the best pubs, restaurants, hotels and places to visit
The WRC Rally of Great Britain hits Cardiff again this weekend. The focal point in the City has moved from Cathays Park in the centre down to the Oval Basin in Cardiff Bay.
The service park will be located in the Bay with a spectators village in the Oval Basin (Roald Dahl Plass).
The Bay is currently a hive of activity as tents, cars and stalls are being set up.
The picture shows Sébastien Loeb’s car outside the Citroen stand this afternoon. Click on the photo for a closer view.
We’ve recently had a few days in Mumbles staying at the excellent Patrick’s With Rooms hotel. Mumbles is a great place to visit – it’s right on the seafront with fantastic views right round Swansea Bay. You can promenade around the Bay for several miles if you wish.
Mumbles Village is great for just spending a few hours – it has lots of little shops, quite a few pubs and great cafés and restaurants. There’s a good children’s playground and crazy golf (just opposite Patrick’s) and the kids will love the beach at Bracelet Bay and rock-pools when the tide is out. Note: when the tide is in there’s no beach at all and be warned – the tide comes in quickly here. Check the tides here before you visit.
The Vale of Glamorgan Agricultural Show is taking place tomorrow (Wednesday 19th August 2009) @ Fonmon near Cardiff Airport. Well worth a visit and the weather forecast is looking OK as well. More info here – Vale Show
Wales seems to be the favourite place for translation fails in road signs.
Last year Swansea made a big mess-up when it came to translation of English text into the Welsh language.
Now it’s Cardiff’s turn.
This roadsign was spotted in St Mary St. in the centre of Cardiff’s busy shopping area.
The BBC reports that the sign says “pedestrians look left” in English, but that the Welsh “cerddwyr edrychwch i’r dde” translates back as “pedestrians look right”.
Maybe trying to catch the tourists out? 🙂
The Cardiff Bay Wetlands Reserve is an area of piece and quiet right in the middle of Cardiff Bay. It was formed from the salt marshes and mud flats on the edge of the Bay in front of Windsor Esplanade after the bay was permanently flooded.
There was some concern that when the Cardiff Bay barrage was built that the wildlife would all leave but the Wetlands Reserve has proved to be a popular area.
Although totally man-made it has become a haven for birds in the Bay.
It also provides a quiet place to walk or cycle just away from the hustle and bustle of the Bay.
Gareth Mason from Barry was recently the star on the Graham Norton show. Even though he’s a “big lad” he does some amazing dancing to the James Bond theme.
There was also a local piece in the local Barry newspaper where Gareth praised his old school St Richard Gwyn in Barry and specifically his drama teacher Audrey Sparks. It’s really heartening to see a prospective South Wales star praising his old school and his teacher!
Go for it Gareth, and well done Mrs Sparks!!!!
Here’s Gareth’s appearance on Youtube –
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zBQ8waLkYc