Day 32nd: Tour de IB

One of our wishes, that we didn't expect to get into realization on this particular trip, was to go to Wales. However, today we went to Cardiff, Wales.

Being a decision taken late last night, we didn't really have any detailed plan for our stay in Cardiff. However, Cardiff is the location of the IB Curriculum and Assessment Center, where they do lots of stuff that have to do with the International Baccalaureate (I8) Diploma Programme that all three of us have spent most of the last two years to complete. Having already visited our IB Coordinator in her home in France earlier on on our trip, we found it intriguing also to have seen the site from where such a significant part of our education has been managed. Too bad we didn't go to Geneva, to see the IBO Headquarters, earlier on, or this would have made our "Tour de IB" complete.

We couldn't exactly expect there to be any reception committee to welcome us, on a Saturday afternoon. Other than that we didn't know exactly what sight would await us, other than probably not a spectacular one, nor a tourist magnet. Anyways, we went there; as always; for the lulz.

Our arrival to Cardiff Center Railway Station, after two hours train-sitting, dragged out till almost four o'clock. Leaving little possibility that anyone would be there, even if they did have office hours on Saturdays.

Getting from the railway-station to Cardiff Gate Business Park, where had a vague idea that the IB would be locate, proved to come with more hardships however. The bus that were supposed to take us to the location didn't go all the way to Cardiff Gate in the Weekends, thus the very friendly and helpful welsh bus driver dropped us off somewhere within proximity, with some rather vague directions for where to take the road from there.

For me this somewhat experimental walking of cul-de-sacs was extra strenuous as the blister that has grown on my little toe for a month now, reached proportions yesterday close to the size of the host toe and consequentially burst, leaving a large raw area, covering most of my toe, that caused some serious irritation, leaving me less apt to walk.

Our walk took us through the bush, and onto paths that absolutely didn't look like they led to a Business Park. In the end however, we found and crossed the main road and entered the area where we hoped the IB would be located somewhere.

We found the building, photographed it, and left to find the return bus, going all the way back to the bus stop.

Once back in Cardiff we wanted to see some of the city's other wonders. After eating at Weatherspoon, we walked to Cardiff Castle, an old fortification with a history going back all the way to the Romans and before. However, entrance was impossible as admittance to the castle ended five hours earlier. Not a big surprise, but we had to settle for images taken from the outside.

Once back on the station, we were told that the last train to London had just left, causing some worry until we were told that we could still catch a connecting train that would allow us to change in Bristol.

1. BRAAIIIINS!
2. Obviously somebody didn't want us to enter their premises. Don't think they had any apples either.
3. Amazingly this path actually led us to the Business Park.
Oh. And also there were bunnies. Runnin' over the field. Didn't manage to capture a photo good enough to show you guys however. My apologies. Bunnies are always win.
4. The IB finally there. End station of Tour de International Baccalaureate.
5. Breaking and entering? Nah. Sightseeing.
6. No smoking.
7. We took a little rest in their garden behind the building.
8. Beware; "This scheme is controlled by the IB." Conspiracies...
9. Smoker's cage?
10. -The IBO is watching you.
11. Viewpoint.
12. Anyone want horses? Horses provided.
13. Cardiff Castle in background.
14. These welsh people actually laughed at our hats. Considering several of them were carrying giant inflated balloon cocks around, our hats shouldn't be that funny. Not to mention all the fire-fighter's costumes and playboybunnies we saw around central Cardiff. Apparently this wasn't even a special occasion for funny dressing, but an ordinary Saturday afternoon.
15. ...
16. Does that mean it's allowed on all other trains? At least we met some really festive people on our train journey back to Paddington.