At the last minute we had to cancel our trip to Madeira due to Mr C having an unexpected health issue that required tests and which meant that we were not insured to travel abroad.
Within a few days we came up with ‘Plan B’, a trip to Cardiff, a place that neither of us had visited before. Why Cardiff? It has lots of nearby attractions that appealed to both of us.
Our journey to Cardiff ran smoothly and we chose to break our journey for lunch at the Engine House that is located in Ross-on-Wye garden centre, another gem from the ‘Extra Mile’ book. I couldn’t resist the scone of the day, apple and cinnamon. It was deliciously light and crumbly. Mr C opted for the pear and stilton toasty which had also tempted me.
We arrived in Cardiff at around 3pm, parking the car in the car park recommended by the hotel and which gave a substantial discount for hotel guests. Speaking of the car… After several weeks the RAC accepted liability for the fire that happened after Mr C’s car was recovered to our house. They referred the matter to their insurers who authorised a hire car just a few days before we travelled.
After checking in to our hotel, we chilled out in the hotel bar with a glass of wine for me and a local beer for Mr C. Mr C rang one of his friends to update him on recent events whilst I read up on local attractions.
We returned to the room for a cup of tea. After we had unpacked our bags Mr C went out to recce the local area, leaving me to chill out some more.
Later we dined in Giovanni’s Italian Restaurant. The food, service and atmosphere were wonderful. I chose a ravioli dish which was presented in artistic, appetising way rather than served in a bowl as pasta normally is.
Mr C was keen to show me the Wetherspoons’ pub, that is in the former Prince of Wales theatre building. He took me upstairs into ‘the gods’ where we had a nightcap before retiring to the hotel for the evening.
