Cardiff and its surrounding Castles

After days of living in our car, we crossed the massive bridge that spans the Severn river into Wales. The toll was expensive but it saved us the trouble of travelling up to a land crossing.


The longest bridge we've ever been on

Just around the corner was Wales's bustling capital city, Cardiff. Cardiff only has a population of about 300,000 but is by far the largest city in Wales. Its fairly recent rise to prominence as a major city is mostly due to the boom of the coal industry in the 1800s. Cardiff was only made a city in 1905 and only became the capital of Wales in 1955. Considering the age of everything else in Britain, this makes Cardiff seem almost "new".

Wales has recently enjoyed a revival of interest in the Welsh language. From being in danger of dying out as late as the 1960s, Welsh is now spoken by about 21% of the population of Wales. As such, most road signs have both English and Welsh translations (which seems a bit silly when a place-name is the same in both languages).

Despite our searching, it turns out that almost nobody in Cardiff can speak Welsh - it seems to be confined to the North.


Cardiff in both English and Welsh (Caerdydd)


A busy street in central Cardiff

We were lucky enough to be able to stay with Gaz, one of Candice's friends. Gaz is a doctor and was just about to be transferred to Bristol. As it happened, this was also his last weekend in Cardiff - lucky for us!


Our first night out in Cardiff

Wales is famous for its castles. Almost every town boasts a castle or ruins of some sort. Gaz took us to see some castles around the countryside surrounding Cardiff.


Raglan Castle in Raglan


The moat


View from a castle window out into the surrounding the surrounding countryside


View from the tower

Raglan Castle dates back to the 12th Century and was used by nobels up until 1646 when it was besieged during the English Civil War. It was the last bastion to hold out against Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentarans.


We were lucky enough to be there for a re-enactment of the battle. Actors would speak to us in character and fired real muskets


Gaz and I pose with a soldier


We had a lovely lunch in the town of Abergavenny


Caerphilly Castle

Back in Cardiff, we realised we had picked the best weekend to visit. The Cardiff Festival was on! Summer in the UK is the best time to catch some of the world's best music festivals. Although we didn't make it to Reading, Glastonbury or Leeds this year (which cost an arm and a leg), this festival was free and right in the centre of town.


Prince Buster, one of the founding fathers of ska (who must be at least 70) busts a move


Ash belts out "Girl From Mars".


Gaz and us at Cardiff Festival

Taking our time to walk around Cardiff, we soon discover it's a beautiful city.


A slug we met in the park


I conquer a pig in the park


Candice pats the pig


Cardiff Castle


Queen Street


Maccas in Wales



Millenium Stadium, the Welsh love their rugby


Bangers and mash, traditional British pub food. Yum yum!


Even my "Brunch Burger" had sausages in it

We left Cardiff to explore more of Wales, feeling well-fed and happy. Back into the car!

For more photos of Cardiff, visit http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=48359&l=11dab&id=681501850