By Cynthia Dial for JustLuxe.com
What do Catherine Zeta
Jones, castles and zip lining have in common? If you answer Wales, you’re right.
Wales is the birthplace of
actress Zeta Jones; home to more castles per square mile than anywhere on
earth; the country of Europe’s longest, highest and fastest zip wire and the
land of my recent visit.
“We’ve crossed the River Severn,
so I can officially say ‘Croeso i Gymru,’ Welcome to Wales,” greeted our guide,
less than three hours after my arrival into Heathrow. Changes seemed gradual
during our journey from the UK capital. On approach to Great Britain’s westernly
country, we see just a few of its natural aesthetics – rolling hills, the faint
silhouettes of mountains and a scattering of sheep (only a sampling of the
country’s 14 million). But the mother tongue, Welsh, is readily apparent in the
bi-lingual signage appearing like surround sound. Spoken by about 20 percent of
its people, a linguistic perk for visitors is the 24/7 exposure to such terms
as cas or castell (castle), afon
(river) and cwm (valley).
At first glance Wales seems
an intriguing balance of contrasts: its national flag is a fiery red dragon,
its national flower is the delicate daffodil, its national sport is the rugged
game of rugby and the March 1 birthday of its patron saint, St David, is a countrywide
celebration. Though smaller than the state of New Jersey, Wales’s superlatives
are larger than life. The Royal Mint is the world’s oldest company (Guinness
Book of Records), its narrow-gauge railway is earth’s oldest, the Swansea-to-Mumbles
passenger train line is the world’s first and Welsh inventions include radar,
the radio, portable phones and the equals (=) sign.
Wales’s plant life and
wildlife are equally impressive. With three national parks and seven RSPB
(Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), the tiny nation features more than
30 species of butterflies, almost 1,000 breeding pairs of the once-near-extinct
red kite bird, thousands of orchid-blanketed meadows and approximately 16,000
puffins on the country’s sister islands of Skomer and Skokholm.
Cardiff is the epicenter of
activity. Curiously glamour-resistant, Wales’s capital city showcases the
country’s rich past and vibrant present. Serving up such icons as Cardiff
Castle, Millennium Centre and the Millennium Stadium – with an event calendar
to rival any European capital – the city is full of cultural, recreational and
culinary possibilities. To become best acquainted with Cardiff, begin at its
castle. Projecting more than 2,000 years of history with its collection of
towers and turrets, this former Roman fort was occupied until 1947. “Cardiff
revolves around it,” said a resident of this ancient home to many royal
families. Today’s beloved landmark belongs to its people, with all locals
issued entrance cards (aka keys to the castle).
Pleasures of the pedestrian
abound in Cardiff. Here’s a peek of a walkabout. Its day begins at Cardiff
Market, an old-style, glass-roofed arcade with fresh seafood, local produce and
baked goods (specialties include Welsh cakes) . . . alongside haircuts, watch repairs
and pet rabbits. You’ll pass Cardiff City Hall and its clock tower. National
Museum Cardiff tells 4.5 million years of Welsh history through the world’s
largest collection of Welsh pottery and features one of Europe’s finest art
collections. Inspired by the country’s landscape and raw materials, Millennium
Centre arts and cultural venue is glass and slate, with a bronze-colored
wave-like roof and a bi-lingual phrase massively displayed above its entrance.
Unmistakably Welsh, it’s so architecturally balanced, it seems the flawless
strand of pearls. Described “acoustically perfect,” Andrew Lloyd Webber
considers its theatre the best to be built in 50 years. The quintessentially
complete Welsh farewell would include a rugby or football match at Millennium
Stadium, UK’s only arena with a retractable roof.
Cardiff’s restaurants equally beckon. Chapel 1877 (a church built in the year
of its name) is a luxurious, multi-level, fine-dining restaurant, where a seat
near the railing of its top tier is a premium one. Clink, an outside-the-walls
prison restaurant staffed by inmates, continually tops Cardiff’s list of most
popular eateries.
Slow down, take a deep
breath and it gets better. Though two of the nation’s three million in
population live in Cardiff, Swansea and Newport, outside the cities, it is pure
country. Far from the tourist track, the air is sharper, crisper, cleaner; and in
contrast to Cardiff, moves at a decaffeinated pace.
Here’s only part of the
rundown.
Among 600-plus castle
choices, Carreg Cennan Castle is a Welsh favorite. Reached by trekking a
relatively steep trail alongside a herd of sheep to the hilltop citadel, you’ll
possibly be the sole visitor. Your reward: a 360-degree view from the fortification,
the same lookout its once-upon-a-time residents coveted.
Overlooking the River Tywi, Llandelilo
is renowned for its colorful side-by-side, palette-like assortment of buildings.
While the churchyard sits at one end of town’s King Street, among its red,
blue, lavender and yellow structures are clothing boutiques, specialty shops,
cafes and taverns. Heavenly is known for its chocolate brownies, Toast for the
clothing, Peppercorn has cookery and the White Horse Tavern is the local
version of Cheers.
Called “the strangest town
in Wales” by native son Dylan Thomas, Laugharne has changed little in 50 years.
It’s where the author-poet lived when writing “Under Milk Wood” and is said to
be the inspiration for the fictional town Llareggub (backward it spells
“buggerall,” which translates to ‘nothing at all’). Described as “stepping back
into a simpler, slower time,” the best way to emulate a day in the life of Dylan
Thomas is with a drink at Brown’s Hotel. My choice: Merlyn, a Welsh cream
liqueur, sipped near the fireplace while surrounded by Thomas memorabilia.
Located in southwest Wales,
the county of Pembrokeshire touts Britain’s only coastal national park – one
that passes through 58 beaches, 14 harbors and the UK’s smallest city, St.
Davids. Traveling along narrow, cliff-top paths, running over the headlands and
sometimes down to the sea – every view postcard perfect – I felt like Morgan
Freeman should be narrating my short portion of the 186-mile trail. Our
destination, St Davids, revealed a tiny, cozy, comfortable town, complete with specialty
shops, art galleries and tea rooms. But it is St Davids Cathedral (one of
Britain’s oldest) that is its most popular draw, with pilgrims and visitors alike.
Photos by Cynthia Dial
Chocolate lovers shouldn’t
bypass Wickedly Welsh Chocolate in Haverfordwest (Pembrokeshire). Greeted with
a cup of freshly melted chocolate, owner Mark Owen guides chocoholics to their
best choice – from a Penderyn Whisky truffle to the ever-popular
Strawberries-and-Cream bar to Smugglers Spice (the rum, raisin, dark chocolate winner
of the Taste of Pembrokeshire).
Happily secluded in Pembrokeshire’s
Porthgain is the Sloop Inn. Known for regional ales, nautical memorabilia and
its PFA (Porthgain Fisherman’s Association) Members-Only Table, this is the
type of haunt that conjectures thoughts of foggy nights and weary sailors. It’s
where I sipped cold cider and ate fish pie as a recording of Welsh-born Tom
Jones’s “It’s Not Unusual” played in the background.
Should you go: Train travel
via RailEurope is the effortless transport from Wales’s major cities to London.
What do Dylan
Thomas, St David and Merlyn have in common? If you answer Wales, you’re right.
#travel #traveltips #travelpics #travelingcynthia #wales
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