if
it's about Cardiff..
Sport, Entertainment, Transportation, Business,
Development Projects, Leisure, Eating, Drinking,
Nightlife, Shopping, Train Spotting! etc.. then we want it here!
Re: Cardiff: 11th most popular UK location for overseas visitors
Why do cities always boast about how diverse they are anyway? Who cares if more than 50 languages are spoken in a city. Practically every city in Europe is diverse these days the only thing Cardiff has that unique is are communities of foreign descent go back a bit further than say Birmingham. If diversity is awesome and should be used as a unique selling point then we aren't gonna out compete London on being diverse are we?
I doubt tourists want to visit our city to visit a mosque or Somali food.
Re: Cardiff: 11th most popular UK location for overseas visitors
London and New York really are the two most diverse places on earth. When I first came to the UK as a child, I was astounded by the diversity because I came from one of the most ethnically and culturally homogeneous countries on earth.
I've known some people who have had bad experiences with Somalis, but most of them seem fine, insular, but fine.
Re: Cardiff: 11th most popular UK location for overseas visitors
Rhodri
Cardiff's story is wrapped around the Docks and the explosion from rural to urban in short space of time. Developments here were accelerated at a pace akin to parts of America and in a UK context is fairly (not wholly) unique - there was no real exisiting centre of population like Manchester, Glasgow etc etc.
Bute Street, in its heyday, has been labelled 'an artery of the empire' such was its importance in a British context, wider still it has a global context, as we know what we are left with a city where in excess of 50 languages are spoken.
For me Cardiff isn't about one or two people its about all of us, we are all basically from somewhere else but add to the beat of this city and bring our own flavours. We have enough castles, musueums, sporting events, musical concerts and successful sports teams and the like as generic attractions but what we should do is to concentrate on the story of the people.
I like The Cardiff Story Museum, yes it could do more and their a plans for this, it tries to tell this story. The story doesn't make us unique but it makes us what we are and that is far more important.
That's what I picked out from the Bristol link that was posted here. That although Cardiff has caught up with Bristol in the last decade,I remember that Bristol was the place to go for ice skating, for example. Bristol still has the history that Cardiff lacks and this manifests itself in things like it's architecture. In that respect, I suppose Cardiff has a slightly more North American feel to it. Unfortunately, this is all too apparent in the bay area. In addition, because of coal mining legacy of the area, it produced less wealth than other cities of the time because of that mono-economy and that's with us today. It was pointed out on the Bristol website, that one of the reasons Cardiff has caught up with Bristol in the last few years is down to the public money that both the UK and Welsh governments have poured into the area and that Cardiff council unlike it's Bristol counterpart, is much more imaginative with new developments. How true that is, I don't know.
Re: Cardiff: 11th most popular UK location for overseas visitors
Jantra
I think we're missing a trick here. Robin hood lived in she roof forest - a forest that covered most of England at the time. Nottingham picked up on this and have exploited it. Cardiffs famous sons:-
Marconi
Willows
Scott
Dahl
Doctor who
Ivor bach
Merlin/Arthur/Camelot
Bassey
The city was the fuel of the industrial revolution and do on. Leprechauns don't actually exist but that doesn't stop the Irish exploiting it.
Not a bad list but one more name should be added "Henry Morgan" whose name used to adorn the roof of the Bob Bank in the old Ninian Park. The Americans are aware of the name from Disney parks and there is an small area of Jamaica known as Llanrumney. Morgans Rum is a recognised brand and the name will be known worldwide. Best of all the Llanrumney Hall is in existence (not the original but no need to advertise the fact), grade 1 listed, and it is also the reputed burial place of the Welsh Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffyd, Llywelyn the Last in 1282. OK the location, from a tourist's perspective may not be perfect but how little attention can such a incredible character fail to receive in his home (town) area. Personally I would suggest the involvement of the National Trust which is now running Tredegar House and Dyffryn Gardens and which has such a vast membership that it will generate substantial visits, I am sure a deal could be struck.
Merlin/Arthur/Camelot is another piece historical/myth/legend that Wales tries its best to ignore. Yet our forebears obviously believed there was a connection to SE Wales, see the stained glass window in LLandaff Cathedral. Much more can be made of our history, from the Silures war against the Roman invaders to the industrial revolution. But to make this more well known then first we should invest in archeology. A very cheap investment by Cardiff University in undergraduates led to the discovery of the adjoining "city" and port at Caerleon which has led to worldwide attention. There is far more to find, some sites are known but not excavated, e.g Roman Villa outside of LLantwit Major, the castle in Dinas Powis that needs work to stabalise it and other sites that have a touch of serendipity.
If more is to be made of Roald Dahl then I vote for a chocolate factory, and lets not forget Cardiff lad Terry Nation the Scriptwriter who created the Daleks.
Re: Cardiff: 11th most popular UK location for overseas visitors
Jeremy
Jantra
I think we're missing a trick here. Robin hood lived in she roof forest - a forest that covered most of England at the time. Nottingham picked up on this and have exploited it. Cardiffs famous sons:-
Marconi
Willows
Scott
Dahl
Doctor who
Ivor bach
Merlin/Arthur/Camelot
Bassey
The city was the fuel of the industrial revolution and do on. Leprechauns don't actually exist but that doesn't stop the Irish exploiting it.
Not a bad list but one more name should be added "Henry Morgan" whose name used to adorn the roof of the Bob Bank in the old Ninian Park. The Americans are aware of the name from Disney parks and there is an small area of Jamaica known as Llanrumney. Morgans Rum is a recognised brand and the name will be known worldwide. Best of all the Llanrumney Hall is in existence (not the original but no need to advertise the fact), grade 1 listed, and it is also the reputed burial place of the Welsh Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffyd, Llywelyn the Last in 1282. OK the location, from a tourist's perspective may not be perfect but how little attention can such a incredible character fail to receive in his home (town) area. Personally I would suggest the involvement of the National Trust which is now running Tredegar House and Dyffryn Gardens and which has such a vast membership that it will generate substantial visits, I am sure a deal could be struck.
Merlin/Arthur/Camelot is another piece historical/myth/legend that Wales tries its best to ignore. Yet our forebears obviously believed there was a connection to SE Wales, see the stained glass window in LLandaff Cathedral. Much more can be made of our history, from the Silures war against the Roman invaders to the industrial revolution. But to make this more well known then first we should invest in archeology. A very cheap investment by Cardiff University in undergraduates led to the discovery of the adjoining "city" and port at Caerleon which has led to worldwide attention. There is far more to find, some sites are known but not excavated, e.g Roman Villa outside of LLantwit Major, the castle in Dinas Powis that needs work to stabalise it and other sites that have a touch of serendipity.
If more is to be made of Roald Dahl then I vote for a chocolate factory, and lets not forget Cardiff lad Terry Nation the Scriptwriter who created the Daleks.
I've always thought the prison would be ideal for that
Re: Cardiff: 11th most popular UK location for overseas visitors
4891Jones
SP
Cardiff has Arthur associations but they're rather tenuous such as the original Welsh for Cathays was Caerarthwys - Arthur's Fort and other things to that nature. One thing that we can exploit as a country would be the mabinogion. The Irish may have shaped the world's vision of Celticness but the mabinogion are ours. I've always thought they'd lend themselves easily to a series of films. They are however based in West and North Wales, Ireland and England so wouldn't really be of direct benefit to Cardiff. The books were a major influence on the well known cambriaphile Tolkien and could do well in the wake of LOTR and The Hobbit whilst capitalising on the major popularity of series like Game of Thrones. These could be our Braveheart. If all else fails a film on Glyndwr or Llew. ein lliw olaf could work.
SP FYI - The Mabinogion (Otherworld in English) has already been made into a film which unfortunately didn't do particularly well, but was quite warmly thought of by the viewers who did see it.
I've always liked the idea of a film about Llewellyn ein Llyw Olaf or Glyndwr though.....
The Maginogion is the English version of the Welsh tales called Y Mabinogi. The plural was miss translated and it doesn't mean Otherworld. It only means that for that version of the film. Nobody knows exactly what it means.
My idea would be for the four 'cainc' to be adapted into English language live action films. As Jantra said, they are extremely interesting stories. Arthur pops up in one of them so they won't be too far removed for international audiences.
