Saturday,May May19th, 19th,2012 2012 43 Meath NewsNews & Sport 43 Meath & Sport, Saturday,
A trip to Wales is just what the Doctor ordered
MY FRIEND and I are taking a trip to Cardiff next month and it is our first visit to Wales. We’re interested in sampling the nightlife and seeing as much as we can while we are there. Can you recommend some of the must-see sites for first-time visitors and where would be a good central place to stay? Cardiff is a wonderful choice of city for a first visit to Wales. There is plenty to see and do and it offers a perfect balance between all things traditional and contemporary. The city has undergone a fascinating journey and has progressed from a small settlement to the world's busiest port and then to the modern city it is today. Now regarded as one of the liveliest and most cosmopolitan destinations in Wales, you won’t be disappointed with what it has to offer. Within the city centre you’ll find a wealth of popular attractions, culture and entertainment. Whatever your taste, you’ll find everything from abseiling to whiskey tasting, historic castles to water sports, all waiting to be experienced and
explored. As this is your first visit to Cardiff, why not let someone else take the lead? Taking a guided tour can reduce the leg-work needed for your sightseeing experience and having a guide who knows their subject can really make a difference, giving you an insight to local history, culture, language and legends. Tours can be specific to Cardiff city or you can go further afield to focus on wildlife, ghostly goings-on or Welsh culture. Cardiff Bay is home to the new BBC Wales studios and is the filming location for Doctor Who and Casualty. The Doctor Who Experience opens this summer and is a mustsee for any fan. It offers a multi-sensory experience packed with amazing spe-
cial effects and exclusive filming with Matt Smith. You'll also be able to join the Doctor on an interactive journey that takes you on a spectacular adventure through time and space. Cardiff is a capital for shopping and was recently named the sixth best shopping destination in the UK. With a combination of designer brands, high street names as well as more individual and independent shops, there's something for everyone. When you’ve had your fill of retail therapy, there are plenty of cafes, restaurants and bars to stop and relax in. With a growing reputation for fine dining, visitors will be spoilt for choice from local Welsh to
international flavours. You'll find a lively entertainment scene in and around Cardiff, featuring opera, ballet, musicals, and live music from world-class acts. Across the city, there are a range of theatres, galleries, museums and live music venues. From the traditional to modern, from seating thousands to cosy intimate spaces, Cardiff will satisfy every taste. Going out in Cardiff has never been better, with a huge choice of pubs and bars, from traditional pubs, funky bars and great nightclubs which all give Cardiff a social scene that is world renowned. You can hang out by the waterside in Cardiff Bar or sip a
cocktail and partake in a little people watching on Mill Lane. Where to Stay: The St David's Hotel & Spa (*****) Prices start from 109 per room per night on Hotels.com *Prices are subject to availability at the time of booking This stunning five-star hotel is overlooking Cardiff Bay and just a short distance from Techniquest, Wales Millennium Centre and The Doctor Who Exhibition. Relax and unwind in the hotel health club which includes a spa, indoor pool and sauna. Temptus, the hotel restaurant has a menu suitable
Cardiff Castle
Life-changing movies Review of The Forced Redundancy Film Club by Brian Finnegan
Anne Gildea
CONTEMPORARY DUBLIN, five characters: Katherine, the sleek, groomed, high-flying career girl, in control of all she surveys, or is she?
Lisa, the frazzled mother-of-three whose troubles with her unruly eldest and always away husband seem insurmountable, or are they? Jamie, the sexy hunk who’s proclivity to stray, rather than face deep issues within his long term same-sex relationship, look set to doom him, but will it? Martin, the easy going, booze-hound, who has his father’s business as a fall back, but will he follow in his father’s dysfunctional footsteps? And Alice, shy, nerdy, socially inept, she hopes to
unlock the secret of her past, but will it free her into a brighter future? They worked together, shock redundancy would have split them apart but for a light-hearted, spur of the moment pact: To meet once a month to share favourite films. Whatever the harshening realities of their respective lives, they keep their date with classics such as When Harry met Sally, The Wizard of Oz, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Casablanca – their cross-interpretations reflecting issues in their own lives, the conversational flux familiar to anyone who has done similar with a book club. First-time novelist Brian Finnegan performs an impressive feat, weaving five detailed narratives together into a seamless, pageturning whole. There were so many cliff-hanging moments that I had to fight naughty-reader urges to flip on to find out if my various ‘oh no, don’t do that’, ‘don’t let that happen’ pleas would be answered. Hats off to the writing though, I didn’t. The prose is snap-along, the touch light even as heavy issues are broached, most evocatively for this reader in the descriptions of Lisa’s
distress in dealing with her troubled young son. The proof of the pudding for me is that days after finishing the book, I find myself mulling over the characters. And wondering are there any real-life Martins out there… Ostensibly having little in common, the fabulous five learn from and lean on each other, interconnecting in ways they couldn’t have expected. The message one might say is that in straitened times we need each other. ‘Remember no man is a failure who has friends,’ reads the opening quote from ‘It’s a wonderful life.’ Ultimately it’s about the redemptive power of love. And it’s not giving too much away to say that yes, there are happy endings. A wonderful, big-hearted, highly-recommended delight of a book, now all I want is the film of The Forced Redundancy Film Club. For lots more book reviews and to keep up-to-date with the latest literary news, become a member of the Bord Gáis Energy online book club bordgaisenergybookclub.ie where you’ll find great recommendations for hours of entertainment in a good book!
for every taste and offers guests the option to dine on the terrace. Hilton Cardiff (****) Prices start from 84 per room per night on Hotels.com * Prices are subject to availability at the time of booking The four-star Hilton Cardiff is in the centre of Cardiff city and is renowned for its conservatory style Razzi Restaurant which showcases the best of Welsh cuisine. The hotel’s Livingwell Health Club features a heated indoor pool, gym, spa, steam room and sauna. For an evening of cocktails, beer or wine a visit to the Steam Bar is a must and
By Kate Hopcraft the perfect way to relax after a day of sightseeing. Park Plaza Cardiff (****) Prices start from 96 per room per night on Hotels.com * Prices are subject to availability at the time of booking The Park Plaza is within walking distance of Cardiff Castle, the Millennium Stadium and the National Museum of Wales. Guests can enjoy a meal in the award-winning Laguna Kitchen Restaurant and Bar. The hotel spa provides a massage services as well as facials, manicures, pedicures and a wide assortment of beauty treatments. Relax and unwind after a day of exploring in the hotel indoor pool, spa and steam room. For more information and travel tips on planning your holiday visit www.hotels.com or call 1800 55 3338 to wake up happy on your holiday!