Roman fort, but was owned later by several powerful families and eventually by John Stuart, son of the Earl of Bute, in the late 1770s.

Cardiff Castle

I took a guided tour inside the castle. I took this and the next photo before I was told that photos weren’t allowed inside the castle. This is of the Winter Smoking Room. The 3rd Marquess of Bute, grandson of John Stuart, used William Burges as his architect, an eccentric genius. Burges added medieval and romantic decor to the castle in the later part of the 19th century. I found it to be bordering on the bizarre.

Cardiff Castle

The other photo that I took of the Winter Smoking Room––only men were allowed in this room.

Cardiff Castle

As my photo taking was halted, I have scanned some more postcards of the inside of the castle. This one is also of the Winter Smoking Room.

Cardiff Castle

The Summer Smoking Room.

Cardiff Castle

Lord Bute’s Bedroom.

Cardiff Castle

The Roof Garden.

Cardiff Castle

A wooden keep (fortress) was built within the castle walls on this motte (man–made hill) by the Normans. In 1140, it was replaced by this stone keep. The flag on top is flying at half–mast.

Cardiff Castle

Inside the keep. I only made it up those stairs to the first opening. The second set of stairs was very steep and made me uncomfortable. If you climb up them to the second opening, then you can climb up some more to the top of the keep.

Cardiff Castle

View of the castle gate from inside the keep.

Cardiff Castle

The castle gate from inside the castle walls.

Cardiff Castle

Sign on the wall directing you to the castle gift shop. Many signs in Wales are in both English and Welsh.

Cardiff Castle

Part of the castle wall seen from the outside.

Cardiff Castle

When the Normans built the stone keep, they used much of the stone from the original Roman walls surrounding the original fort. The Marquess of Bute rebuilt the walls on the original foundations, but outlined what remained of the original walls in red sandstone––you can see the red outline in the photo.

Cardiff Castle

Cardiff

Time for lunch. I decided to try a pasty. I chose a pork and apple pasty, whose decription was: Hand–crimped puff pastry –– minced pork and apple. I found it dull in taste.

Cardiff

Many different pasties for sale here.

Cardiff

Some buildings that I saw on my walk to the castle.

Cardiff

Seen on my walk.

Cardiff

Also seen on my walk.

Cardiff

Church steeple seen through an alley.

Cardiff

Side view of the church––the Parish Church of Cardiff, St. John the Baptist.

Cardiff

Recruiting for the Welsh Warriors behind the church.

Cardiff

There was a stop for the hop–on hop–off bus in front of the castle, so I walked back there to get on it. We passed a very nice area of government buildings, parks, and museums. One of the buildings.

Cardiff

Another of the buildings.

Cardiff

A park.

Cardiff

Old houses near this section.

Cardiff

Old pub in another section of Cardiff. The sign on the side of the building reads: The Golden Cross Brains Beers.

Cardiff

I got off the bus at the waterfront, hoping it would be a bit cooler here. It was. I took a short boat trip around the harbor. This church on the harbor was an interesting sight.

Cardiff

View along the harbor. There are restaurants and shops in this area. The metal–topped building is Cardiff’s new opera house.

Cardiff

Town across the harbor.

Cardiff

The boat took me back from where I started and I walked around the area. I was very surprised to find Eddie’s American Diner here––a 50’s themed restaurant (also, very very surprised to find it called Eddie’s).

Cardiff

Of course, I want inside. I ordered a chocolate milkshake––yummy––and drank it while listening to 50’s music. I asked a waitress if the restaurant was owned by an American. She said that it wasn’t. Photo of inside the diner.

Cardiff

Memorabilia on the wall.

Cardiff

More memorabilia on the wall.

Cardiff

I then said goodbye to Marilyn sitting outside the diner and got back on the hop–on hop–off bus.

Cardiff

A building passed on my way back to Cardiff Central Station.

Cardiff

Some more buildings.

Cardiff

Direction sign in both English and Welsh. I ran into my train mates near the station and we went to Burger King (okay, I know, but that was the only restaurant near the station). I had a hamburger with fries and Diet Coke for dinner here and it tasted very good. Our train left Cardiff at 5:55 p.m. and we arrived back in London at 8 p.m. I took a bus back to my hotel from Paddington Station.

Cardiff

Bath Abbey

Close–up of the ceiling of the abbey.