Liverpool crowds

This might be my last post for a few days. Two weeks ago I signed up and handed over AU$60 for 4 weeks worth of wireless internet access through the hotel chain we are staying in. Tonight I find out that the Liverpool Premier Inn uses a different provider! I am not very happy about that as it was quite misleading and seeing as we were staying in Premier Inns for the first 3 weeks I presumed it would be consistent. So I have handed over another AU$18 for 24 hours - mainly so we can email our girls at home. So here is a little snippet of our day.

Art Deco lights at Cardiff train station

I think these birds may chime on the hour but we weren't there to witness it

Now this was a rare treat for us - the first two trips we made didn't have a

1st class carriage but today's connection did - we had the carriage to ourselves!

Views through the train window

And above: look what is right next door to our hotel - a visit is on the agenda tomorrow

And below: the view from our window

And we also plan to do a trip on a "Ferry across the Mersey"

But while walking the streets this afternoon we could not belive the crowds! We knew it was a Bank Holiday today but really?? We then discovered that this is the busiest day in Liverpool for the whole year. 120,000 people from around the country descend on the city for the annual outdoor music festival. Live bands on every corner....check out the choice from The Doors, Nervana, Bowie, Blurb, Kate Bush, Boomtown Rats, Phil Collins, Coldplay and the list goes on. But a closer look reveals all is not as it seems......sounded pretty good though!

Castell Coch (and homesick)

We've hit the wall tonight - 2 weeks on and we are a little weary and homesick. Our youngest daughter Sophie (now 26!), has just been selected (with her team), as the state hip hop champions. Now they can go on to Melbourne in November for the National championship........

Sophie is in the white top with the headband. These friends just

got together for fun because they love to dance and it has paid off.

Congratulations guys and wish we could have been there XX What a trophy!

Anyway - back to the travels.....today we explored Castell Coch. If you go to this link you can read the history and see a virtual tour http://www.wales360.co.uk/castell_coch/

A real 'fairytale castle'

The walls in the drawing room are covered in scenes from Aesop's fables....just beautiful

And still more inspiration for quilt designs taken straight from the Middle Ages

Tomorrow we will be spending most of the day travelling to Liverpool

St Fagans and Cardiff at night

We discovered that Cardiff comes alive at night.........

Even an Aussie bar and check out the size of Larry's calzone at the local Italian restaurant!

Today we spent 4 hours at St Fagans National History Museum -

thank you Kay for telling us to visit.

http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/stfagans/

This outdoor museum is home to over 30 original buildings that have been moved from different parts of Wales and re-erected to demonstrate the history of life in Wales.

It starts with a house and kitchen from 2000 years ago!

A house from the 1600's (Larry's getting a little weary!)

Medieval church interior

And we got to the stores Kay

And this is why my rear end is wider than it should be - clotted Cornish cream too!

Even a fairy has got to have a rest!

He looked straight at me - a passer by even commented and couldn't

believe the eye contact this owl made with me - amazing!

St Fagan's castle dating back to the 1500's. Unfortunately I couldn't take photos inside but I did see a patchwork quilt on one of the beds and an original William Morris wallpaper  where the generations had redecorated during the 19th century

The gardens were stunning

And the dahlias were the size of a dinner plate!

On our way back from the bus station we discovered that punk is alive and well in Cardiff

And the 2012 Olympics are on the horizon.

Cadbury's is the snack sponsor and advertising has started.

And the seagulls here are massive and check out the Welsh dragons on the planters

Cardiff Castle

What a fantastic day at Cardiff Castle and I was shocked to see on my camera I took over 150 photos!! There are many quilt designs spinning in my head...........

And we did climb to the top of the original castle

Splendid ceilings in 24 carat gold leaf

A small part of the library

Ahhhhhh....quilt designs

And more

I can see why William Morris fell in love with medieval pattern

And at the end of the day a girl has to have a bit of retail therapy.

My thanks to Tim at Curzon Fabrics; http://www.lcurzon.com.au/

 who allowed this to happen by treating me with a bonus before I left - thankyou Tim!

The clothes are an eclectic mix of vintage and just like I was wearing in the 70's - yum, yum. The label is 'White Stuff' and their logo Happiness in every stitch. Gotta love that and their other logo "put the kettle on"! Check out their website; http://www.whitestuff.com/

They have been going for 25 years - I'm probably 30 years too old but none the less I indulged in a denim skirt, vest top and butterfly necklace....

Love their bags

And check out the patchwork tiled stairs to the dressing rooms

And more shops at night

I am definitely 30 years too old for this shop but check out their

window display - 180 antique sewing machines!!

And finally a tailor with style - William Morris shirt and tie (Larry said 'no thanks')