Croeso i Gymru
Or Welcome to Wales
“When one burns one's bridges, what a very nice fire it makes.”
―Dylan Thomas
Hello there,
I had to use a quote from one of my favourite poets for this newsletter because I’ve recently returned from Wales. Last weekend we went to Cardiff so that I could take part in the half marathon, one of the largest in Europe (hence no newsletter last Friday).
I don't know about burning bridges, but the one we’d intended to use over the Severn was closed due to an accident, so it took us three times as long as it should’ve done to get to Cardiff. But once the journey was over, we set out to explore.
I’ve been to Wales many times, but never to Cardiff, so it was exciting to discover the bustling heart of the city. We had glorious sunshine the day before the race, as you can see in the photos below. We went into the Senedd Cymru or Welsh Parliament, which was impressively ultra-modern, and the Pierhead Building, a lovely old red stone building which was once the HQ of a railway company back when coal was at the heart of the industrial economy.
The waterfront area now owes more to coffee shops than to coal, but the history of the place is still there to see and to enjoy. A lovely place to wander. We also popped into the stunning building that is home to the Welsh National Opera - very impressive.
In case you were wondering about the race, I burned a bridge when I turned up at the starting line along with 23,000 others, but things didn't go to plan for me. After spending the previous couple of weeks working to rehab a calf injury, I made mincemeat of the first ten miles, but at mile 12 the injury popped its head up and said hello. I limped the last mile, sorely disappointed but with lots of encouragement from the lovely Welsh supporters who’d lined the route. Not a PB by any means, but I got to finish and claim my medal.
The photos are below, but first a word of thanks, because I’ve brought back the popular ‘send me a mug of tea‘ feature (and ditched substack’s annoying ‘upgrade’ buttons).
Thank you!
I’m raising a mug of Darjeeling to these lovely recent supporters: Carmen, Linda, Pauline, Tamara, Charlie and Jen. And a special thank you to regular supporters Lara and Alonza.
Cheers!
If you’d like to join these fine people who send mugs of tea from around the world, here’s a handy button
Featured Photos
Three ways to enjoy the photos: a collage in the email, separate images in the substack app, an interactive gallery in the online post.
The rugby codebreakers statue (some of the first players to go pro), photos of the quay and me, The Pierhead Building, the binnacle from Captain Scott’s ship SS Terra Nova, inside The Senned, the Ivor Novello statue, the home of the Welsh National Opera.
Writing News
The upcoming Devonshire mystery gets longer and longer, but our heroes are finally managing to put the pieces together. Incidentally, I started a behind-the-scenes experiment in which I’m recording a snippet from the piece I’ve worked on that day, along with a commentary. It was going to be for paid subscribers, but I’ve done away with the paywall as I wasn't a fan and neither was anyone else (except for one kind person).
Here’s the post if you fancy a listen, and please post a comment online if you’d like me to do more of these:
Behind the Scenes - see the book as it emerges
A reading from the draft I'm working on today, along with some background info to give you a glimpse behind the scenes.
I’ve been enjoying:
Another drama on BBC Sounds, Life Lines. Set in an ambulance control centre, the gripping drama never stops. The action takes place in Devon, so I hear lots of local places mentioned, but they get some details wrong which is odd. You’d think the BBC would check these things, but I’ve made mistakes myself and I live here.
Find it here: bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09w066y
What’s Next?
I’m taking a short break for some family time as it’s my birthday soon, and it’s a big one. I’ll be sixty and still running (and writing) so I have a lot to be thankful for. I’ll be taking lots of photos to share when I return home, and I expect I’ll take a laptop in case I can find time to tinker with the new book. I’m so close to finishing, I’m keen to keep going. But everyone needs a break, and my fingers certainly appreciate time away from the keyboard.
At the time of writing, I’m unsure whether to keep our VIP Readers Club on substack. There are some fun features, but some downsides too. It’s more geared towards paid newsletters, and I’m all about providing extra content for free because I value every one of my readers. If I decide to send these emails via different company I’ll try very hard to make the transition seamless.
Signing Off
I hope you are all keeping well as the seasons prepare to change once again. The leaves have just begun to fall in Devon, but there’s still plenty of greenery. I love a crisp autumn day when the sun is shining and the air is sweet.
Have a lovely weekend and happy reading.
Take care,
Mikey
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