After a hectic Test series I’m not on the schedule for the first two ODIs and that means missing a trip to one of my favourite cities, Cardiff. Before that the teams head to Bristol on Monday and I’d love to give some tips about where to head to but I’ve simply not spent enough time in the city.
I’ve heard plenty of good things but they’ve not been on the international rota for some time and at Sky we tend to stick to our regions for the domestic action. Hopefully I’ll get a trip in the next few years as it’s good to sample a new place.
The emergence of Cardiff as an international cricket venue and particularly it hosting the first Ashes Test in 2009 meant I could sample the delights of the Welsh capital for a few nights. I was really impressed.
The first place I’d head to would be the Old Arcade in the city centre. It’s a Brains pub with loads of hand pumps and the ale is kept in brilliant nick. It’s got lots of character with its old wooden floors and a back room and a front room with plenty of TVs with sport on.
It’s always lively and I can’t imagine wearing an England rugby shirt while drinking – they are rugby daft in Cardiff.
Another belting pub is The Cottage, with a great location on St Mary’s Street, and it’s one of the old-fashioned boozers that is long and narrow and seems to go on for miles back.
It’s got plenty of choice for real ales and the Brains Bitter is absolutely lovely. It’s the weakest of their beers and my favourite.
If you like something a bit stronger, Reverend James is good but you can’t drink too many – you will be wanting to march on England if you do!
I once got stuck in the Walkabout with the South African cricket team after an ODI and it was eye-opening. In true Australian fashion there was a punch-up after a few beers and it was all kicking off and the police locked us in.
I thought I’d try to be helpful and tell a police- woman that one big Australian chap had started it all off. Her reply was just two words and the second of them was off – I couldn’t believe it.
There’s some cracking pubs around the Millennium Stadium –some of which never seem to be empty – and there’s a few that it might be best not speaking English in! I’d ask for a pint, say ‘yaki da’, and sit down quietly.
I couldn’t point you in the best direction for a curry as I don’t think I’ve eaten one there but there is a very special place to eat – and that’s Le Monde.
It’s a very classy joint despite having some saw dust on the floor, it’s designed like that apparently, and it has a serious wine list. And when I say serious I mean serious, and seriously expensive, mind.
You also get to choose what you want to eat. You can pick your piece of steak, what fish you want or how many whelks – whatever you like – and it’s all cooked to perfection.It’s pricey and they are charging like rhinos but it’s a lovely experience.
I’ve also been down to Cardiff Bay on occasions and that’s lively and their version of Marbella.
It’s all young people with bars by the sea and yachts on show – I’d prefer to stick in the city centre where there’s plenty going on.
