Continuation of UK trip - Cardiff

 

After touring the Caerphilly Castle we drove on to Cardiff. Cardiff is the capital of Wales and was a very active port for the coal trade in the 1800s. At one time it was the largest coal-exporting port in the world. The shift away from coal in the mid-20^th century caused a steep decline in the activity of the port and the last coal shipment left the docks in 1964. Subsequently the area of the docks underwent a massive urban renewal creating an area for leisure, and cultural activities, as well as residences. Also located there is the Senedd Building where the Welsh parliament meets.

Upon arrival in Cardiff we checked in to The Coal Exchange Hotel. At one time it was the central marketplace where shipowners, coal owners, and merchants negotiated sales and shipping contracts. The hotel was a bit dark and dreary. The staff were not impressive. I noticed some stepping just outside the door at the main entrance for their smoke break. The path to our room seemed a bit of a warren but at least there was an elevator. The room itself was well appointed with a large bathroom including a spa tub. We took an Uber (for the first time!, it worked well) to a great dinner at restaurant called Bacchus. It was tapas-style. We had: Padron peppers with Canadian maple drizzle; Focaccia with olive oil and sea salt; cheddar potato rosti with jalapeño marscapone; tempura broccoli with harissa yoghurt and almonds; duck tostada with plum sauce and sesame (Dennis); and chocolate crèmeux for dessert. Dennis then asked about single malt scotches (it was his birthday dinner after all) and the waitress sent her boss (the owner, I think) to describe what was available. Dennis made his choice (Dalmore 12 yr) and enjoyed it. The boss then returned to ask how he liked it and made small talk; I mentioned it was Dennis’ birthday and he immediately insisted on taking the cost of the scotch off the check (14 pounds, $18.60). We thanked him profusely and took another successful Uber back to the hotel.

Saturday, June 6, was cold and windy; intermittently rainy. We visited the Pierhead Building where historically the ships coming in an out of the docks were managed. We learned a bit about the coal trade that went on there. We also visited the nearby Senedd Building. It is very modern and beautiful. Dennis had to temporarily surrender his tiny Swiss army knife and the lock on his shoulder bag to enter.

We strolled through the Cardiff Market (seemed a little cheesy; lots of fried foods on sale). The downtown area had LOTS of bars; apparently Cardiff has a heavy drinking/partying reputation.

We paid a brief visit to the National Museum of Cardiff. They had a few notable works including Renoir’s La Parisienne, Van Gogh’s Rain at Auvers, and one of Monet’s Waterlilies (apparently he painted more than 200 versions).

Dinner was at Bill’s Cardiff Bay Restaurant. Of note, most restaurants in the UK automatically add a service charge (instead of tipping) to the bill. It is anywhere from 10 to 15%. It is said to be “voluntary” and you can ask for it to be taken off.

The buffet breakfast at the hotel was a bit boring so for our second morning we decided to go out for breakfast and found a small nearby café called Lisboa. They had decent coffee and croissants. Later we stopped at a place called Brod/The Danish Bakery to pick up something for breakfast the next day (Jam Spandauer, good choice!) since we’d be checking out and moving on.

We made our way back into town to visit the Cardiff Castle. As we left the hotel we went around the back side of it and noticed that the northeast corner of the building is basically a shambles. There are broken windows, absent roof, and trees growing inside.

The Cardiff Castle and grounds were a worthwhile visit. The castle keep (fortified tower, built in the 1100s) is on a hill within the grounds and allows nice views. There are also the castle apartments (dating from 1400s but extensively remodeled in the19th century as a lavish Victorian residence for the Bute family known for their role in creating the Cardiff docks.

We had lunch near the castle and I noticed a restaurant across the street called Owain Glyndwr (Owain being the Welsh version of Owen). We were to hear a lot about Owain Glyndwr in the coming days including that he and his army burned most of Cardiff to the ground in 1404 in a revolt against British rule.

On Monday, June 8^th, we had our Brod breakfast and coffee in our room and packed up for the next leg of our journey; destination Tenby with stops along the way.  Very nice day; blue sky with puffy white clouds; a bit warmer than it had been.

To be continued...