A couple of months back, we visited the UK to attend our daughter’s master’s degree graduation at Oxford. We used the opportunity to visit and catch up with family and some friends as well. We managed to fit in some sight-seeing as well. I’ll be posting some of the photographs from that trip here on the blog in instalments. We spent a few hours one overcast, cold and rainy evening at Cardiff Bay. Here are some of our Glimpses of Cardiff Bay, UK.
We spend a couple of days with my good friend, fellow food blogger Jayasri and her family. They showed us around a bit of Bristol, Bath and Cardiff Bay. We drove about an hour from Bristol to reach Cardiff. Hot chocolate and coffee helped, but we didn’t linger there because of the weather. There’s a lot more to Cardiff than Cardiff Bay. We, however, spent just a little while at the Bay walking around some part of it.
Cardiff Bay in Cardiff, Wales, opens out on a freshwater lake that serves as a river mouth for the rivers Taff and Ely. Over a hundred years ago, coal mined in Wales was exported from Cardiff’s Bute Docks. The flourishing coal trade built Cardiff. Dockworkers and sailors from across the world settled in and around the docks. With declining coal production, the docks and surrounding areas fell into disuse. In recent times, the Cardiff Bay area has been redeveloped to become a vibrant place and a tourist destination.
The red coloured Pierhead stands out on Cardiff Bay. It was originally built as offices for the Bute Docks Company in 1897. Today it is part of the Senned Cymru (Welsh Parliament) estate. The clock on the building is unofficially known as the Big Ben of Wales.
The Pierhead on Cardiff Bay. Behind it on the right, you can see part of the umbrella like roof held up by stick thin pillars and the stairs up to the Welsh Parliament building (Senedd Cymru).
Another view of the Pierhead at Cardiff Bay. The statue to the right is of Ivor Novello, Welsh actor and composer from early 20th century.
The Wales Millennium Centre at Cardiff Bay, designed by Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid. . It has one large theatre, two smaller halls, shops, bars and restaurants. It also houses the national orchestra and opera, dance, theatre.
The Roald Dahl Plass, is a public space in Cardiff Bay next to the Wales Millenium Centre. It was opened in 2000 and is named after Cardiff-born author Roald Dahl. Its oval shape surrounded by illuminated pillars makes it popular for open air events.
Cardiff Bay has one of the largest colonies of seagulls in the UK. Easily available food waste, nesting places, few predators and warmth have made them town dwellers. They can be very aggressive and the huge population has become a problem for the citizens of Cardiff.
Seagulls settling for the night at the Short Stay Visitors Mooring berths at Cardiff Bay Marina.
A closer look at some seagulls settling in at the Short Stay Visitors Mooring at the Cardiff Bay Marina.
Another view of Cardiff Bay. The seagulls are in the forefront and wooden structures called Dolphins for mooring ships close to the shore. In the background, to the right is the Lutheran Norwegian Church of Cardiff Bay (white building with black spire). It was built in 1868 on land donated by the 3rd Marquess of Bute, for Norwegian sailors and expatriates. The writer Roald Dahl, who was born in Cardiff to Norwegian parents, was baptized in this church.
Pobl Fel Ni (in Welsh) or People Like Us, a bronze life size sculpture in Mermaid Quay at Cardiff Bay. It was created by Welsh sculptor, John Clinch to represent the diverse cultural and ethnic mix of people who lived and worked in the Cardiff docks.
The World Harmony Peace statue in Cardiff Bay near the Norwegian Church(on the right). The bronze statue of a monk holding a torch represents a silent prayer and hope for peace.
Another view of Cardiff Bay with the Short Stay Visitors Mooring in the foreground and modern skyline in the background.
These wooden structures in the Bay are known as Dolphins. They’re remnants of structures used to moor ships to when carrying out repair work in a time when this bay used to be a full operating port.
I'm Aparna and My Diverse Kitchen is my ovo-lacto vegetarian food blog where you'll find recipes, food stories & photography. I've been blogging since 2007 and believe the kitchen, and the dining table (by extension) is really the heart of a home. 
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