We took a walk around the Bay around Christmas, and the place keeps changing so fast I can hardly recognise parts of it.

A new walk had been opened up from near the tubular visitor centre things right out to the the barrage, and it looks like it'll be lovely in the summer.

Anyhow, here's a few pics:






These strange yellow markings make no sense...


...until you stand in the right spot and they create a neat pattern of concentric circles!



Loads more Cardiff bay pics here: Cardiff bay, Winter 2009

Labels: cardiff, wales

A few snaps from my trip up to Cardiff on Christmas Eve (including the train 'trouble' when some arse on a bridge in Slough threw a brick at the train driver) and the wintry walk on Christmas Day.

More pics soon!











More photos

Labels: cardiff, snow, wales

Some photos of Cardiff City's half demolished stadium - a place full of memories for me!









More: https://www.urban75.org/cardiff/goodbye-ninian-park.html

Labels: cardiff, cardiff city, football

[Rant]

So, I fancy taking my girlfriend to see a game at Cardiff.

Until recently this meant having a few pints at the pub and then turning up at the match and paying on the turnstile and the walking on the terrace to find my friends. Simple.

Here's how modern football does it.

1 Go through the palaver of registering as a fan on the hideous website
2 Pay ?4 to become a 'fan' capable of buying a ticket (?20 if I want to go to an away game)
3 Register my girlfriend as a fan (this involves logging off and starting over)
4 Log back in
5 Pay ?4 on my girlfriend's behalf so I can buy her a ticket
6 Battle with hideous booking system in an attempt to buy tickets remotely close to my friends
7 Fail miserably
8 Ring up and buy tickets
9 End up miles from my mates at the game

If I was physically capable of supporting a team in Division 4 or below I would, but Cardiff's in my DNA (hence they can get away with charging me just to have the right to buy a ticket).

Modern football is rubbish.

[/Rant]

Labels: cardiff, football

We paid another visit a few weeks back and checked out all the indoor galleries we missed last time.

They've currently got a great pop culture exhibition there, and after we've finished stuffing our faces with lovely Welsh cakes, we had a look around the Celtic village.

It's easily one of our favourite museums in the UK.





More photos: St Fagans national history museum

Labels: cardiff, museum, wales

In a remarkable run of ultra-crapness, my beloved Cardiff City FC - who recently looked destined for a guaranteed play-off place (if not automatic promotion) - conspired to turn into a wobbly bag'o'cack, collecting just one measly point from a possible 12.

Today, all they had to do was draw to Sheffield Wednesday - a team languishing miles below us in the league, but even that proved too much, so it's another season in the Championship for us (or the 'Second Division' as it should rightfully be called).

Naturally, I'm horribly disappointed by this rubbish end to our season, but my reaction seems a little more restrained that I anticipated.

A few years ago, this would have been my response:

But now - perhaps because I'm older or perhaps because I'm not sure if the corporate-powered, prawn sandwich-propelled Premiership is to my tastes - I feel a lot more like this:

How do you cope with defeat? Check out the What kind of fan are you? section, or drop me a line...

Labels: cardiff, cartoons, defeat, football

Phew! This was a nail-biting game alright!

Even though Charlton were already relegated from the Championship and had nothing much to play for, Cardiff failed to match their high-flying league position and had to battle through a very tense 90 minutes, only managing a much needed point at the death.

Here's a few photos:

I really like Charlton's ground. It may be new(ish) but it's not another hideous metal box like the rest of them.

One minute to go and.. GOALLLLLL! Cardiff get the crucial equaliser, right at the end!

More photos: Charlton 2 Cardiff City 2

Labels: cardiff, cardiff city, football

We went down to Selhurst Park yesterday to see the mighty Cardiff City take on Crystal Palace.

The game wasn't short on thrills or incident and turned out to be a very physical encounter and a great spectacle to watch. Best of all, the win put the Bluebirds into fourth place so we're still looking good for the play offs (at the very least!).

What is this banner about?


Roger Johnson has just been elbowed in the neck by Davis. How could the ref have not seen it?




Love the old school wooden seats!

More photos here

Labels: cardiff, cardiff city, football

Central Cardiff is changing so fast, I have trouble recognising some parts now, especially in the area where the monolithic St Davids Centre 2 is going up. I can't say I'm feeling the love for that vast temple to consumerism either.

Here's some pics from my late December stroll on a sunny but freezing cold afternoon. You can see the full photo feature here: Cardiff city centre photos.

Labels: cardiff, photos

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By gum it was freezing cold, but I still managed my traditional Christmas Day walk up Graig Llanishen, to the north of Cardiff.

Here's some photos:

Labels: cardiff, photos, walk

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On Saturday we popped down to Ninian Park for what will probably be our last cross-Severn derby with Bristol City - next season we should have moved across Sloper Road and settled in our shiny new stadium.

I'm going to miss the old Ninian Park though - in particular, I'm going to really miss standing on the terracing, which as far as I'm concerned is how football should always be watched.

Such is progress, this will be the last season that I'll be allowed to stand on the terraces. And that's rubbish.







More photos
Full match report

Labels: cardiff, cardiff city, football

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I fucking loves Barry Island (or "Barry's Island" if you've been watching the fantastic Gavin and Stacey BBC TV prog). It's right tidy.

Here's a few pics:

Labels: barry island, cardiff, wales

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The game was a whole load more fun than our recent Wembley semi final clash with Barnsley and it was a great way to end the season.





Who would have thought that Cardiff would end up in the FA Cup Final, but we'll be there on May 17th!! (Well, I say "we" but it looks like I haven't got a hope in hell of getting a ticket).



Come on City!!!

Labels: cardiff, football

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