D16: Waterford - Cardiff

I was up early this morning so I could have my suitcase out for collection at 6am. After a quick breakfast we drove to the ferry port at Rosslare. It was a little foggy when we got on the ferry (see below), but again we had a really smooth crossing.

In just under four hours we crossed the St. George's Channel to South Wales, on our way to Cardiff.

We had a quick orientation drive which gave us a peak at the capital's major attractions including Cardiff Castle and Millennium Stadium. We then had about an hour of free time before heading back to our hotel.

I decided to use my free time to visit the Millennium Centre which has taken on an almost iconic status due to its use as a filming location for the BBC produced series "Dr Who" and "Torchwood", which is a spin off from the popular Doctor Who series. Torchwood features a group of investigators, all based in Cardiff, who are protecting planet Earth from any possible alien threads. I love the TV show, so it was definitely on my "must do" list.

So I caught a taxi to Roald Dahl Plass, an oval shaped public plaza, named after the Cardiff born author. The area is home to the Wales Millennium Centre at Cardiff Bay (you can't miss it - the locals call it The Armadillo) and the Water tower which both feature heavily in the series.

For me the highlight was seeing the Water tower which, in the series, is the hidden exit of 'The Hub' which is beneath the Millennium Centre (which is also the centre of The Rift, a tear in the fabric of space and time that has resulted in increased extra-terrestrial activity in the city).

I managed to make it back to the bus with about a minute to spare... Phew! I thought I'd miss it. I would've loved to have stayed a bit longer, but I guess there's always next time.

Tonight we were going to a Welsh evening at Cardiff Castle. As I was leaving my hotel room, the door to my room wouldn't lock, so I ended up getting upgraded to a bigger room with a queen bed. Woo hoo!!!

When we arrived at Cardiff Castle we had a special treat and got a little bit of a guided tour before dinner. It was quite amazing that most of the lavish and opulent interiors we saw were only created from 1866 onwards when the 3rd Marquess of Bute employed the genius architect William Burges to transform the Castle lodgings with amazing interiors, rich with murals, stained glass, marble, gilding and elaborate wood carvings.

Afterwards we headed down to the Undercroft which dates from the 15th century, and enjoyed a night of Welsh food and entertainment. The night started with a welcome drink in the bar of Welsh Mead (a traditional drink from medieval times). Our hosts were all dressed in traditional Welsh costume and during the night they provided the entertainment by singing traditional and contemporary songs in both English and Welsh, all accompanied by a Welsh harpist.

To see all of my photos from today, click here.

Hotel details
Park Inn Cardiff
(Kay's hotel rating - good)