My Bucket List: Things To Do Before I Leave University

As the end of my second year of University looms, I've begun to think about all the opportunities Cardiff has to offer which I haven't taken advantage of yet. I took this thought home with me, and whilst sat in the kitchen with my housemates, we decided to write a list of things that we want to do in Cardiff before we leave this bustling city for bigger and better things. Together we wish to complete everything on our list, and in the process, make some invaluable memories with those who made our University careers special. Nothing will help to beat graduation-blues like knowing you've ticked everything off your before-I-leave-uni bucket list! 

I've decided to share our list on my blog (not only to remind my housemates of what we've decided upon) but also because it gives some alternative ideas about what you can do in Cardiff if you decide to visit. So here we go…

1. Dr Who Experience at Cardiff Bay

The Doctor Who Experience takes you on an interactive journey through space and time as you discover the world of the Doctor and his companions. As lovers of the series ourselves, we decided visiting is a must! As Doctor Who is filmed primarily in Wales, this is a little way for the BBC to give something back to the people of Wales. All of my friends who have been loved it and it is definitely on my list of things to try first!

2. Techniquest

Having grown up in Wales myself, I have of course been on the mandatory primary school trip/school holiday trip on multiple occasions before I was of secondary school age. I adored Techniquest when I was younger and would love to return, and seeing as many of my housemates have never been, this seems like the perfect opportunity.

3. Go to a 6 Nations game at the Millennium Stadium

I've been to the Millennium Stadium to watch the rugby on multiple occasions, however, I've never actually been to a 6 Nations game. Dad tends to buy tickets for us each year, but prefers to take us to Autumn international games as we get to see big teams such as Australia and New Zealand. I LOVE my Dad for getting us tickets, don't get me wrong, but I do feel that the atmosphere in Cardiff when the 6 Nations is on is like nothing I've seen before and would love the opportunity to be part of the passionate crowd cheering on the Welsh boys in the stadium!

4. See the Cardiff Devils play

I've never seen an ice hockey match in my life, full stop. Maybe once during the winter Olympics, but that has to be it. My housemate, Rae, is on the Cardiff University hockey team and she's constantly talking about going to see the Devil's and how good they are to watch. We recently discovered that you can go skating on the ice after the match, this sealed the deal for us. Watching ice hockey will be a new experience for me which is perfect for my bucket list as I want it to encourage me to try as many different things as I can during my University career!

5. Go on a boat trip around Cardiff Bay

This is something I've wanted to do since being a fresher at Cardiff University, but unfortunately due to a badly timed exam period last summer, we never made it to the bay to try out a boat trip. Fortunately though, this year I have no summer exams, and so will be able to engage in daytime as well as nighttime activities. This would be particularly lovely in some summer sunshine - fingers crossed we'll get some!

6. Spend a day at Barry

As a household of Gavin and Stacey lovers, Barry Island was one of the first places that sprung to mind when we thought 'summer in Cardiff'. Lounging on the beach, eating chips on the promenade and wasting money on the rides and games at the Pleasure Park sounds like a fabulous summer's day to me!

7. Watch a show at the Millennium Centre

There's nothing quite the same as seeing a live theatre performance! As a household full of musical theatre lovers, I think we'll be keeping an eye out for any musicals that may be coming to Cardiff in the coming year. I've heard from a couple of fellow students that the London production of The Lion King is coming to the Millennium Centre next year for a very reasonable price so I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for tickets for that!

8. Play rounders and have a picnic at Bute Park

Nothing says summer quite as much as a good game of rounders. And where better place to do that than in the picturesque setting of Bute Park with its expanse of luscious green grass. The park becomes one of the central hubs of social life during the summer months as people descent upon it to soak up some rays and meet their friends. A game of rounders and homemade picnic in the park sounds like the perfect summer's day to me!

9. Visit Tredegar House

I've already been to Tredegar House, but the house and it's grounds are so big that I didn't have time to look around the whole place and would love to go again! I went with my family last time (that's my Dad looking like an idiot in the picture on the left) and we had a lovely day eating scones in the tea rooms and exploring the house. The house is wonderfully decedent and full of interesting history. The grounds stretch on in a seemingly endless fashion - I'd love to go on a sunny day to be able to explore them fully. The rest of my housemates haven't been so I suggested adding this to our bucket list as I really do think visiting is worth it!

10. Eat at Cafe Citta

Cafe Citta comes out as the top place to eat on a budget on TripAdviser (who am I to argue with them?). I've wanted to try it for a while as my housemate, Vicky, has been there previously with her boyfriend and said it was fantastic! She's quite the little foodie so I trust her judgement wholeheartedly. It's an Italian restaurant - which is my ultimate favourite cuisine - and from the reviews I've seen the food is prepared fresh and is full of hearty Italian flavour. I've been dying to try Cafe Citta and now my bucket list gives me the perfect excuse to splash out on a nice meal out.

11. Try out the flavoured beers, ales and largers at Zero Degrees Microbrewery

I've heard such good things about Zero Degrees from my old flatmates, my brother and from various customers at my local pub who travelled to Cardiff to try out it's unique ales. They also do food there so it would be the perfect destination for a quiet night out with friends when we're fancying something other than Cardiff's notorious clubbing scene.

12. Eat at Wally's Delicatessen 

Wally's is possibly my favourite shop in the whole of cardiff! It's located in Royal Arcade (one of Cardiff's lovely little Victorian arcades) and it's shelves are stacked with all sorts of foods imaginable. The prices aren't exactly student friendly, but to shop there for the odd bit of nice meat or some fabulously tasty olives every now and again will hardly break the bank. Myself and my housemate, Aaron, had a look around there last week and discovered that they have a cafe upstairs. I've never tried it but can only imagine it will be lovely judging by the top quality products and service you receive downstairs in the delicatessen. 

13. Go for tapas and post-dinner cocktails at 10 Feet Tall

10 Feet tall is a restaurant come bar come live music venue. It's tapas is particularly well renowned and as our housemate, Becka, is leaving us in the summer to spend a year in Spain, it seems only fitting for her to have her last meal with us eating some tapas and sipping on some cocktails! They have a 2-4-1 cocktail menu, which I'm sure we'll take full advantage of, which includes some fabulous cocktails such as Margarita's, Cosmopolitan's, and my personal fave, White Russians! Other more intricate cocktails are also available for a higher price.

14. Go boating on Roath Park lake

Roath Park is equally as stunning in scenery as Bute Park. It is centred around a large lake on which you can go boating in the summer. Prices to rent the boats are rather reasonable and would undoubtedly create some hilarious memories as we attempt to row ourselves along the lake... This would be the perfect activity for a summer's day and as Joe's ice cream parlour recently opened by Albany Road we'd be in the best location to pop over to pick up a refreshing scoop of their famous vanilla ice cream!

15. Get ice cream from Cadwaladers

Cadwaladers is located down in Cardiff Bay and would be a lovely way to end our little summer boat trip (number 5 on our list). I've heard great things about their creamy ice cream and their range of interesting flavours and am very interested to try it out. In my home town we're lucky enough to have luxury chocolate shop, Heavenly, who specialise in creating imaginative and delicious flavour of ice cream and I'm looking forward to seeing if Cadwaladers can meet or surpass their high standards.

16. Play hide and seek in Ikea

This idea is something that we've all wanted to do since we arrived. We're all big kids at heart! Of course the lure of Ikea's cheap lunchtime menu (and their delicious Swedish meatballs) are also drawing factors and I'm sure we'll be spending just as much time gorging in the canteen as we will running around the store trying to find each other!

17. Try out a dance class at Wonderland Studios

Our house recently inherited a nintendo wii, and since we've been hosting Just Dance tournaments on a regular basis we've become inspired to take a real life dance class. I've heard great things about Wonderland Studios and they specialise in a variety of specialities of dance and offer weekly classes. We're particularly interested in trying out Latin & Ballroom (fuelled by our love of Strictly Come Dancing) and Ballet. I'll need to work on my flexibility a bit beforehand, but hey, I've got a while for that yet anyway…

18. Eat at The Clink

The Clink is a charity run restaurant. They focus upon the rehabilitation of ex-offenders and help to reduce their chances of re-offending by offering them work in the hospitality industry. All of the staff in the restaurant are ex-offenders, from the chefs to the waiting staff. Those who I know who've been said the standard of the food is exceptional and so is the service. It's such an interesting idea and I totally believe that it's important to support schemes such as these!

19. Go for a bingo night

This sounds like a bit of a granny-esque activity, but we've actually been gagging to go on a bingo night for ages! I can't think of many things better than having food, getting boozy and attempting to win a couple of rounds of bingo with my hilariously entertaining friends. Who knows, we may even win a bit of dosh along the way if we're lucky! 

20. Go to Cardiff International Pool

The International Pool is located in the bay and offers many facilities such as an Olympic sized swimming pool, sauna, steam room, spa and gym. However, what we're interested in is running around the place sliding down the slides like big kids! 

What would you put on your to-do-before-I-finish-uni bucket list?

Have you tried any of the things on my list before? Did you enjoy?

Day Trip: Cardiff Castle

The Castle is situated in Cardiff's City centre with its Roman gateway overlooking the picturesque Bute Park. The Castle is rather unique in that it offers the visitor an interesting glimpse into over 2000 years worth of history as each separate building within the castle grounds was constructed in a different time period. The outer wall of the castle was originally Roman and the Roman remains can still be seen (they are highlighted with red brick - seen below) underneath the newly build brick wall that now surrounds the grounds. The keep is Norman, the main apartment is 14th century and the neo-gothic tower and banqueting hall are 19th century. The castle came under the ownership of many noblemen and each left their distinct mark upon the castle and its grounds. The Fifth Marquess of Bute handed over the keys to the Castle and its parkland to the people of Cardiff in 1947 where it finally became open to the public. 

As a student at Cardiff University, and therefore a resident of the City of Cardiff, I was entitled to a 'key to the castle' upon my arrival. The key allows those who live or work in Cardiff access to the castle free of charge as well as offering 10% discount in the castle shop and cafe and 10% discount on entry for friends/relatives. I visited the castle with my flatmate in the summer and we had a fabulous experience. The staff were all friendly and helpful and willing to answer any questions you may have about the castle and its grounds. It is particularly lovely in the summer sunshine as the green grass of the courtyard is wonderful for picnics, lounging around in the sun and watching the castle's resident peacocks. 

Myself and Olly opted for the audio guides and ambled around the grounds taking in the sights and listening to the historical facts that Huw Edwards was giving us through our headsets. I personally love audio guides as I think they're a nice relaxed way to have a mosey around whilst also learning something about the place. The audio guide lead us around the grounds, up the Norman keep, around the outer wall, through the Roman gate and into the World War Two bunker. We were fortunate enough to visit whilst there was a World War Two exhibition on in the bunker which was extremely interesting to look around. We had such fun discovering the castle together and we even managed to find a door which is build for people of my own height: modern-day dwarves in other words as I'm only a meagre 5ft2 :( 

After completing the audio guided tour we decided to join a formal tour (which was free courtesy of our key to the castle) as you cannot see the interior of the castle without being accompanied by a guide. I would thoroughly recommend this as the inside of the castle is incredibly flamboyant and extravagant - shockingly so if I'm honest. The interior design is indicative of the wealth of the Bute family and I found it strangely similar to the ornate and ostentatious nature of Antoni Gaudi's Casa Batllo. Each room is glamorously furnished and no part is in any way boring or plain. I particularly loved the staircase which had a marble Lion at its base and the ceiling detail in the Arab Room which is positively mind blowing in its elaborate detailing.

The only down side that I found to my castle experience was that the staff are incredibly strict and you cannot touch anything! I completely understand that they have to protect the building but I find not being able to sit on a chair or touch a book slightly over-the-top. I'm definitely one for the hands-on approach that the National Trust have been implementing in its many properties over the strict policies implemented in Cardiff Castle. Despite this, however, I had a fantastic experience and would definitely recommend a visit. The castle would make a better trip in good weather as you can take full advantage of the wonderful outdoor scenery and of the grass courtyard (which is the perfect adventure ground for young children). All in all I thoroughly enjoyed my day trip to Cardiff Castle and would definitely return to show family and friends the sights. It's a fabulous tourist destination and is definitely up there in my top 10 things to see in Wales. For more information about the castle, its opening times and upcoming events click here.

Have you been to Cardiff Castle before? What were your experiences?

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

I first went to watch The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug as a pre-Christmas treat with my Dad, but was prompted to write a review after re-watching it with my housemates last week during our weekly nachos and film night. It is the sequel to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and follows Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and their company on a quest to reclaim their homeland, Erebor, from the clutches of the dragon, Smaug. They come across many obstacles on their journey: the deceitful paths and bloodthirsty spiders of Mirkwood Forest, the treacherous rapids of the river to Lake Town, the nefarious master of Lake Town (Stephen Fry) whom they must escape in order to reach the Lonely Mountain, and a pack of Goblins and Orcs who are in  their pursuit. In addition to these perils, the company have also lost their guide, Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen), who is inquiring into the mystery of Dol Guldur and the Necromancer. The posse of Dwarves and their trusty burglar must reach the door to the Lonely Mountain by the last light of Durin's day in order to discover the keyhole, thus allowing them to confront Smaug. 

The film itself is incredibly well made, as is expected from a Peter Jackson film, and the special effects are second to none - I especially loved the depictions of the halls of the Woodland Realm and Smaug himself is a triumph of CGI. The plot unfolds at a quicker pace than the first instalment of the trilogy, which I was glad of as An Unexpected Journey did fail to hold my attention during it's long winded passages of dialogue and moody stares. The fast-paced narrative builds excitement and tension as the company struggle to reach the Lonely Mountain before the last light of Durin's Day. The film is undoubtedly a cheerful adventure tale and enjoyable viewing for all the family - depending of course on whether or not you have an uncontrollable fear of spiders. 

We're introduced to many important new characters within the narrative - Bard, Beorn, Tauriel, Legolas, Thranduil and Smaug to name a few - and I found each character to be well-cast and convincing. Bard the Bowman (Luke Evans), the finest hunter in Lake Town and descendant of Girion the last Lord of Lake Town, is set to become a key figure in the story, a hero in the waiting. Beorn (Mikael Persbrandt), a shapeshifter, who provides shelter and protection to Thorin and his company. Beorn can transform into a great black bear and is a tall, muscular man with thick facial hair in human form. Tauriel (Evangeline Lily) is a kick-ass female elf of the Woodland Realm. She is captain of the Mirkwood Elven Guard and aids the dwarves' quest by protecting them from Goblins and saving the life of Kili when he is injured by an arrow. Legolas (Orlando Bloom) is a character that is familiar to us from The Lord Of The Rings trilogy. He is the Prince of the Woodland Realm who has affectionate feelings for Tauriel, and even though he despises dwarves, protects them for her sake. Thranduil (Lee Pace) is the Elvenking, Legolas' father, who holds the dwarf company captive in his dungeons - Pace's portrayal of the cold, dagger-eyed King is second to none. Of course, I have to mention Benedict Cumberbatch's epic portrayal of Smaug, the honey-voiced, cunning dragon who has occupied Erebor. Smaug's voice is powerful and commanding and his personality Machiavellian, he is undeniably evil and calculating in every possible way.

I first read The Hobbit when I was young and decided to re-read it last year when the first instalment of the trilogy was about to be released. Even from a young age I was captivated by Tolkien's writing and his portrayal of his invented world, Middle Earth. The magic and mystery of his imaginative writing hooked me, and so I have read a wide selection of his works. However, as an avid Tolkien reader, I couldn't help but notice the many times in which The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug strayed from Tolkien's original storyline. These variations from Tolkien's original plot vary from small alterations  (such as Kili being shot in the leg by a Goblin) to ones that have had some Tolkien fans in uproar (such as the fabrication of Tauriel's character which was argued to have been created to bring female energy into a male-dominated narrative). Another example that I noticed was that when the dwarves escape from the Elvenking's dungeons they do so in open barrels and fight Goblins and Orcs on their dangerous trip down river. In the book, these barrels are sealed and the dwarf company is only released when Bilbo deems it safe. Of course, creative licence must be given to the screenplay writers of the trilogy as a scene with the dwarves fighting for their survival against raging rapids and the onslaught of enemies certainly holds more dramatic effect than thirteen barrels floating down a river. The presence of Legolas, however, is not as easily forgiven as he is not present in The Hobbit at all. In fact, the first time Legolas meets Bilbo is in The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring at the council of Elrond in Rivendell. Another stark difference that I noticed is that in the book the dwarves do not face Smaug at all, only Bilbo does. In the film, however, the dwarves are depicted devising an elaborate plan to trick Smaug into relighting the furnaces in order to trap him in molten metal. 

I'm not entirely sure if it's just my pedantic nature but I found myself being particularly annoyed by Legolas' miraculous change of eye colour from hazel (in The Lord Of The Rings) to a sky blue. Did anyone else notice this? 

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the film and would recommend it. The cast are fantastic and I felt that each actor brought their own flare to their character, especially Martin Freeman who I cannot praise enough for his portrayal of the quick-witted and caring Bilbo Baggins. I enjoyed the narrative but was slightly put off by the changes from the original storyline, however, I have been assured by those of my friends who have not read the book that they were thoroughly pleased with the plot of the film and found it to be enthralling. I myself found the ending rather anti-climatic, however those of you who have not read the book, would I'm sure, find it to be a provocative cliff hanger. It is definitely a step up from its predecessor as there is far more content and excitement within its narrative. In conclusion, the film definitely sweeps you away into the fantasy world that is Middle Earth. This epic fantasy-adventure movie is a must watch and is a perfect form of escape from the trivialities of everyday life. Overall, I would rate The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug with 4.5 stars.

What are your opinions on the film? 

How do you rate it?

Did you notice any differences between J.R.R Tolkien's The Hobbit and this Peter Jackson creation?