Debkakes in the UK 2022

Travels in Wales, Scotland, and England

02. Settling In: The Castle, The Market, A Movie, and The Pub

Castles. It’s what you do in Wales. That and a pub meal were my main goals for Day 2.

It was fun to get up and not have a huge agenda for the day. It got light REALLY early (around 4:30 AM), but I’d gotten enough sleep and was keen to explore a little. Enjoying coffee and a little morning conversation with Derek was a good way to start.

Cardiff Castle is the first of several castles along my journey. The Romans built a fort on this ground around 50 AD. Then the Normans routed the Romans and built the impressive 12-sided Keep in the 13th Century.

The palace apartments were built in the 18th Century, and while I’m not usually a fan of fussy aristocratic stuff — the amazing creativity and workmanship of these rooms kind of blew my mind. So many folks were rushing through, and I couldn’t tear myself away from the details – especially all the fun animal spirits everywhere!

Hornbill beetle and beautiful keyhole design

There were unpleasant doin’s in the Black Tower. Grisly death, to be specific.

Derek recommended the enclosed market, so I went there and enjoyed some lunch and a wander through the stalls.

Well before I arrived in Cardiff, I knew I wanted to see the movie, “The Northman,” by one of my favorite directors, Robert Eggers (The Witch, The Lighthouse). I had the theater mostly to myself. Enjoyed 100% — I’d been watching “Vikings” and of course was preparing to go to an historical Viking-settled land, so kind of a no-brainer. And I did enjoy every blood-soaked frame of it. Eggers makes films you can smell.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been to a movie theater, but I don’t recall condom machines being a feature of the bathroom experience.

After a bit of a nap, I was determined to enjoy a pub meal, which I did, very much, at The Grange! A pint whilst I wrote my thoughts. Then took a roundabout walk home.