Early start this morning - drive from Waterford to Rosslare to catch the 8:45am ferry over to Wales. On the way we passed through New Ross where John F Kennedy was born. The streets were lined with banners with images of JFK. In June 1963 JFK returned to the nation of his forebears and his ancestral home in New Ross and the town has recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of the event.

A little sad as we depart Ireland. The crossing was uneventful, we arrived into Pembroke at 12:45pm.

Once off the ferry we headed directly for Cardiff driving for 3 hours through rural Wales - mainly sheep and cattle. We drove through Carmarthan where legend has it that Merlin was born.

Onwards through Swansea where Dylan Thomas (Welsh poet and playwright) lived for a period and wrote some of his best plays.

Arriving in Cardiff we saw the Millennium Stadium (Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games) and immediately went to the Cardiff Castle for a tour. Cardiff Castle is a medieval castle and Victorian Gothic revival mansion located in the city centre of Cardiff. The original moat and bailey castle were built by Norman invaders in the late 11th century on top of a 3rd-century Roman fort.

Some shopping then ready for dinner at the historic Blue Anchor Inn - Wales' oldest pub. We were serenaded by a talented harpist throughout the evening. The Blue Anchor Inn was established in 1380. At that time the Inn was a focal point for the then thriving trading port of Aberthaw. The name of the Inn was derived from the distinctive blue marl (mud) which coated the anchors of the vessels that sailed the channel and anchored at Aberthaw.

Today's insights:
Cardiff was made the Capital of Wales by King George VI in 1950.

The letters K, Q, V and Z do not appear in the Welsh alphabet at all.