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Photo Album - Cardiff, the City

Cardiff is very proud of its magnificent new Stadium. Right in the heart of the city, it is built on the site of the old 'Arms Park' and what was the former Empire pool. Right by it is the River Taff which like so many U.K. rivers nowadays runs much cleaner than in years gone by; I have seen salmon from one of the city centre bridges. Millstad1.jpg (15890 bytes)
   

Even in February, the setting of the stadium, with its walkways alongside the (salmon bearing!) river Taff. It makes a dramatic statement with its inspired architecture.

There are some panoramic pictures of the stadium here.

more views taken from different places on different days...

This in November 2005

Another imposing structure nearby which has been around for somewhat longer, Cardiff Castle is right in the centre of the city. Parts of it go back to Roman times, but much of it was built with money from the 'black gold' of South Wales during the 18th and 19th Centuries: coal.
Cardiff-Castle.jpg (83187 bytes) In the 18th century, Cardiff Castle looked like this as viewed from the North West. I guess this viewpoint would have been somewhere along North Road.

The stone carved animals adorn the top of the wall at the front of the castle grounds.
It is a very interesting tour around the building, well worth doing. There is a lot of ostentatious decoration which just has to be seen to be believed. It is currently undergoing extensive renovation, but is still open to the public.

Like all good castles, it has a keep. It is situated at the southern end of a long finger of parkland which extends several miles to the north to Llandaff, which, having it's own Cathedral, is also a city.

Just outside, one can take an open topped bus tour of the city; always a good way, I find, to get to know a place.

Cardiff has many fascinating arcades, which as well as being the home of many interesting shops, is also a good way of keeping out of the rain whilst traversing the city on foot!

A delightful old Victorian pub looking onto another major building development.

 Here's the entrance to the Wyndham Arcade, built, it says, in 1847.

 

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 Hayes Island is somewhat overshadowed by St. Davids Hall, Cardiff's premiere Concert Hall Venue. The Hayes Island snack bar has been there forever or so it seems, and always has customers eating or drinking outside, whatever the weather.

There's no escaping the name of the local brew!

Or the national language of Wales.

 

A couple of blocks away is the Cardiff International Arena (C.I.A.) which is much bigger, but not as appropriate for your classical music.

It hosts many exhibitions and conferences.

 

 cia.jpg (42145 bytes) Taken one June day in 2004. Looking north. You can get a glimpse of the cities magnificent public buildings.

This magnificent photograph showing Cardiff as though from the air, was taken by Ray Anderson a fellow photographer who took the shot from the very top of the Pearl Assurance building.

One September day, I got an even higher view of the capital: 3000 feet in a Warrior II aeroplane. A couple of aerial pics of Cardiff here to wet your appetite. The other pictures can be seen  here.
 

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