Holiday 2016 ~ Caerphilly Castle and the Dragon

To be honest, we completed our quest quite soon.

Our first destination was Caerphilly Castle. I knew that's where we'd see the amazing sculpture of the dragon coming out of the earth. The dragon was put there in March 2016 to support their football team in Euro 2016. 

Being a bit 'nuts' about dragons from my childhood onward (way before I even heard about the #GOT), you can imagine that was something I just had to see.   

We came to Caerphilly a bit too early to be able to get inside the great castle walls, so we took a stroll around it. As probably you all know but it was new to us, Caerphilly castle is the second biggest castle in the UK and the largest castle in Wales. Its history literary jumped out at me.

Although we walked slowly, we realised we'd be back at the gates too soon, so we took a rest on the eastern bank under the massive willow tree. Patrik needed his morning snack and Loris took photographs.  

It would be perfect like the photo below (taken by my daughter), if... Unfortunately there is always if...  

I actually never understood parents that let their children disturb the animals. No matter where. I always teach my children this simple fact; ‘If an animal leaves you in peace, leave it in peace too, no matter which animal that is.’ Simple! And luckily my children understand that. I'm not the perfect parent - far from that - but I actually go crazy when I see other parents that just don't care what their children are doing. 

Seeing another family with two kids doing exactly that - chasing the ducks and geese and other feathery animals - I couldn't help myself. I commented. Loudly. 
Well, don't you think that bothered them even a little. No way. As the time was getting close to the opening hours - by the way if you'd like to visit this magnificent site - the opening hours is at 9:30 am - my OH dragged me away, hoping to get me away from them as far as possible. No such luck.  

Although we went ahead of them, they passed us by and...  

Entering the castle walls, I went to buy our tickets, although seeing the dragon on the left side at the entrance. 

As I did my 'homework' before going on the holiday I took for us the Cadw (pronounced: Cadu - I'll explain later where and when I learned that) Family Explorer Passes for the whole week - I saw they were quite surprised for us to know about it, but they were happy to sell it to us. 

At last I let both my kids near the dragon, firstly making sure that they didn't bother that family that went in (and to the dragon) before us. The gigantic sculpture of the dragon was/is amazing and so authenticable to what the dragon should look like. Of course we took some photos of all of us there. 

Just before I walked away from the dragon, to explore the castle itself, the dragon's nostrils were filled with steam and you should heard my Loris screaming with joy.  

Well, to be honest - even I was excited... 

Copyright Notice: 
All the photos in this blog post are taken by me or my family. Without the permission of me (my family) no use or reproduction of this photos can be made.