Seeking solace, I traveled to Cardiff, the capital of Wales, often referred to as a foreign land within the UK. March 2023【86】

I took Monday off and went on a 3-day, 2-night trip from London to Cardiff.

I didn't have much time to research in advance, but I felt there was limited up-to-date information about Cardiff. I hope this can be useful for those planning to visit in the future.

I had been busy for days and was looking for a place rich in nature to relax when I found Cardiff.

I booked the tickets on the Friday before the trip.

The Saturday train from London to Cardiff was severely limited due to the strike.

I headed to Paddington station from home and waited for the train departing at 12 o'clock.

Until about 10 minutes before departure, it wasn't decided which platform the train would arrive on.

Once the train arrived and passengers disembarked, I could board without showing my ticket.

As scheduled, I left Paddington station and reached Cardiff in about 2 hours, taking the GWR train.

At Cardiff Central station, I was able to exit smoothly by scanning the QR code on my purchased ticket.

I had about an hour until check-in at my accommodation, so I took a walk around the city while looking for a place to eat lunch.

Having been in London for a long time, even the everyday scenery felt refreshing.

My accommodation was near Grange Town station, which is one stop away from Cardiff Central.

Out of the few eateries that were open, I entered the one with the most customers.

After entering, I realized it was a ramen shop called MATSUDAI.

I was surprised that my first meal in Cardiff was Japanese food. Nevertheless, since I was hungry, I ordered pork bone ramen.

I was genuinely surprised by the authentic and delicious ramen.

It tasted better than the ramen I had tried several times in London.

The staff were friendly and attentive, which made sense given how busy the place was.

After eating, I went to my accommodation to drop off my luggage and then headed to the downtown area.

It's only one stop from Grange Town to Cardiff Central, but walking takes about 15 minutes, so I decided to take the train.

I was surprised by the unmanned ticket gate and tried to purchase a ticket.

First, I switched to English, selected the destination and number of people, and then made a contactless payment to get the ticket.

By the way, there were machines similar to the contactless gates in London nearby, but they didn't accept Oyster cards.

While waiting for the train, I looked around and noticed the absence of tall buildings. It was truly peaceful.

I returned to Cardiff Central and headed towards the City Center.

Being a Saturday, the place was bustling with tourists and locals.

Walking north, I arrived at the castle.

I had no particular plans, so I decided to explore the castle.

A dragon greeted me at the entrance.

Perhaps because of the late hour, I couldn't get too close, so I admired the castle from a distance.

Past the castle, a park sprawled out. I enjoyed a walk through nature before heading back to the busy streets.

After wandering through arcades and shopping centers, I was exhausted. I grabbed dinner and headed back to my accommodation.

For dessert after dinner, I had Welsh cakes, which were delicious!

It reminded me of Scottish shortbread with raisins, but softer and round. It wasn't overly sweet, so I easily finished the entire bag.

It's the second day of my trip to Cardiff.

The night before, I had researched some tourist spots. I started my day by walking to them.

The sky was mostly cloudy, but there were patches of blue. For the UK, it was quite a good day.

After a 30-minute walk, I reached Cardiff Bay.

Red-brick buildings and rides resembling Ferris wheels stand out.

In the quaint bay, several yachts float, and time seems to move slowly.

After strolling around the bay, I walked back to Cardiff Central.

It was lunchtime, so I took a break at a café.

The staff at this café were very friendly.

While taking a break with a sandwich and coffee, I looked for the next sightseeing spot.

Upon learning that I could get there by train, I set off to buy some desserts in time.

I bought three types of freshly baked Welsh cakes from a store named "Fabulous."

While the ones from the supermarket I had the previous day were delicious, these fresh ones felt even more delectable, having a soft and crumbly texture.

While munching on the move, I returned to the station and bought a ticket from the machine.

By selecting the destination station "Kelphi," the amount was displayed. After making a contactless payment, my ticket was issued.

At the gate, I scanned the QR code on the ticket, boarded a two-car train to Kelphi, and departed.

The journey took about 30 minutes.

Many tourists seemed to get off the train as well.

A staff member checked my ticket on the train, but there was no particular check at Kelphi station, and I exited the gate without any issues.

After about a 10-minute walk from the station, I arrived at Kelphi Castle.

It's the largest castle in Wales, floating on a lake.

Just walking towards the entrance along the outer moat gets you excited.

After passing through the gate and walking a bit, there's an exhibit resembling a dragon's nest.

You can enter the castle for free, and you're free to explore inside.

It's made of piled stones, and as you get closer, you can feel its age.

In the courtyard-like area, families were enjoying their meals like picnics, walking their dogs, and savoring peaceful moments.

The weather was good, and from a higher vantage point, I could overlook the cityscape of Celfi.

After touring inside for about an hour, I took a look from a slightly farther distance.

The castle, standing in the middle of a vast lake, differs slightly from Japanese moats in height but was majestic.

I returned to Cardiff Central again by train.

I had some time before my next bus departure, which I had decided upon on the train, so I wandered around the city.

I killed about 30 minutes and then boarded the intended bus.

I informed the driver of my destination stop, but he said he wouldn't stop there, which made me panic.

Upon further discussion, he agreed to drop me off at a nearby stop.

To get a bus ticket, I told the driver my destination, made a contactless payment, and got the ticket.

When I boarded, I was the only passenger.

Around 20 minutes later, several passengers started to complain in unison that we were on the wrong route.

The driver admitted he was unfamiliar with this route and had made a mistake. He ended up adjusting the route with the help of the passengers, which was quite amusing.

When we finally reached the intended bus stop, it was about 10 minutes before the last admission time for the tourist spot I wanted to visit, so I ran.

After dashing up the mountain path, I finally reached Coch Castle.

It's said to be the most beautiful castle in Wales.

When I tried to pay the entrance fee at the gate, they asked me if I was sure since there were only 30 minutes left until closing.

Inside the castle, I was free to explore, and it was rather quaint.

Beautiful decorations and furniture reproducing the times, every room is full of highlights.

As it was just before closing, there were no other tourists, allowing me to explore in peace.

Being in the mountains, all I could hear were the sounds of animals and the wind.

Looking at the stone architecture and the beautiful red color, I felt a surreal sensation.

Having looked around, I left the castle and returned to the bus stop.

There were hardly any shops nearby, so I sat and waited for about 20 minutes for the bus.

Cardiff Central Station, which had become dark by the time I returned.

I casually bought dinner and Welsh cakes at the supermarket, ate them in bed, and that was the end of my second day.

Morning of the last day.

In the drizzling rain, I walked from my accommodation to a cafe.

I ordered an English breakfast and coffee.

It tasted just as it looked.

I packed my bags and headed to Cardiff Central again.

I killed time until my train back.

I learned about Cardiff's history at the museum.

At the Cardiff Market, I bought a large quantity of Welsh cakes.

It rained only on the last day, but it felt very UK-like, adding to the experience.

I took the GWR back and returned to Paddington in London in 2 hours.

Compared to London, Cardiff is generally quiet and time flows slowly. I'd like to come back for a day trip and relax again.

Next time I visit, I plan to research the cuisine and tourist spots in advance.

HP:https://www.visitcardiff.com/

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