|||
tags: nature, earth science
#pebbles #travel #wales #geology #haiku
I had some of the best times of my life these past weeks in South Wales. Now, as we prepare to leave, I’m tearing up just like my little one does when he feels separation anxiety.
It’s quite difficult to sum up all my experiences and feelings—these two go hand in hand, right? Can’t we have a word for it? Expofeel, expling, feelex… I’m clearly not a word wizard.
The spectacular landscapes and deep geological history helped me connect with my love for nature on a different level. I engaged with everything around me; through books and facts, and through hammer and chisel. ⚒️
The countless small and big interactions I had with the warm, charming locals reminded me (yet again) how valuable, meaningful, and powerful it is to talk to the people around us about little, random things. And would you believe that, out of, let’s say, 40 of these interactions, maybe only five were initiated by me? (Usually, it’s the other way around.) The ease of communication lifted a social weight from my shoulders, making me feel instantly connected to the city. So precious!
Places I loved and experiences I’ll carry in my heart:
The National History Museum in Cardiff — Visited 5 times in 20 days with my little one. Touched a dinosaur footprint, poked a meteorite, inhaled the musty essence of natural history, learned about the history of coal and the famous 1984 miners’ strikes, and bought second-hand geography books.
A wetland in Cardiff Bay — Remembered the importance of wetlands and their role in filtering and keeping waters clean.
Three Cliffs Bay & Oxwich Bay — Used a geological hammer for the first time in my life. Surrounded myself with the pure joy of geological history, the stunning silhouette of cliffs and sand dunes, the stories of rocks and pebbles, and the anticipation of finding a fossil. (I’m such a beginner, of course.) ⛰️
Here’s a haiku to remember this experience by:
Come and go like tides
All footprints leave marks behind
Just look long enough
I used a geological hammer and a chisel for the first time. Learned some tricks on the way. Note for future self: Buy protective goggles for next time 🥽
Mind blowing! A simple walk on the beach took me on a journey millions of years into the past. Here I am, holding a rock with what looks like the imprint of an ancient brachiopod! (Not entirely sure). At first glance, it just seemed like a weathered pattern on the stone, but the fine ridges and symmetrical shape hint at something far older than I ever imagined. 🪨Brachiopods are not clams (contrary what I thought they were), even though they look similar. They belong to their own ancient group of marine animals that have been around for over 500 million years!😲 This imprint is likely all that remains after the original shell dissolved away, leaving behind a fossilized “shadow” of the creature that once lived in warm, shallow seas.
Thinking about it blows my mind. This little mark is a direct link to a prehistoric ocean, long before dinosaurs even existed. 😱 😍
A lovely walk from Bary Island took us to the Jackson’s Bay. It’s a small cove, with sand beach and it has a cliff which is hard to take your eyes off of it. My little-one loved the (possibly) gypsum nodules within the Triassic Mercia Mudstone (reddish-brown, flaky rock in the background).
Three Cliff Bay here we come.
I came here to meet a childhood friend, but I’m leaving with so much more—conversations, connections, and a heart full of gratitude. Until next time, South Wales.
#wales #southwales #cardiff #geology #geography #earthscience #museum #fossil #hike
