Off-The-Ship
Adventures in the Capital of Wales
Executive summary by darmansjah
SITUATED ON THE SOUTH
coast of Wales, Cardiff was once one of Europe’s busiest ports and the largest
exporter of coal in the world. After a severe slump that lasted into the late
1980s, the Welsh capital has bounced back as a cultural hub-with an edge. The
city’s smartLy redeveloped waterfront has revived this town and helped propel
it into the 21st century.
ART OF THE WORLD
Every two years for the past decade, the National
Museum Cardiff has sponsored the prestigious Artes Mundi Exhibition. Awarding
the U.K.’s largest modern arts prize (US$60,000), Artes Mundi takes entries
from all over the world and selects a single contemporary artist whose work
explores social themes. During Artes Mundi, Cardiff Bay vibrates with activity
while competing entries are shown at the National
Museum of Art’s sic new contemporary galleries. There’s also an
artist-curated film series at the Chapter
Arts Centre and live music and theatre performances at venues throughout
the city. For art to take home, hop on over to Craft in the Bay, a Cardiff Bay
gallery that sells modern Welsh jewelry and textiles made by local artisans.
FORM TO TABLE At
the Wales Millenium Centre, a
bustling performing arts complex, Ffresh Bar & Restaurant turns out
inventive seasonal cuisine using only local suppliers, with entrees like Black
Mountain smoked duck. Gaze out giant windows with views toward the bay while
sipping a fizzy Welsh lemonade. Meanwhile, the Potted Pig, located in a former bank vault, serves regional dishes,
including Welsh rarebit and egg and soldiers (toast strips).
LOCAL LEGEND
Follow in the footsteps of beloved children’s book author Roald Dahl, creator
of
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the writer was born and raised in
Llndaff, a suburb of Cardiff, after his parents emigrated from Norway. A blue
plaque commemorates Dahl’s life and work at 11 High Street in Llandaff, a former confectionary whop where Dahl
once placed a dead mouse in a candy jar. Walk along the public Roald Dahl Plass on the waterfront, and
stop at the former wooden church where Dahl was christened. The building
recently reopened as the Norwegian
Church Arts Centre wit hits adjoining café, Norsk, offering Nordie nibbles
such as sweet herring and gravlax. Both can be reached by way of the Cardiff Bay Trail, a 6.2-mile route
that takes walkers and cyclists around the bay and continues to the seaside
resort town of Penarth.
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