Caerdydd, The Return!

You'll have to forgive me, I'm still a little excited. You see I am going back to my native Cardiff! Banshee and Undead Medic are attending the annual "Torchwood Forum Meet-up" we are going to see some wonderful Welsh sights. :-)

I have checked my bag thirty-four times already, I don't want to leave anything behind.

Anyway I better try and sleep now.

We are leaving on the train for Cardiff with our friend Selana from Dortmund in Germany, this morning, yawn. I'm still a little asleep. Will have some lovely coffee, Mmmmm!

These train things are quite perplexing for Dragons, ordinarily I would just fly to Cardiff, but I didn't want to appear antisocial. The first thing I noticed was the lack of a pricing structure for Dragons, we go for free it seems. Oh well.

We pulled into Cardiff Central and I was already feeling at home, a strange feeling of warmth was descending upon me, I like Cardiff, Cardiff is good.

After dropping the luggage in the hotel we had some time to kill before check-in so we headed to Nandos for a Chicken-B-Cue... Yummy! and a walk round the docks.

After check-in we headed off back into the centre for a look around. Banshee saw a cute little Adipose in the window of Forbidden Planet and resisted the temptation to buy it, saying that she would see how the budget was doing by the end of the weekend.

So we crossed the road to have a look in the Castle shop (A proper castle, not like Blaise!) as Selana wanted to find a gift for her son. We hadn't been in there long when we made a friend, His name is Rhys the Green Dragon, and Banshee has decided that he is coming home with us! He was all alone in the shop and seemed quite friendly.

Rhys The Dragon

We left the castle with Rhys and went for a walk around the centre, with Banshee pointing out some of the Torchwood locations as we went. We had decided to go for something called "Tapas" for dinner (Sounded like a pick & mix sheep pig and fish-B Cue to me)

Rhys and Myself

Dinner was great, and Rhys and I shared a something called "Churros" with Banshee & Undead Medic, it was great after all of the fishy meaty delights we'd had before. We had Chorizo (Which I was introduced to by a Spanish lady Dragon I met many years ago), Calamares (What Meep calls "Rubber bands") Costillas, (Pork Ribs) Croquettas De Pollo, (Chicken Croquettes), Patatas Bravas (Potatoes in a spicy tomato saucy thing) Pan De Barra Catalan (Bready Dippy Thingie), Aceitunas Mixtas (Olives),Melón Galia Y Jamón Serrano (Melon with Serrano Ham) and Selana had the Crema Catalana (Custardy brulée thingie) before we all had liqueurs. Crema Catalana Liqueur & Cuarenta Y Tres, save it to say that Banshee and Undead Medic's diets were on hold!

Hmmm, Chocolate Soup!

I was left feeling a little bloated by dinner, but it was lovely. I was quite relieved when we headed back through the building Friday night chaos to the hotel and my *ahem* big comfy bed (seen below) up early tomorrow for more 'Woody shenanigans!

Blaise *ahem* Castle

Where to start? Well for one when i found out I was to be taken to a place called "Blaise Castle" I imagined something a little more grandiose than the turretlet I was presented with. I've seen a few castles in my time and this was somewhat diminutive in its stature.

I was accompanied once again by Banshee and Undead Medic as they like to be called here. We arrived at a car-park adjacent to a play area that was teeming with potential Teddy-abusers, A.K.A Kids. Luckily I was spared the indignation of torn seams and leaky stuffing by the fact that we headed straight for the nearby hill, atop which, I was duly informed stood the "Castle" itself.

What a long hike for a picnic! Banshee almost got us lost but we soon found our way thanks to my Dragon-like skills of navigation.

By the time we sat down the sky was looking distinctly grey, we waited for Our fellow diners to join us we had just about enough time once they arrived to have our lunch before it beagan to rain.

We repaired to the shelter of the now open turretlet. and were informed of its previous lavish interior which was singed (By one of my relatives no doubt) sometime in the last century.
The view from the top must have been pretty good in the days before the trees grew up around the tower, I could see my native Wales, *sniff* and both Severn Bridges.

We took in the view for a while before beginning the walk back down to the car-park and our awaiting charriot.

I must say that with all this rain malarkey it is good that I haven't yet got my suits, as they would need a good Dry-Cleaning by now.