Wales - July 2007

A Caper in Cardiff

The Guinness

Its not difficult finding a pub in Cardiff that serves Guinness. As with most pubs in the UK now it would be more of a challenge to find one that does not serve Guinness. Therefore, once again I targeted Irish themed pubs. Irish themed pubs hadn't been invented when I grew up in Cardiff and therefore I'd no prior knowledge so it was on to the computer to see if Google could help. It certainly could, there was a whole host of them. In the end I chose Demsey's more for its position, opposite Cardiff Castle, than anything else.

I had also dropped a line to Dempsey's before the day forewarning them of our arrival and it was nice when the landlady recognised us and gave us a warm welcome.

Iechyd da! - Cheers

 When ordering the second Guinness I invited John the landlord, dressed all in black, over to do the honours and draw out the next capital. It was a little easier explaining to a native English speaker, what and why I expected him to choose a straw out of a box and he did it very well. Next stop Lisbon, Portugal and thoughts of a summer holiday loomed.

John the barman unravelling my next destination

Getting There

This must be the easiest trip to plan for out of the fifty two destinations on the list.  I knew my way to Cardiff blindfolded and thought about making the journey more challenging by doing just that but that would no doubt have scared the other drivers on the motorway a bit.  Cardiff is my hometown, a city where I spent all my childhood years bar few. 

The old library building in the city centre

Team Makeup

Given the short notice I gave people I was impressed that people had made the effort to attend and join me for a Guinness. As well as my family there were friends from school, college and work. Thanks for coming along all.

Friends Pete, Olwen, Shaun, Helen, Carol, Susan and Ian joining in the challenge.

Accommodation

We stayed with my Mum and Dad who still live in Cardiff however they decided not to join us for a Guinness - it's not quite there sort of thing

Cardiff Docks and the Norwegian Church

Food

A traditional lunch at my parents – isn’t it strange how your Mum’s cooking always tastes so good.

Sightseeing highlights

Before going for a Guinness we went down by St John's church and the pedestrian area near the old library and then into the indoor market. The fish stall was doing grand business and I took the family upstairs to see Kelly's record stall, still under the same ownership as when I was a teenager and spending all my pocket money there. It had moved location and expanded over the years to accommodate CDs and DVDs.

Kelly's in Cardiff market - an old teenage haunt of mine

We went down to visit the redeveloped dock area called Cardiff Bay. The sun was out and so were the crowds including a group of lads on powerizer jumping stilts. The sport looked dangerous enough in itself but added to the danger ten fold by leaping up and down the razor sharp steps under the giant canopy in front of the Welsh Assembly building.

Wales Millennium Centre and Senedd

I left them watching the powerizers and ventured inside the Welsh assembly building called the Senedd and was surprised to find that I could go all the way in to the viewing gallery of the circular debating chamber itself, even on a Sunday.

The Pierhead building in Cardiff Docks

 Built of local materials such as slate and oak its has been open just over a year and claims to be environmentally friendly. Its apparently heated from the earth's natural heating, whatever that may be, and water collected on the roof is used to flush the toilets - let's hope there's not a drought. The building is topped by world's largest free rotating wind driven cowl designed to ventilate and light the chamber.

Powerizer jumping stilts outside the Senedd