29th July 2017 - Cardiff to Luton to London to Windsor with many hours at Australia House

Saturday 29^th July 2017

Back in Windsor…

51 degrees 27.515N

0 degrees 36.484W

The view from the 9th floor

So…we left Caridiff and made our way to Luton on two trains, then found our tiny airbnb studio on the 9^th floor of The Hatbox.

The Luton Retro Cafe

We had chosen to stay the night there so we would be ready bright and early to go to the airport and fly to Florence.  But, not so much… As we were packing to leave Pete went pale.  Where was his passport?  Where o where indeed… Missing in action!

We went to the airport anyway, hoping they would let him onto the plane with a laminated card showing his passport details But…not so much….

So…back into Luton, back into London, much palaver at Australia House.

A plane flying over Windsor

And then back to Windsor, where Pete’s dear cousin Judith made us very welcome.  (Again…)  She wasn’t at home, and we were by then very hungry.  I had eaten a roll in the morning at Luton airport, but Pete was running on empty.  So…Italian food!  If we couldn’t be in Italy, we could eat mare pizza and pesto pasta at Viva l’Italia!

The next day…back on the Windsor-Paddington train with the hundreds of thousands of commuters.  The good thing about getting on in Windsor is…you get a seat!

Pete had to be at Australia House at 9.40 on the dot – they are very detail-driven and security conscious.  They are also very kind and efficient!  We had to be back at 3.15 – they just MIGHT have a temporary replacement passport for him by then.

I had two things on my London list – Harrods, and Highgate Cemetery.

We spent many hours wandering around Harrods.  It is huge, and extremely lavish.

With a large gilded stature of Diana and Dodi, astonishing in its naffness…

Pete made lots of new friends. 

Admiring the racks of lamb

Checking out the Lego display.

I was astounded by the room upon room of fancy designer evening wear.

We walked many kilometres!

And then…we caught tube trains to Highgate, which is a very solid, pleasant area, high on a hill overlooking the centre of London.  Quite a long walk to the cemetery…and then it was 2.15… Hmmm… Before I bought tickets to get in, I very wisely asked the attendant whether we had time to go and and still get back to London by 3.15.  Well….not so much!!

Didn't get into Highgate Cemetery but we did see a house in the ground with very tall charming chimney pots

So….back on the trains, and a fairly long gallop up the Strand, back to Aldwych, back to Australia House.  Where Pete got his passport and was very happy, if just a bit poorer – 500 pounds for the replacement document!

But he is much happier, and was filled with joy to find a chewing gum recycling station in Slough station.  Today will be a less strenuous day and tomorrow – Tuscany!

26th July 2017 - Cardiff - Castell Koch - Caerphilly Castle - Llancaiach Mawr Manor

Wednesday 26^th July 2017

Cardiff

Today is our last morning in beautiful Wales.  At midday we are catching a train to Paddington and then to Luton, where we are staying in an airbnb studio apartment.  This is because…Pete got cheap tickets to Italy..  From Luton…It will all be an adventure!

Pete and Pete

We have been having many Welsh adventures, with our kind hosts, Pete and Maggie.

Marguerite and Margaret

On Monday we went to the Royal Welsh Show, possibly the biggest show in the UK.  It was quite a long way – two hours, driving through the beautiful Brecon Beacons.

But worth it!

We saw so many sheep!

Nifty sheep display

Golden ones

Black ones

Speckledy ones

And a marvellous variety of sheep called the Jacob, a hardy number, with four horns!

In the main arena we watched an amazing horse performer, Alonzo, from France, who must have been a horse whisperer.   He had twelve beautiful horses careering around the arena with him, ten of them untethered.  He stood on two horses, side by side and galloped, jumped, pirouetted.  Fabulous!

And then it was the Kangaroo Kid from *cough* Australia who did some fairly lame stunts on a quad bike and then fell from mid-air with a sickening thump.  He had his mike on and we could hear gurgles and groans…

…quad bike stuntman will be back wowing the Royal Welsh crowds today just hours after a shocking crash which left his team fearing for his life. Kangaroo Kid, aka Matt Coulter, 47, dislocated a shoulder, bit his tongue and bruised his ribs in a terrifying fall in front of…

I have just googled this; he is, clearly, OK and ready to go again!  Glad I won’t be there to watch, and listen…

Glorious green forest

Yesterday Maggie went to work and Pete B took us on a magical mystery tour.

First the Fairytale Castle, Castell Koch, not far from the city.  It was restored in the early 1900s and is a magnificent folly. 

The Marquis of Bute, a great benefactor to Wales, and in his day the richest man in the world, took on the project for his own entertainment, along with a very talented architect, Burges.  They only stayed there for a night or two…had forgotten to include guest quarters and a few other minor necessities. 

But it is glorious nonetheless.

The bedroom walls are lined with lovely Aesops Fables paintings

Next stop Caerphilly Castle, the second largest castle in Britain after Windsor.

Leaning tower with fake dragon!

It has a frantically leaning tower, more leaning than Pisa, but it is not likely to topple – has been this way since Cromwell’s men tried to knock it down many centuries ago!

Pete saved the best till last – a beautiful old manor house called Llancaiach Mawr.  The house itself is very interesting but the best thing was the presentation!  We were greeted an taken on a tour by by three servants, one after the other.  The first, the still-room maid, was good; the second was excellent, and the third, the steward was fabulous.  He had the five of us totally entranced and amused.  I would love to take school-age children there; I imagine they would be totally enthralled.

We were going to take Pete and Maggie out to dinner but…Pete had marinated chicken fillets before we left, and the lovely Thomas neighbours (Sue, Carolyn, David, Malcolm,) were on their way so…we had another beautiful summer evening at home in Rhiwbena!

It is now 10am and – OH NO!!! – Pete is fast asleep, groaning faintly… I very much hope he doesn’t have the malady which overtook me for my first two weeks in the UK…He isn’t coughing so maybe there is hope!!