Trip report: January 5 and 6: Cardiff!!

[cowgrrl]

Our first full day in Cardiff it rained almost continuously. That didn't stop us from riding the buses out to Cardiff bay, where we visited the Millenium Centre and the Doctor Who exhibition. The following day the weather was much better so we walked to Cardiff Bay (a little over a mile from the B&B), revisited many of the places we'd seen earlier, took photos of filming sites (using as a resource a really helpful list a previous guest at the B&B had given the innkeepers--it was better than the map from the Doctor Who exhibition), and eventually making our way to Cardiff Castle. We'd hoped to take the waterbus to the castle (getting in both sightseeing and transportation) but it wasn't running on sundays in the winter. (grrr...) Meanwhile, back at the B&B, I'd gotten my own room so I was able to sleep a little better, and I'd sampled laverbread, a traditional Welsh food that my stomach hated, and bubbles & squeak, a traditional British food that my stomach quite liked.

Shriek!!! We're really there!! This is a very familiar site for Torchwood fans, and has been seen on Doctor Who also.


Another very familiar site for Torchwood fans. :-)


Here I am posed with some very good friends. ;-)


From inside the Doctor Who exhibition: Daleks made by children.


Sign we saw on our way to Cardiff Bay our second day. I love these "humps" signs. (Humor me, ok? I'm an American.) And I loved it even more for being bilingual.


A view of Cardiff bay.


The cardiff Bay visitor centre. A great place to visit. It had info about wildlife in the area, an exhibition about recycling and the environment, and better Doctor Who merchandise than the Doctor Who exhibition.


Torchwood display at the visitor centre. Obviously this television show has done much to boost tourist in Cardiff. After all, it got weirdos like us to come visit! :-)


Waterfowl in Cardiff bay. (Looking toward Mermaid Quay)


The castle keep inside Cardiff Castle's grounds. I wasn't able to take photos inside the actual castle but I could take photos from inside and on top of this building. It was starting to rain (and it was almost dusk--about 3pm!) so I sprinted up those steps to take photos.


View from the castle keep


The stairs!


Ya think?!? :-)


Welsh dragon guarding the castle!

Comments

[pasticcio.livejournal.com]

Great pictures .. love Cardiff Castle and the colour on the Welsh Dragon is spectacular! You should make that one into a user icon! :)

[cowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Good idea! I might do that. :-)

[verucas-chaos.livejournal.com]

Wow! Great pic's l love the castle!

[cowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Me too... next time I'm in Wales I intend to see lots more castles!

[calizen.livejournal.com]

I've just bumbled into Torchwood and so seeing the actual sites of it in Cardiff was really great for me.

Also have loved being in western England but never made it more west to Wales (my English friends being a bit leery about venturing into the Welsh lands). Your pictures make me want to go there whenever I can push together enough money to get there again. (Please, don't even think about the pounds to dollar ratio).

What a trip you're having. Thanks for sharing it.

[cowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Yes, it was really fun seeing places we'd only seen on television. And now when I see them on Doctor Who/Torchwood it's even more fun for me!

Your silly English friends...there's nothing scary at all about Wales. I want to go back in better weather when more places are open. I've seen photos of part of the country, and it's absolutely beautiful there.

I was well aware of the weak US dollar while traveling, and ate mostly pub food to keep things as inexpensive as possible.

[roaming.livejournal.com]

Did it rain the entire time you were there?

The 4 times I've been across the pond, we mostly had good weather. Then again, it was in June, not their winter. But I bet the airfare was wonderfully affordable!

[cowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Yes, it rained just about every day but there were also breaks from the rain, and one day the rain didn't start till about 3pm. You take what you can get.

When I was in England in July I had great weather. And yes, the airfare is definitely cheaper off season. Nice icon, btw. :-)

[cluelessinchi.livejournal.com]

Omgosh they just got better and better! Thanks for all these pics!
I am a huge fan of both Torchwood and Dr Who!
The bay was magnificent! The castle was kewl too. How did you manage to do all that walking?
Did you go up all those scary steep steps? *wide eyed look*

[cowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Yes, I went up all those scary steep steps! :-) (My friend waited for me down below - she has arthritic knees and wouldn't even consider a climb like that.) Getting up the stairs was easy - I sprinted up them like a mountain goat! Getting down, I had to take it real slow, more like a little old lady. :-)

[cluelessinchi.livejournal.com]

Yes that is what they say. Going up is always easier than coming down. LOL
YIKES! I have extremely bad knees. I probably would have used a wheelchair during the trip.