CARDIFF. Strolling Through The Arcades.

The Heyes. The Royal Arcade entrance. This way to add to your vinyl collection.

Right the days are starting to stretch themselves, second by second they get longer, brighter but as yet not much warmer. So the race it hotting up ( see what I did there) to get out on the trail again, get some trips organised before Autumn creeps around the corner bringing his icy friend with him and the year starts to shut down again.

A trim and a bit of smartening up in progress at Jones the Barber in the Castle Arcade.

I enjoyed a few days in Cardiff last year so that is a real front runner for another visit. The area around the Bay always attracts me, the remnants of the industrial past still have a presence, cheek by jowl with the gentrification.

Coffee Time at Barkers. A chance to relax, chat and catch up. in the Castle Arcade.

Another attraction for a coffee drinking, cake eating, people watching addict like me are the network of Victorian and Edwardian Arcades that criss cross the city centre, far more character laden than the bland, could be anywhere shopping malls that blob their way around cities today. I’ve nothing against progress and renewal but can it have a little bit of style and imagination and city planners renewal doesn’t always mean a scorched earth policy. Not everything has to be torn down, sometimes some things can be saved, can be renovated, can help to keep a sense of community and continuity.

Anyway, back to an age with some elegance.