Best kept secret of Cardiff Castle.

Took my friend Kadeeja to Cardiff Castle we decided to opt for the walk around the grounds instead of the guided tour. I was very impressed and pleased by the helpful people who worked in the castle.

One lady on her way off duty took time to answer my question as to what type of tree dominated the entrance. It was an evergreen oak tree. I had never heard of an evergreen oak tree. The greeter at the gate answered our questions on the age of the castle and smiled a friendly welcoming smile.

The huge evergreen oak is in the background...

But the best was yet to come, we climbed the stairs to the part of the castle devoted to the Welsh Regiment and met two very well informed gentlemen who delighted in telling us the history of the Welsh Guard's mascot the goat. Kadeeja had asked me why the goat had been featured so strongly in the exhibition and why the Regiment had chosen the animal. At this point I had asked the caretakers quite a few questions e.g. were the costumes displayed original or replica's stuff like that...he could have tutted and been impatient but he gave us a very full and interesting explanation.
He said it had all started in the Crimean war, our soldiers were starving and cold, a goat had made its way into the camp. The soldiers could have eaten it but they chose to celebrate the goats bravery and resilience and adopted the goat from that day on as a mascot. When a goat dies he is given a very special pomp and ceremy burial in the same cemetery as the soldiers. The two men bounced off each other with statistics and knowledge and revelled in any question thrown at them, reeling off dates and facts like a computer. They are Cardiff castle's best kept secret, I could imagine spending a very lively hour our two with that pair.
I was really embarrased though on seeing in one of the glass cases there was a quotation maintaining there was an Arab saying that when allah made the Sudan he did it for a laugh. Knowing my friend was from Sudan I asked what she thought of it and she replied that she had never heard of such a saying....I couldn't help thinking that was a bit non PC...me saying something is non PC I can't believe it, I never thought there would be a day when I would say that, but I thought it very insulting to my friend. It would be the equivalent of someone saying when God made Wales he was joking, I would be incensed if I read that statement.