Slovenia - Lake Bled
Foto: Cardiff Castle (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Wales - After breakfast, I walk back to Cardiff Castle. The castle was built in 1091 on the remains of an old fort. Over the centuries, it was expanded. One of the most notable transformations occurred in 1868, when the Marquess of Bute commissioned a neo-Gothic renovation. At the ticket counter, no audio tours are available, so we receive a 10% discount. The attendant advises downloading an app, which contains all the information. The app first leads me to an exhibition about the armed forces through history. Further along, I view a corridor in the castle wall that once provided shelter during World War II for 1,800 residents of Cardiff. At the north gate, the restoration work is clearly visible, with a red line indicating the original sections. At precisely twelve o’clock, I gather at the clock tower, where the tour of the Victorian mansion begins. The guide humorously explains the various decorated rooms. It is hard to imagine that the Marquess of Bute only spent a few weeks per year in this castle.
