Where is the English Summer?

Our journey to Cardiff yesterday took 2-3 hours by train. All day it was rain, rain, rain and it so cold - we are in our jumpers and jacket but the locals are in shorts and thongs. 15 degrees is warm to them but cold to us!! Today has been cold and grey but never-the-less we spent 7 hours exploring...........

We set out on foot and were glad some of the signs had translations!

Love that Welsh dragon - its everywhere! Now don't get homesick Kay (X)

City Hall - this cultural square was full of the most beautiful architecture

Alexandra Gardens - the above memorial is

dedicated to the 55,000 Welsh people who

lost their lives in World War 1 and 2

Exquisite gardens

After walking for an hour we thought

we should take the obligatory city

sightseeing bus. Very cold up the top though!

These tours are good value and it was wonderful to have the

mysterious circle of stones solved for us. We had seen them in

the Friary Gardens and there was no explanation to be

found. So this snap is from the bus and we were to learn that it was

formed in 1899 to commemorate the first eisteddfod - performance gathering.

Something that we have followed at home for years with our girls participating in the local Rock eisteddfods - and to think it all started in Wales!

The bus took us to Cardiff Bay - this is the Millennium Centre

and guess what you can see here in a few months Faye!!

The we took a ferry around the bay. This has been

reclaimed - previously the high tidal movement

left it as ugly mud flats.It is now controlled

by locks and has been transformed into

a beautiful natural water harbour.

Children in a regatta

No translation required!

It's the long summer school holidays in the UK at the moment

so lots on for the kids............not much 'Summer' though!!

And finally Mum teaching the young ones to look for food.

Tomorrow we are looking forward to Cardiff Castle