So, I passed a pleasant weekend in Cardiff (Wales) and Bath (England) over the weekend. I must say it: I really, really enjoyed both, although for decidedly different reasons.
Cardiff I found quite fascinating for the linguistic character of the place (mostly) and also for all the old castles and edifices. For me, it was like being in Edinburgh, a place that both looks and feels … old. A time machine. What was modern, on the other hand, was the bilingual Welsh-English signage all over the city. I noted to Haidar that I found it … perplexing,
because although there were bilingual signs everywhere, everyone spoke English in the shops, on the streets and on cell phones. And right when I said that, that one random couple of friends strolled pass us speaking the gutturally soothing Gaelic Welsh. Don’t shoot me for using Gaelic. Okay? I only mean it in the linguistic family sense.
Anyway, the whole language flavor seemed very familiar to me, but I couldn’t pinpoint it. Then it hit me: New Orleans.
New Orleans has bilingual signage in the vieux carré, mostly only names of streets (some being trilingual French-English-Spanish). Like Cardiff, New Orleaneans walk down the stench-filled aroma of the quarter speaking in English. But New Orleans, like Cardiff, also feels old world … stuck in time, yet modern at once. Ah, hah! I got it: I then immediately thought about a possible tourism ploy to make Cardiff moreattractive for tourism (the case in New Orleans). Then at the entrance to our hotel (Mercure), a sign confirmed it: the local tourism board was mostly responsible for the bilingual signage throughout the city on governmental, municipal and tourist buildings. Language for show. Although, I am well aware of Welsh being spoken outside of Cardiff. Jarod, m
y landlord last year, his wife, Rhiannon, who is Welsh, speaks Welsh fluently and only speaks in Welsh with her parents … and they’re no Welsh Hillbillies, either. Professors. So, the language does live on in some Welsh circles where it’s “for real,” and not “for show.” Hats off to them.
In any case, I highly recommend both. Bath was so beautiful. I could live there. By far the cleanest city I have visited in the UK. The streets are clean. The river is clean (with greenish water). The building façades are clean and of an eggshell color. All in this simple Roman style. After all, the city is the sight of age-old Roman baths and spas from back when Romans lived there and like all good Latins, spent most of their time gossiping about this and that naked in warm water to decompress … an all day affair. Speaking of which, our Bed-and-Breakfast neighbors had an orgy for two hours from 1AM to 3AM and we were–literally–locked in the room. Don’t ask. Ah, heck, I thought, “when in Rome …” except I’d rather not have been in that Rome with Haidar. 🙂
