I certainly don't feel it. Granted some days I feel twice that, but i'm betting that we all have days like that. Much like everything else, my life has traveled to this point in time, and after all thats all it is. The man made measure of how things last, their longevity, and ultimately the only way we can quantify our mortality. The time that's spent while we've been here. And to be honest its been an interesting three decades so far. I've been born, grown up, got an education, supporting myself etc etc. Granted these are things that everyone does, and to be honest these day to day things just pass us by. But it is often said in axiom that things are greater than the sum of their parts, years, or whatever measurement you are going to attribute to it.
I spent my 30th birthday away from home - visiting a city I had not yet visited but had longed to for a variety of reasons. An hour or two down the road and I was in the fair city of Cardiff. I am very fond of Wales and the Welsh, and have found them to be honest, friendly and incredibly polite in a matter of fact way. I found Cardiff to be no different - full of people who were happy and forthright. Here in Stoke it is perhaps a different story. Its hard to go a mile without seeing a tracksuit (not for fitness purposes), a public display of a family dispute, or simply an unhappy face. It does worry me. I guess we all have things to learn here in our own sphere of influence, I guess those people are no different.
Back to Cardiff. on arriving in the city i noticed an interesting mix of both old and new - not too dissimilar from Chester - paying respect to original architecture whilst making conveyance for the new. Having touched base at hotel we ventured out into Cardiff, coming accross first to Cardiff Market.
I have always liked the feel of markets - small business trying to earn an honest living, offering fair and reasonable prices for varieties of goods. Our first purchase - a local delicacy - welsh cakes. I had not tried them before, so was eager to try them.\ Having taken a bite and falling in love with them, I vowed at some point to make my own. You can find a traditional Welsh Cakes recipe here.
After a tour of the market and looking at a variety of goods, we decided to get a feel for the rest of the town. Met with a variety of vendors offering new and old things alike I was fascinated at the mix of culture, and a presence of acceptance of all things within this mix. We stopped for lunch at a noodle bar offering a variety of Chinese and Japanese fayre, and we shared chicken noodles, breaded salt and pepper chicken, and sweet and sour chicken.
Happy me with happy chopsticks :)
Moving on to the rest of the shops we surveyed yet more elements of culture. Tradiitonal Welsh butchers, delicatessen, bakers etc - it was refreshing to see such a cornucopia of vendors selling traditional fayre in a city that appears so cosmopolitan to the naked eye.
We decided to indulge the worldy culture acceptance further and booked a table for French Restaurant chain "Cafe Rouge". When we arrived later that evening we indulged on two french favourites - Beef bourginione and duck leg confit (presented with plum sauce and dauphinoise potatoes) - an immense favourite of mine to cook as well as eat.
All in all i decided that if i was enjoying myself this much, turning 30 wasn't such a bad thing. After all, I am frequently told I dont look it (i'm not sure if that's out of politeness or not, but I don't question it just in case.)
Another wonderful thing i noticed about Cardiff was the friendliness of people in general. This was proved when in shops we were offered tea and biscuits for merely visiting. Such a welcoming community - I figured that such a gesture goes a long way- especially on such a cool late autumn day.. If we did that here in Stoke it would be viewed as some clever marketing ploy, or a con. Either that or there would be a wealth of visitors to your shop wanting to liberate you of your tea and whatever else you giving away.
That night I went to bed with a full belly, and a happy heart knowing I was in such a nice place with nice people, the only worry being that it is becoming increasingly rare.
Once awakened I got myself together and headed to breakfast. After a hearty full English (or Welsh, even), further exploration of the town was required. Collecting souvenirs such as Welsh cakes to bring home, some cherry brandy, apricot brandy and a few nik naks for gifts, the day was spent in merriment in exploration of Cardiff's wonderful things to see, inclusive of stopping in a cafe to enjoy a hearty plaice, chips and peas and a pot of tea, and an exporation of yet more shops, stalls and many interesting Welsh things.
/indulging in yet more worldy culture we decided on Italian that night, enjoying a traditional lasagne and Marsala chicken (something i'd not eaten in some years). after several gins and a brandy, sleep was once more reuiqred for tomorrows exploration of the bay, and then the journey home.
The next days exploration of Cardiff bay was a pleasant experience, exploration of its many interesting monuments and shops, with a refreshing cosmopolitan feel. Its somewhere I would heartily consider living in, a mix of the modern and old. Upon gazing on the millennium centre I saw the words in Welsh and then translated to "Within these stones, horizons sing".
Such a resonant piece of short literature I thought. Timeless, I pondered, just as timeless as Cardiff itself. These words echoed in my mind on the return home, whilst passing over the sunlit water between England and Wales, over the great bridge that connects the two.
It helped to remind me most of all that although I am now thirty years old, perhaps it is just a number. If my life ever becomes a fraction of the timelessness that Cardiff presents, I should do well. Here's to the next thirty years - may they be ever youthful.
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