Rebekah Lucy Loves Cardiff

When I announced my Easter weekend plans I got a lot of "why Cardiff?" I'll tell you why Cardiff. Cardiff is so much fun.

Red dragon innit.

After being cooked in a taxi and contemplating, quite seriously, whether it would be completely revolting to vomit in to my own hat, Laura and I arrived at Paddington station, met Erica and Dean, grabbed snacks and boarded the train. In backward-facing seats. For the first 85 miles. Damn it. After discussing what the 'Ch' diet would rule out (chipolatas, chips, cheese, chicken, champagne and... chavs) Laura promptly fell asleep, Dean discovered the benefits of his tray extender, and Erica and I (probably) continued to talk a lot. It's what we do.

Laura and I stayed at the Marriott for the duration and our hotel room was ace - cloudy beds for the win. I was less keen on the giant, pervy seagulls who would not get off the windowsill but it's... nice to make new friends?

Look at the size of him!

Some non-seagull friends of ours had been to Cardiff a couple of months prior and reckoned The Walkabout was the place to be. I don't have a lot of love for The Walkies in London - because they're disgusting and smell like wees, and I swear I get sick every time I go to one, but Cardiff was a totally different, pleasantly surprising story. Friday's foray spelt the beginning of a magical love affair with the place which would span the remainder of our weekend. We met Erica's Welsh blogger friend Laura (confusing, I know - especially when their surnames differ by like, one letter too), drank lots of cheap wine and shots (Bad Decision Juice tastes like... bad decisions...), scoffed some delicious bargain Bento, met a Tibetan Monk - or as he preferred to be known 'Joanna Lumley's BFF', said bye to Erica, Dean and Welsh Laura as they headed out to Newport for the eve, and... went back to The Walkabout for more cheap wine and The Shoulder Show and Ke$ha. The sound of Cardiff is a lot like the sound of your heart, which is a lot like the beat of the drum, apparently.

Much to Laura's dismay I am somewhat of an active traveller who likes to look at things and do things (and touch churches, but that's another story) and basically be a big nerd - so I was probably more excited about our Saturday excursion to Caerphilly castle than she was, but she did get to have a nap on the train so that was pretty neat I'm sure.

Professional napper.

Caerphilly Castle.

We met up with the other three for the trip, Welsh Laura acting as a bit of a public-transport navigational guide for the group. Caerphilly is a medieval castle which was built in the 13th century. Unfortunately the site is somewhat lacking in information or signage so I didn't learn a lot, although it was cool to see it anyway. And what the castle lacks in tangible learning material, it certainly makes up for in large fireplaces, holes and / or small spaces for me to climb in to, surfaces for Dean to do sexy poses atop, and... swans. Also, when I'm belting out Dallas in my bedroom these days it's nice to know I really have seen a palace in London and a castle in Wales.

Me being arty and shit inside Caerphilly Castle.

Team Cardiff. Please note Dean's sexy pose for it is very sexy.

Me in a hole of sorts.

And again. Cosy.

Erica and Dean spent Saturday night back out in Newport so it was up to Laura and I to ignore each other and waste our lives on the internet entertain each other again. After an accidental nap we went for dinner at Bill's (we love Bill's) where The Rib Incident of 2013 went down. Laura doesn't like meat which looks like meat so... that happened. Thankfully the waitress had a good sense of humour and claims we made her night. I'm not really sure what that says about life in Wales but there you have it.

The Rib Incident of 2013.

After dinner we headed back to The Walkabout, drank some cheap wine, watched young people eat each other's faces, and danced. We also made some new friends. These ones weren't seagulls. But they were a rugby team from Belgium, about a third of whom were from New Zealand or Australia - I swear you can't go anywhere without meeting another one. I remember shots, Jay-Z and Superman throwing plastic shot glasses at my head, Ke$sha, "Don't draw a cock on me... You drew a cock didn't you?", Bruno The Bus Driver, and do-si-do dancing with Avatar and Mr Flex to Cotton Eye Joe. Then it was like 4am. The end.

On Sunday I left Laura sleeping (it's what she does best) and met up with Erica and Dean for a cycle tour - I love riding a bike whenever I get the chance, although I have now learned that trying to steer with a giant handbag in the front basket is best left to the professionals. And it may also be more sensible to wear shoes which a) can be affixed to one's feet, and b) cost more than £4. We walked out to Cardiff Bay in the sunshine (win!) to meet Pol from Cardiff Cycle Tours, and spent the next three-and-a-half hours zooming around the bay, along the Taff river, through beautiful Bute park, in to Cardiff castle, through the city centre, and back out to the bay. Pol is originally from Ghent, but has lived in Cardiff with his Welsh wife for more than twenty years so he knows a lot of the history and some of the language - and he has obviously seen the city go through much of its modern transformation too.

In these stones horizons sing.

Dean and Erica (and Pol) on the move in Cardiff.

War memorial.

Scott's Antarctic Memorial, Cardiff Bay.

After a quick chill out, a re-make up of my face (up), and dinner at Wagamama (when in Rome? I don't even know?) we ended up back at The Walkabout for more cheap wine and Jager bombs. And Ke$sha. Erica was momentarily swept off her feet by a 40 year old Salsa dancer, Dean was propositioned by a younger specimen, Laura was benched by various members of the rugby team, and I... slipped over, started an impromptu round of limbo, and danced, danced, danced. When one is told to calm down by a Belgian rugby goon it is probably time to reassess one's life. Then, suddenly it was 4am again and the lights were on and I wanted my cloudy pillow.

Upside down Belgians.

Team Cardiff: The Close Up Collection.

Know what the greatest invention ever is? 12 noon hotel check outs. Also those non-crisps which look like wagon wheels are pretty good too.