The flag over the castle

Had to postthis shot, makes the hair on your arms stand up with Welsh pride, doesn't it?

Sure its a country that has been overwhelmed by the English, but its still got a great flag. I may have to learn Welsh, just to show solidarity with my people.

Buildings as poetry

This is the front of the new theater at the bay, enscribed on the front is a piece of a poem in Welsh and English "In these stones horizons sing." The other sides are all Welsh slate. Its stunning building.

I couldn't get a decent picture of the Assembly BUilding, you'll just have to go there.

The Rugby was good

The Millennium Stadium was good but not as full as I had hoped, therefore the singing was not as loud as I had hoped. But the rugby was really good, despite Wales' loss the the Frogs. Those boys sure are big and there's not a lot of padding to make them big. I was surprised to see that they really did look like the cartoons drawn of rugby players that I had been seeing since I was a kid. Barely a nose was shaped as Sebastian Chabal, who has this flowing black hair a a big beard. When he's running down the field his hair flows out behind him, he really does look like a cave man.

Now I'm going to follw the Rugby World cup!

Yes, that is a goat...

and next to him is the Goat Major, sorry the picture is so fuzzy. I'm not sure I completely understand it but as I read in teh castle the Welsh regiment use a goat as its mascot because a baby goat (a kid) woke up a sentry guard during the Crimean War, who alerted the troops and thus thwarted some incursion. Why they have given the goat those gilded horns was not recorded. I'm sure some of my more tuned in Welsh readers can give us more scoop on the goat.

There is a friendly pub called The Goat Major not far from the stadium, to which I retired after the game for a well deserved beer. Funny people, the Welsh.

Cardiff Bay

Very behind in my blogging so sorry. My visit to Cardiff for last sunmmer Bank holiday was very fun. I staid at a lovely hotel on the Cardiff Bay which has changed a great deal. They've built a barrier which keep the bay's huge tidal reach in check so the water no longer drops down to the mud twice a day which make the bay a lovely new site for all sorts of things like my hotel - the St. David.

This is a picture from my balcony (each room has one) on Saturday evening. The weather was lovely, they knew how to pronouce my name and I didn't have to spell it when I checked in -- remarkable!

St. David Hotel on Bay

from this picture you can see how the hotel flaots above the bay sort of like a ship, I guess that's why they gave it sails. On th eother side there is a wonderful wetlands board walk so you can better see the land/bay connection.

Norwegian Church and other bay sights

This is a view from the bay walk across the bay. The Norwegian church is a hold over from when the port of Cardiff was a working port (technically there still is some shipping) full of seamen from all over. Its now an arts centre and has a lovely place for lunch. The ferris wheel may have just been there for the Bank holiday weekend festival or it may be permenent, who knows. The ship in the foreground is a historic sailing ship that takes tourists out for cruises. It had some very popular pirates wandering around teh Bay festival while I was there.

Cyclists Dismount

This sign just made me laugh, mostly becaus eall signs were in Englsih and Welsh and the Welsh is so impenetrable - sort of like my name I guess.