Monday, July 28, 2008

Going the Welsh Way

We still have so many sites we want to get to before we leave but are realizing it just isn't possible to get to everything.

The Abbey in Bath
  
The Avon River in Bath

Saturday we drove to Bath and then on to Cardiff in Wales.  It was a beautiful day, perfect weather.   We had a rough start to our day when Sadie threw up about a half-hour into our journey and finding that McKay had forgotten to bring shoes along.

 Sick Sadie in the back of the car!

Also, we were having a hard time getting any money from an ATM.  Short version... our debit card was ripped off in Italy with $2000 taken from an ATM in FLORIDA!  So we had to cancel that card.  Then our Visa company had put a hold in our Visa
 card due to "suspicious activity" on it around Europe!  We had our UK mobile phone but could not call internationally on it to get ahold of the Visa Company.  We also had an American Express card but most places here do not accept American Express so we were stuck. 
 
This dilemma kept us from actually entering the Roman Baths in Bath and almost kept us from getting our car out of the car park.  We did finally solve it by going to a bank and calling our Visa Company from there so we could take the hold off and get $$$ from the ATM! 

 Standing outside the Roman Baths because they didn't accept American Express


The Roman Baths we would have seen if they had taken American Express.

So putting Bath (which was actually a very pleasant town) behind us we moved on towards Wales.  We drove across the Severn Bridge over the Bristol Channel.   This was an impressive drive crossing the lower part of the channel which opens to the Celtic Sea. Really, really beautiful! 


The Severn Bridge crossing to Wales

We enjoyed Cardiff.  Its castle and huge Football stadium were impressive.  We also
 ate at McDonald's for the shear goal of saying we have eaten at McDonald's in every country we have visited this Summer.  I recognize how sad this is but there are very few fast food places.  I don't know that we will ever need McDonald's again.


Cardiff Castle

Along the drive home I enjoyed the English countryside I love so much.  





4 comments:

{jane} said...

ohhhh, we have had traveling moments like that, it's so frustrating! Leads to the only reason you should travel with multiple credit cards! :) I hope Sadie is feeling better, hey, at least you had a happy meal!

Zeus said...

Hi mommy. I like your blog. I'd tell you my self but you are sleeping right now, I'm outside your door, Waiting for you to wake up.
love you,
Zach

Bamma said...

Beautiful images as usual, Gretchie. I will miss seeing your images from that beautiful place. But we'll be glad to have you home.

Julie said...

No worries, if I had known you were going to Bath, I would have told you to skip the baths anyway--really the only boring thing in the whole of England. But the bakery across the street is my favorite one in all of the towns I ever visited--best almond croissants EVER!
Sad you have to leave but happy to have you coming home.