Cardiff Wales

Monday 10th October

We were on the bus by 7 am today and very sleepily set off again. It was still dark so there was nothing to see for the first half hour or so. We made good timing and got to Rosslare harbour and joined the Isle of Inishmore, slightly smaller than our first ferry but still a decent size. This was a four and a half hour trip and there were some very green coloured travellers, but having had some ginger root and with positive thinking, we managed okay.

We arrived at Pembroke in Wales and we exited quickly and set out for Cardiff, stopping first to look at Pembroke Castle where Henry I was born. He was the first Tudor king. Pembroke is where William the Conqueror trained up his long bowed archers, the deadliest ever at that time. The farms seem to have mainly hedgerow fences rather than the stone fences of Ireland. The name Wales actually comes from the Saxon word for stranger and ‘taffies’ as they are sometimes called are named after the river Taff. Wales has more castles than any other place, many now in a state of disrepair.

After booking into our hotel in Cardiff, we had a quick walk around before getting ready for dinner at the Blue Haven Inn which has been going since 1380 . At the Inn we were entertained by a lovely Welsh lass named Amanda Whiting, an internationally recognised harpist and had another three course meal. The helpings were very generous. This was Grandma’s dream, to visit Wales and hear their national instrument, the harp being played. She would have loved this night and I am glad I got the chance to fulfil one of her dreams.