Going out of London was somewhat mind boggling because of the way that the city just dissipates. All that is left is the rural beauty with sheep, cows, hills, water, and fresh air. After a ride on the fabulous coach, the world of Wales was right at my fingertips.
Our fantastic tour guide gave us tons of interesting information that wasn’t just limited to Wales, but also London. The majesty of Wales was almost eye-opening; being from California this concept of true rural beauty is lost upon me. The way that the hills, the water, the land just can go for miles upon miles gives a fresh new view.
We went to the South Wales Miner’s Museum where we went on a interactive tour of what it was like to be a miner. We wore hardhats, gear, and was sent down underground in a technically working mine.
We headed to St. Fagan National History Museum where we were able to see the history of Wales, in addition to countless historical sites, shops, and activities that you can do. Definitely worth a look if you are exploring Wales for the first time.
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| Cardiff Castle |
Our fantastic tour guide gave us tons of interesting information that wasn’t just limited to Wales, but also London. The majesty of Wales was almost eye-opening; being from California this concept of true rural beauty is lost upon me. The way that the hills, the water, the land just can go for miles upon miles gives a fresh new view.
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| Caerphilly Castle |
We arrived on Saturday, and the serene atmosphere encompassed me. We arrived at the Caerleon Roman Fortress and Baths. The museum shows Roman history with many little trinkets and even Trojan men with their battle gear.
We then left for Cardiff Castle. Cardiff is a quaint little town with shops and amazing street food. Some students go to see the beautiful, majestic castle while other, namely me, went to find food! Near the castle there is a pub, but instead of going there, we found that walking down the street made us discover the most amazing burger. The Welsh really know how to cook food! We walked around looking at the sites. The castle has so much more to offer like the gardens with a Stonehedge-like piece as well as lots of naturalistic elements like the water, animals and more!
After spending time we decide to head toward the water walking towards the “Dr. Who Experience” and experiencing this part of Cardiff where there is water, boats, and majestic beauty of the hills.
Finally, we reached our hotel located in Swansea, which is also a major city within Wales. The downtown of Swansea is quite towny. With little shops along and lots of restaurants (and pubs) the night life was surprisingly alive for such a small little city.
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| South Wales Miner's Museum |
We went to the South Wales Miner’s Museum where we went on a interactive tour of what it was like to be a miner. We wore hardhats, gear, and was sent down underground in a technically working mine.
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| St Fagans National Museum |
We headed to St. Fagan National History Museum where we were able to see the history of Wales, in addition to countless historical sites, shops, and activities that you can do. Definitely worth a look if you are exploring Wales for the first time.
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| Caerphilly Castle View |
Our next destination was at Caerphilly Castle. This majesty castle felt like it was right out of the movie, Swan Princess! This beautiful castle has so much enriching history that really was brought to life.
Wales is a majestic country with tons of history that is quite different from the London experience. Honestly, I am so glad I was able to go with a tour that CEA gave only because it really helped me understand England as a whole.
Michelle M. is a Fall 2016 CEA MOJO in London, England. She is currently a junior studying cinema art & science, concentrating in directing and post-production and minoring in photography at Columbia College Chicago.