Exploring.....Roath Park Conservatory, Cardiff

A hidden gem..........this weekend we discovered the lovely glasshouse at Roath Park. Located at the far northern point past the beautiful lake, amidst the botanical gardens full of rose beds, winding river with victorian bridges and mature trees with leaves turning autumnal oranges and reds.

The glass houses were first constructed in the early 1900's then replaced by the present conservatory in 1974. The warm humid conservatory is perfect for temperate and sub-tropical plants including banana trees, Panama oranges, pomegranates, ferns, orchids, Madagascar dragon tree which fill the glasshouse wherever you glance.

The focal point is a large pond with waterfall, providing a home to terrapins, huge fish and two wishing ducks. A pathway meanders around the pond and round through the tall banana and palm trees. 

At £2 per adult to go in it's well worth the money. A small shop selling a plants, duck food and a few gifts forms the entrance. 

Rose garden 

 Autumn colours

Maples

 Love the autumn colours

More about the conservatory & botanical gardens:

History of Roath's botanical Gardens

http://www.roathcardiff.net/2014/02/27/roaths-botanical-garden/

Visiting Roath Park

http://southwalesgardens.org/roath-park

Exploring......Castle Coch, Cardiff

Standing prominent amongst dense woodland on the steep hillside high above Tongwynlais village, the fairy tale Castle Coch castle can be found.

Castle Coch translates to English as “Red Castle”, and it’s definitely shown in the red wooden features. It’s somewhat of a mix match towers, with hidden doors, tiny steep stair cases, beautiful stained class windows and elaborate walls and ceilings. 

courtyard

Spectacular views across the countryside from the top windows

Ornate ceilings 

Colourful tiles…look hard and see owl faces?! 

Dressing table

The tea rooms were unfortunately closed but there was a little shop, free parking and toilets. Be prepared for lots of narrow steep steps!. £5.50 for an adult to go inside, which included an electronic guide (May 2014). 

For my first visit to a South Wales Castle (and I'm not big on them in general), the 19^th Century Gothic castle was a good place to wile a few hours away....

Beautiful woodland with a dense Wild Garlic carpet surround the castle on the steep slopes. Some boards showing walks around the woodland would be a great addition. 

Trip to the Zoo

Living in Bristol I’m spoilt for choice for one of my favorite day trips – visiting the zoo -with Noah’s Ark, Longleat, Cotswold Wildlife Park and of course Bristol Zoo all close by and offering slightly different features from safari driving with monkeys clambering over the car, to hand feeding alpacas, and young lion cubs playing.

This weekend I chose the easily situated Bristol Zoo in Clifton with highlights including watching the South American fur seals squabbling, the Red Panda snoozing and the young lion cubs play fighting. To find out more about the zoo, check out their website here http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/

My favorite pins week 2 : the summer holiday

It’s been a long cold winter and I’m missing the sunshine, warmth and daylight so what better way to look forward to summer by booking a holiday in Italy and daydreaming at travel photos on pinterest.  

Pinterest

Vacances à Paris

I was lucky enough to be treated to a long weekend in Paris last month.
I have a vague memory of a brief morning spent in Paris with my family years ago...at a stroppy teenage age; picky about food (especially hidden gherkins) I didn't particularly enjoy it. I was however intrigued by the Parisian fashion so wore my favourite outfit..a dress my mum had made me from some material I'd handpicked. 
So again I find myself packing my favourite clothes into my red leather holdall but this time I thoroughly enjoyed myself (except the hidden gherkins in sandwiches!). Here are a few of the highlights..


Macaroons - Pistachio for Aden, Lemon for me. Simply delicious and the perfect energy boost for sight seeing.
Eiffel Tower - Prettier at night and much more impressive when it pops up between buildings. Look out for the sparkling magical lights.

Les Clos des Gourmets - on our first night we came across this lovely restaurant. We ate a delicious and beautifully presented three course meal (35euros) with the most divine champagne. The meals were slightly variable - my main was a little plain but the desert was simply the best chocolate desert I have ever eaten. Recommend booking. 16, ave Rapp, Champ de Mars, Tour Eiffel.  

Versailles - palace was packed full of tourists & student groups so we quickly escaped to the gardens to eat lunch & relax beside the lake. Plenty to do in gardens - row a boat on the lake, cycle around the park, ride pony's or simply do as we did..take a stroll, enjoy the views and the sunshine. Perhaps better visited later in the year as the statues were still covered up & the little garden areas closed off. Be prepared for queueing. 

The Shakespeare and Company Book Shop - A big rustic house crammed full of old and new books, in French and English. Climb the stairs to find comfy alcoves of seating, a gorgeous old type writer and locals playing chess. 37 Rue Bûcherie, 750045 Paris (Near Saint-Michel - Notre-Dame)

The Louvre - Loved: the statues, the African exhibit, the glass of champagne in the cafe. Disliked: the Mona Lisa..beautiful but small and very crowded. Allow plenty of time.

Buddha Bar - recommended by a local. A huge Buddha dominates the room creating an exotic atmosphere. Worth a visit just for the decor - drink yummy cocktails and people watch upstairs or eat good thai/asian food downstairs. Very busy on on the weekends. 8 Rue Boissy d'Anglas 

Boat trip along the Seine - I love a good boat trip and the chance to sit down to sight see after lots of walking around! I wasn't disappointed

Souvenir Shopping - I'm not much of a fan of the conventional souvenirs...the little flashing Eiffel Towers just aren't for me. Instead I brought some lovely botanical prints from the little market stalls along the river. At only 15 euros they were a bargain. For my mothers birthday I went to  Fragonard perfumeur who sell beautiful toiletries in beautiful packaging and the friendly staff were happy to let me practice my French. 15 rue des Francs Bourgeois 

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And I can't finish without mentioning one of my favourite books which I wished I'd packed with me as I didn't happen upon any clothing gems - Parisian Chic: A Style Guide by Ines de la Fressange. Full of style and beauty tips with recommended places to visit in Paris.