Land Of My Fathers
Travelled to Cardiff on Thursday for the Wales v England Women's World Cup qualifier. Went by National Express coach (apologies to any readers now with Divine Comedy earworms) as the fare was nice and cheap, though it did mean getting up at sparrow's fart to get the bus to MK, then hanging around MK coachway for an hour, and later changing at London. The coach trip passed pleasantly thanks to my iPod.
The 20 minute walk to my guest house from Cardiff bus station was pleasant enough, along the River Taff passing the Millennium Stadium and Cardiff Arms Park. The guest house was run by a friendly couple - the husband was very interested to hear about the women's international, saying he hadn't heard anything about it; I told him it was on BBC3 and he said he might take a look. My room was comfortable and spacious. After unpacking chilled out with Faith in the Future (coincidentally, and a little frustratingly, the very same episode as had been on when I tuned to ITV3 on a day's leave a few months ago) and Duty Free on ITV3.
Popped to the Cricketers pub next door, but the packed crowd ensured there wouldn't be time for me to sample their advertised quality food. I settled for a pint of Cwrw Welsh ale, sitting in the beer garden out front to escape the loud cacophony of chatter inside.
From there it was time to walk down to Cardiff City Stadium. Passed Ninian Park train station on the way, but didn't see any remnants of the old ground. Called at the KFC opposite the ground for a quick pre-match bite.
Having always felt a tie to my Welsh heritage, I sat with the home fans and wore my Wales football shirt. Managed to sing Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau word perfect, and shouted 'Come on Wales' and encouragement to the individual Wales players, throughout the match; none of the Wales fans said anything to me about my English accent, the guy next to me just commented to me about the team performance a couple of times.
England, I have to say, deserved their win, scoring three goals in the first half from set pieces. I didn't see their fourth just before half time as I was already in the tea bar queue. Sarah Wiltshire and Angharad James were lively going forward for Wales, but most of the Welsh shots were hit low straight at Karen Bardsley and the others went wide. The England win meant they qualified for the World Cup; while sorry that Wales now face an uphill struggle to make it to Canada, I was pleased that a British team would definitely be there.
At breakfast next morning were two Welsh couples, both in Cardiff for a boating event on the bay. One couple were from Caerau, my late Gran's home town - they hadn't known her though. The Caerau wife had a Jehovah's Witness name badge on, but they didn't say anything about a religious event happening. There was also a lady from Jena in Germany, on holiday touring Wales. She was delighted that I'd heard of her home town team Carl Zeiss Jena; my reminiscence that they once played Newport County in Europe left the Welsh couples cold as none of them were football fans. "Wrong shaped balls," the husband from Milford Haven put it. I recommended that the German lady visit Portmeirion; she'd heard of the place and said she might. Met the Caerau couple again at the bus stop; as we wished each other a pleasant trip, they assumed I was an away fan, saying "You've had a good time, you've won 4-0".
No problems on the coach ride from Cardiff to London, but on the London to MK leg we hit a traffic jam on the M1 and arrived half an hour late. That meant lugging my full bag to the supermarket to get the shopping in. Finally arriving back home, there was just time for a quick chill out before setting off again, for Gosport for the long weekend. Arrived just before 11pm.
Went over to Ann's on Saturday for her little lad's 3rd birthday. Good to catch up with her; she's got loads going on. Met up with Hardcore Sue at the New Inn last night. As I arrived she was sitting at a table outside with a woman who was totally hammered and asked me for my The Enemy Within 1984/5 T-shirt. Sue led me inside; the drunk woman wasn't a friend of Sue's, she'd just latched on to her minutes earlier. We had a long chat over a couple of drinks, in my case Old Mouts.
Convoluted journey back today, in pouring rain throughout. Had to take a tube from Waterloo all the way up to Stanmore, then shelter under the little cover available there waiting for the replacement bus to Hemel Hempstead. Once home and unloaded, made straight for the Axe, through the rain, for some nosh.
Back to work tomorrow *sigh* It always comes round too fast...
The 20 minute walk to my guest house from Cardiff bus station was pleasant enough, along the River Taff passing the Millennium Stadium and Cardiff Arms Park. The guest house was run by a friendly couple - the husband was very interested to hear about the women's international, saying he hadn't heard anything about it; I told him it was on BBC3 and he said he might take a look. My room was comfortable and spacious. After unpacking chilled out with Faith in the Future (coincidentally, and a little frustratingly, the very same episode as had been on when I tuned to ITV3 on a day's leave a few months ago) and Duty Free on ITV3.
Popped to the Cricketers pub next door, but the packed crowd ensured there wouldn't be time for me to sample their advertised quality food. I settled for a pint of Cwrw Welsh ale, sitting in the beer garden out front to escape the loud cacophony of chatter inside.
From there it was time to walk down to Cardiff City Stadium. Passed Ninian Park train station on the way, but didn't see any remnants of the old ground. Called at the KFC opposite the ground for a quick pre-match bite.
Having always felt a tie to my Welsh heritage, I sat with the home fans and wore my Wales football shirt. Managed to sing Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau word perfect, and shouted 'Come on Wales' and encouragement to the individual Wales players, throughout the match; none of the Wales fans said anything to me about my English accent, the guy next to me just commented to me about the team performance a couple of times.
England, I have to say, deserved their win, scoring three goals in the first half from set pieces. I didn't see their fourth just before half time as I was already in the tea bar queue. Sarah Wiltshire and Angharad James were lively going forward for Wales, but most of the Welsh shots were hit low straight at Karen Bardsley and the others went wide. The England win meant they qualified for the World Cup; while sorry that Wales now face an uphill struggle to make it to Canada, I was pleased that a British team would definitely be there.
At breakfast next morning were two Welsh couples, both in Cardiff for a boating event on the bay. One couple were from Caerau, my late Gran's home town - they hadn't known her though. The Caerau wife had a Jehovah's Witness name badge on, but they didn't say anything about a religious event happening. There was also a lady from Jena in Germany, on holiday touring Wales. She was delighted that I'd heard of her home town team Carl Zeiss Jena; my reminiscence that they once played Newport County in Europe left the Welsh couples cold as none of them were football fans. "Wrong shaped balls," the husband from Milford Haven put it. I recommended that the German lady visit Portmeirion; she'd heard of the place and said she might. Met the Caerau couple again at the bus stop; as we wished each other a pleasant trip, they assumed I was an away fan, saying "You've had a good time, you've won 4-0".
No problems on the coach ride from Cardiff to London, but on the London to MK leg we hit a traffic jam on the M1 and arrived half an hour late. That meant lugging my full bag to the supermarket to get the shopping in. Finally arriving back home, there was just time for a quick chill out before setting off again, for Gosport for the long weekend. Arrived just before 11pm.
Went over to Ann's on Saturday for her little lad's 3rd birthday. Good to catch up with her; she's got loads going on. Met up with Hardcore Sue at the New Inn last night. As I arrived she was sitting at a table outside with a woman who was totally hammered and asked me for my The Enemy Within 1984/5 T-shirt. Sue led me inside; the drunk woman wasn't a friend of Sue's, she'd just latched on to her minutes earlier. We had a long chat over a couple of drinks, in my case Old Mouts.
Convoluted journey back today, in pouring rain throughout. Had to take a tube from Waterloo all the way up to Stanmore, then shelter under the little cover available there waiting for the replacement bus to Hemel Hempstead. Once home and unloaded, made straight for the Axe, through the rain, for some nosh.
Back to work tomorrow *sigh* It always comes round too fast...