Day One of Cardiff

I must say that even though I have only been here for a day and half, I like it.  I don’t think anyone will find that surprising.  I made it here smoothly and am getting used to the time difference.  Yesterday I slept in till noon, which I haven’t done for a long time and I think it helped.  The weather right now is about 52 and cloudy.  It looks like rain and no one here gives it a second thought.  I’m hoping to see maybe one sunny day all the while I am here.  I’m sitting here at Starbucks drinking from the biggest mug that I have ever seen, only John’s cup is of course bigger than mine.  I can wrap my hands around it with plenty of room to spare.  John’s work place is right next to what is called Mermaid Quay.  It is a place that reminds me of South Street Seaport in NY and Navy Pier in Chicago, except not.  It has the telltale signs of European architecture, which I find beautiful. 

            The people here are also quite beautiful. Both the women and men are so uniquely dressed and it makes for easy looking J.  These are the type of people who, from behind, all look to be in their mid twenties until they turn around and you realize you are looking at a very fashionably dressed 70 yr old couple. Pretty much anything goes in fashion here.  It is an open doorway and experimentation is the key.  

            I’m getting used to the difference in money; to me everything seems cheap.  Last night we got some groceries that included spinach, pasta, a tomato, ciabatta bread, carrots, and some other things I can’t remember, and the cost was 4.60 pounds.  Nice huh!

            Pigeons are everywhere; ducks and swans abound in the bay.  The water is quite polluted with bottles and has the sheen of oil/gas over the top.  Before I left, I had asked John if people went swimming in the Bay, looking at it now I don’t think I would even it was possible.  

            Last night we went walking through a marshland right by the bay.  There were three-inch slugs scattered all over the walkway and of course I had to pick up the first one I saw and investigate.  Then I felt it was necessary to bring it to a place of water because the bottom of it was covered with rocks getting caught up in the slime.  I guess I’m practicing my animal saving skills for Africa, although I’m pretty sure the slug knew what it was doing because after seeing that first one I noticed about 20 more along the walkway.  Needless to say I only tried to save the first one.  John was patient with me, as always.