More From Cardiff, Wales

If you saw my post on Cardiff Castle, you'll know we spent a good deal of time there. We were definitely ready for lunch  and it didn't take long to find a lively pub with a good menu!

Rick and I decided to split a pint and we ordered hearty lunches -- sausage and mash for him, another steak and mushroom pie for me (not quite as good as Hope and Anchor, but nothing to complain about!). 

 

We enjoyed it as the pub's television screens featured the day's cricket match on one and football (soccer) on another.

One of the treats of lunch was sitting next to a local who told Rick that if he made a pound donation to a charity at the bar, he could keep his beer glass. They not only let him keep it, but gave him a clean one. Our new friend gave Rick his bag to keep it safe.

He also suggested that we visit St. John the Baptist City Parish Church, which was just down the block from the pub. It's probably something we might not have done otherwise, and it was well worth the visit. That's one of the joys of talking to strangers. You learn new things from people who know.

The church is, apart from the castle, the only other medieval building in the city center. It was built in 1180, sacked in 1404 and rebuilt in the latter half of the 15th century, at which point it was given its bell tower. Renovations continued on the church well into the late 1800s. 

Our friends, the Bute family (of Cardiff Castle fame) were instrumental in support and the stained glass windows, dating from about 1855, refer to them. William Morris himself designed some of the windows. Unfortunately, the only photo I got of the glass is in the background ere.

The organ was built in 1894 and was restored in 2005. It was awarded a Grade One Historic Organ Certificate by the British Institute of Organ Studies as an organ of exceptional interest. I love that the column next to it indicates it is 13th century.

One thing about this church that really moved me was how very involved it seems in community life. There was an area for meeting up or conversations, a food collection area, and a bulletin board where people could write and post their prayers. 

 

And, we discovered, it served as a spot of inspiration for artists. The people you see here in the church are art students. They walked around, surveying everything carefully, then took a seat in a pew and began to draw.

It was time for us to move on. Rick lit a candle for his Aunt Beth and then we were off.

Our next destination was the Cardiff Market. It is an indoor market on the original sit of the Cardiff gaol. It opened in 1891 and was quite interesting. There are many vendors and we saw everything from fruit and vegetables to haberdashery, candy, cards, craft things, home items, ribbons, baked goods and loads of food.

There are two levels, ground floor and balcony, with individual stalls. From the photo you can see how the vendors are identified -- the signs are all the same -- by block lettering above each stall. (A few used a different font, but largely, it was consistent.)

 

Alas, we had already had our lunch, but we did buy some pasties for dinner. It seemed like the right thing to have! Then it was back to the train station!

 Our ride home was fun. We were joined by a student at Cardiff University named Elena who was headed to Bristol to celebrate her 22nd birthday with friends, who sat across the aisle. She was delightful, as curious about us and the U.S. as we were about her and the UK. For a train ride with strangers, it was a remarkably substantive conversation, ranging from daily life to politics. Then a fellow joined us in the other open seat who was a conspiracy theorist. He and Elena got into it and it was interesting to see how they approached their two points of view. 

I wish I had taken a photo!

Finally, in the comments of the last post, Deb, who lives in Wales, asked: "I'd love to know what you imagine Wales to be like especially in regards to lavishness." Hmmm. I suspect my imagination of Wales is probably more accurate than what I saw in one afternoon in Cardiff. Anytime you visit a castle or historic home, one is bound to see a more lavish style. These were the "great and the good," supposedly -- or at least the wealthiest. In my head I see Wales as more rural, more countryside, more smaller towns or villages and more charming than a city. My guess -- and it's just a guess -- is that Wales has a craggier, more mountainous and less developed countryside and a pretty large coastline.  I think it's a spot Rick might love to cycle! (Did I get close?)

(If  you missed our earlier posts about England 2024, including our visit to Cardiff Castle, you can check them out on the menu tab at the top of the blog or click here)