CARDIFF

We headed for Cardiff, but stopped along the way to view The Devil's Bridge, Ceredigion Wales.

According to legend of Devil's Bridge was built by the devil in an agreement with an old woman whose cow had wandered across the river and she couldn't get her back. The devil told her he would build a bridge for her and in return he could keep the first living thing that crossed the bridge. He told her to go home and come back the following day. The next day she took her dog and returned and was amazed to see a wonderful bridge across the river. She told the devil she remembered their bargain and started walking toward the bridge. Then she stopped, and took a loaf of bread out of her apron pocket and hurled it across the bridge. Quick as a flash, before the devil could stop it the dog ran across the bridge. The devil screeched, "you stupid old woman, your hairy old farm dog is the first living thing to cross the bridge, he is no good to me." The devil was never seen in Wales again as he was so embarrassed at being outwitted by and old lady. Near Aberystwyth there is a village where a very old bridge crosses a deep gorge. Above it are two other bridges built at later dates. But the lowest one...well, they say the devil built it himself.

The bridge is unusual in that three separate bridges cross the span, each one built upon the previous bridge. The most recent is an iron bridge (1901), which was built over a stone bridge (1753), which was built over the original bridge (1075-1200).

The bridge is at a point where the River Mynach drops 90 metres (300 ft) in 5 steps down a steep and narrow ravine before it meets the River Rheidol. The set of stone steps leading down to the lowest bridge at the waterfall are known as Jacob's Ladder. The river Mynach has carved beautiful, large pot holes into the rocks, called the Punchbowl.

Next we headed for Cardiff

Cardiff Bay (Mermaid Quay)

Seagulls resting on the docks. We were a stones throw from the Millennium Center, which I failed to photograph, duhhh..

This is the docks at night when all the seagulls find a place to nest for the night.

The next day we went to the Doctor Who Experience and it really was a fun experience.

The Doctors!

EXTERMINATE!!!

TARDIS!!!

DAVID TENNANT  the Tenth Doctor

Koda with David Tennant's Tardis

What a great time!

Next: On to London

WALES! The Second Part of our trip

Wales

On November 14, we left Ireland on a ferry bound for Holyhead, Wales. We rented a car there and drove along the countryside. Our first stop was at Beaumaris Castle in Anglesey. 

This is the castle and moat which is almost a1000 years old.

Joshua, my grandson, my daughters, Miakoda and Danielle at the entrance to the castle.

And guess who

It is hard to guess the dimension without a human figure in them, but the archways below were probably 15 or 20 feet, if not more tall.

Moss growing on the walls

This reminded me of a face, see where my imagination takes me!

Inside the castle walls!

My grandson in one of the rooms

Views from the top of the walls

Yes, those white dots are sheep!

And this is the best shot I could get of them with my telephoto, which is kind of blurry, but aren't their faces cute?

The town of Anglesey from the top of the wall.

We each set our four camera's on the wall with timers and this is the picture mine took of the four of us.

The other side of the castle.

As we were leaving the castle this swan swam by and I was able to grab a shot of it. We spent about 3 1/2 hours touring the castle. There weren't any guides, so you could just go where you wanted and take as long as you wanted.

We drove on to our B&B in Aberdovey, and this is a view from the window of our room.

Tomorrow,  photos from Cardiff, Wales

MY TRIP - FIRST LEG - DUBLIN IRELAND

Two of my daughters, Danielle, Miakoda and my grandson (Danielle's middle son) Joshua left Philadelphia on November 11 on a 3:15 PM flight to Boston on US Airways, where we made a connection to Dublin, Ireland on Aer Lingus airlines. We arrived in Dublin at 5 AM and took an Airlink bus to our hostel in the Temple Bar section of Dublin.

Miakoda and Danielle waiting for the Airlink bus to take us to our room..

My and Miakoda's beds in the hostel.

First we rested, ate some breakfast at the hostel, then did some sight seeing.

Then a stop for lunch

More sight seeing

Then time for dinner and a visit to the pub downstairs

And here we are, the happy crew, Joshua, Miakoda, me, and Danielle.

And then another day of sighseeing

A visit to Christ Church

I loved the tile in the church

More sight seeing as night was coming on

A last minute stop at Murphy's for some delicious ice cream!

Then dinner and another night at St. John Gogarty's Pub for some wonderful Guiness and great Irish Music.

My goodnight chat with some locals on our last night in Dublin.

Tomorrow we visit Wales!