I mean… why not turn This Time One Month Ago into a little series, right??
Here’s how Friday, 19 June shook down in Cardiff, Wales, for our little family.
A Slow Morning
First up, a walk to nursery with Rachel.
It was delightful because watching toddler twins throw sticks into little streams and jump over cracks in the sidewalk is perfectly adorable.
On our way back toward home, Rachel and I stopped by a farmers’ market for coffee to go. We found a bench near the park and savoured our delicious caffeinated beverages and chatted for about an hour.
Rachel said it was the best local coffee, and it was SO good. The company was top-notch, too 🙂
Despite being in Cardiff for several weeks, we’d STILL never made it down to the waterfront. Cardiff felt like two distinct zones—the city center and Cardiff Bay—and it was a bit of a faff to get from one to the other.
Still, the waterfront was at the top of my Must Visit list.
By this point, almost four months into adventuring with the kids, we were all running on fumes. I had originally planned to take the whole family along, but John suggested the two of us go on our own.
That was 100% the best option.
Belle and Indy got to hang out with Rachel and the twins, and they were happy to have a break from exploring for the day. From the pictures, at least, it appears that Clara and Aubrey approved of their playmates; fun was had by all in Rachel’s back garden.
Belle wanted to smuggle the twins into our luggage and bring them back to Canada. They are adorable and have such fun, spunky personalities.
While my kids were chasing Rachel’s kids…
A Kid-Free Afternoon in Penarth
John and I took the train to Penarth!
I had wanted to see the famous pier there, but on our way from the train station, I spotted a free gallery.
This was the precise moment I realized John had been right about leaving our kids elsewhere.
I love popping into things I happen to notice along the way—bonus points if they’re free!—and this is something the kids would have done with grumpy spirits.
Turner House was originally created by local art collector James Pyke Thompson, who built a little gallery in the corner of his garden so he could share part of his collection with the public.
It was all very spacious and modern and made for a great air-conditioned stop.
Next up: Penarth Pier and Pavilion.
This is a Victorian pier that stretches out into the Severn Estuary and has a cool Art Deco pavilion at the entrance. It was a beautiful day, and we had great views from the pier.
There’s a restaurant on-site and a few little ice cream shops nearby.
Indy would not have approved of this message! No fishing???
Walking From Penarth to Cardiff Bay
From Penarth, we walked back toward Cardiff Bay.
It’s a trek (as the crow flies it doesn’t look too far, but there were a lot of winding streets—and hills!—to navigate). Eventually, you get to a great pedestrian path connecting the two areas across the Cardiff Bay Barrage.
Along the way, we stopped at the giant crocodile and a funky bench designed to look like a Roald Dahl book.
The crocodile was inspired by The Enormous Crocodile and installed as part of the celebrations marking the centenary of Dahl’s birth. (Dahl was born in Cardiff to Norwegian parents and was baptized in the Norwegian Church, if you were wondering about the connection!)
Captain Scott and the Terra Nova Expedition
We also came across a great display explaining Cardiff’s connection to Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s ill-fated expedition to the South Pole.
The Terra Nova sailed from Cardiff on 15 June 1910. There was so much support for the expedition in Wales that Cardiff was designated the ship’s home port.
Scott and four companions eventually reached the South Pole, only to discover that Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen had arrived first. All five men died during the return journey.
It was tragic and also fascinating. This display board was so informative and engaging. Again, the kids would not have been nearly as impressed…
A little farther along, we reached the Scott Memorial.
It’s a very cool mosaic sculpture.
The opening through the center is meant to represent an ice cavern.
Exploring Cardiff Bay
From there, we could see the Pierhead Building.
In addition to being gorgeous, the Pierhead played an important role in Cardiff’s industrial history. It opened in 1897 as the headquarters of the Cardiff Railway Company and was at the heart of the city’s docks.
Fun fact: the world’s first million-pound cheque was written at the nearby Coal Exchange and then kept in a safe at the Pierhead. (Coal was such a huge part of Welsh identity and the economic output; of course, I thought of our trip to Big Pit!)
Wedding pictures would be stunning in front of this building!
The interior is free to visit, and there are some really interesting displays about the history of Cardiff Bay and Wales.
Next up was the Wales Millennium Centre.
We went inside for a look around. It’s the national arts centre for Wales and a major hub for musicals, concerts and theatre productions, but it also has a huge public gathering space where people can work or hang out.
(It reminded me a bit of Oodi Library in Finland.)
Visiting the Senedd
Then we went into the Senedd, home of the Welsh Parliament.
It felt a bit like being inside a giant mushroom! The incredible ceiling and enormous central funnel are covered in Western red cedar from… Canada!!
I had to laugh at this book in the gift shop! Teach Your Dog Welsh. I think teaching Welsh to any non-human would be the least of my concerns, seeing as how I don’t know ANY words in Welsh myself.
The Senedd is also free to enter. There was a basic security check to go through, but after that we were able to wander around the public areas, look down toward the debating chamber, and enjoy some excellent views of Cardiff Bay.
It was very cool to be able to explore such an important government building so freely.
Cardiff City Center and Rosa’s Thai
We eventually walked back into the heart of Cardiff and wandered through several of the shopping arcades. John hadn’t visited them before, and they’re such a distinctive part of the city center.
We ended the night at Rosa’s Thai.
It had rave reviews online and lived up to every one of them. The food was SO good.
And that was Friday, 19 June in Cardiff! I’ll be back tomorrow with what happened on the 20th…
More Cardiff and South Wales Adventures
Planning a trip to Cardiff or exploring more of South Wales? Here are a few more of our Welsh adventures:
- Cardiff Catchall: Roath Park, National Museum Cardiff + Time with Rachel!
- Visiting Caerphilly Castle and Castell Coch
- An Adventure in Wales: Visiting Big Pit National Coal Museum with Rachel
Your Turn
- How many languages do you speak (relatively fluently)?
- Roald Dahl books—yes or no?
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What a lovely day! Cool things to explore, dinner with husband, kids happily occupied. Win for Wales!
I speak one language ( English) ; all my years of French studies never had me fluent in speaking. I also speak math, the language of the sciences… can I get partial credit?
Roald Dahl- I like some, find others of his tiresome. I think Matilda is my favorite.
Looking forward to more about your adventures!
This sounds like a win for everyone. I definitely think you enjoyed this day without the kids much more than you would have with them along. And I’m sure Rachel’s kids were thrilled to have big kid playmates (gah! Those little girls in their matching outfits!!!!)
Your photos are beautiful, and it looks like the weather was lovely. Looking forward to the next day…