The Tyrannosaur of Mermaid Quay

Animatronic Tyrannosaurus rex in Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay, for the schools’ half-term holiday

I made a special morning trip to Mermaid Quay between heavy showers to catch a view of “Quay Rex”, an animatronic Tyrannosaurus Rex moved in for next week’s school half-term holidays.

I heard its roar before I saw it, as I walked through between the shops to Tacoma Square, where the restaurants have a view of Cardiff Bay. It sounded a bit like a steam train preparing to move off.

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2019 tree following 12: Year of the plane

The London plane of Mermaid Quay in December

As the year comes to its end I have to say goodbye to the London plane tree (Platanus × hispanica or Platanus × acerifolia) in Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay, that I have followed through the months of 2019.

I include some pictures from earlier in the year in this post, after my December observations.

The last month has been cold or wet or windy and sometimes all three, and we have had one or two overnight frosts and a couple of foggy starts to the day. I caught a crisp, sunny spell on my visit to take the latest pictures.

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2019 tree following 11: Cold and wet

A few fallen leaves of the Mermaid Quay London plane trapped in a puddle

Despite strong winds here in Cardiff the London plane (Platanus × hispanica or Platanus × acerifolia) I am following in Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay, still has more leaves than many other tree species in the area.

This month the weather has been colder and wetter but with the odd day of lovely late autumn sunshine. The good thing about the rain is that it catches some of the beautiful fallen leaves in puddles, while last month they all blew away.

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A second autumn on the Wharf

Rose hips beside the Wharf

Last year I walked around the Wharf (former Bute East Dock) in Cardiff Bay almost every month, but in this my second year working at County Hall I am only an occasional visitor. This is partly because I am no longer following a tree beside the Wharf.

I may think I have seen it all before but I find the view is constantly changing. Here are the images from my most recent visit, in late September…

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Lego lands on Mermaid Quay

Lego dragon on Mermaid Quay

For the last few summer weeks there has been a group of fantasy characters gathered on Cardiff Bay’s Mermaid Quay. And these are all constructed from Lego, the famous Danish brand producing interlocking plastic bricks and other models.

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Fairground mixed feelings

Close-up of a carousel horse in Cardiff Bay

This summer the “beach” and funfair has returned to Cardiff Bay’s Oval Basin – also known as Roald Dahl Plass. I looked in on it as I returned to the office from lunch one day last week. It seems to attract families and there is a small enclosed pool like a mini lido on the seaward side of the funfair. I’m not sure I saw a lot of sand, which would in any case have had to be shipped in for the event.

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2019 tree following 8: Sunshine and showers

Seed ball of (Platanus × hispanica or Platanus × acerifolia)

I seem to remember that last month, during a heatwave, I said “Please let it rain”. Be careful what you wish for!

In the last few weeks here in Cardiff we have had very changeable weather, with thundery and torrential rain, gale-force winds and sunny spells in between.

It all seems to have benefited the London plane (Platanus × hispanica or Platanus × acerifolia) I am following in Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay. The tree is looking lush and green in the height of so-called summer.

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