31-29. What a result! If her constituents had hated the last round of public sector cuts, they would be absolutely livid with this. She'd fought hard to stop it, having gotten most of the undecided AMs onto the 'no' side, rallying up opposition to the proposed cuts in the press, in towns and small villages, those places that would be the hardest hit.

But it was no use. The Assembly had passed the bill, and it would be sent to the Government offices in days for ratification. Not even an appeal to the Welsh Office in London could stop it now, but as she exited the debating chamber of the Senedd, and entered the foyer, she thought of ways she could mitigate the consequences for those who had voted her in.

"Cup o' tea for you, miss?"

A young tabby cat in uniform presented a tray to her as she approached the exit. Gareth knew full well what her first name was, and often used it whenever she popped by Ty Hywel to have something printed, or to have a good chat over lunch. She smiled warmly, despite her internal frustrations, and gladly took a small paper cup.

"Cheers, blodyn" she thanked him, before taking a small sup of the sweet orange drink, and heading towards the glass facade of the Senedd building. The evening sun shone straight into the foyer, nearly blinding her as the refracted light heralded the nearing of the end of the day. They had been in that godforsaken chamber for nearly 8 hours, haggling, heckling, negotiating, and so many other adjectives associated with hammering out what was thought to be an appropriate deal. She sighed; this wasn't the first time she'd felt this defeated, but one with such a desire to do good can never get used to such a feeling.

At least it wasn't raining, she thought to herself, as the automatic doors allowed her out into the Cardiff Bay area. The February air was crisp, and the sun's rays did little to offer warmth. She pulled her jacket closer, took another sup of tea, and headed down the stone steps, and to the path along the seafront.

Ever observant, she looked back towards the Senedd building, and then to the facade of the Pierhead Building, which she walked passed. Her heart suddenly became a little lighter, as it always did when she walked passed the gothic-esque structure; the Welsh equivalent of the Houses of Parliament. She's come here on a school trip, as a wee lass, and loved it so much that she'd spent the best part of the day with the kindly old man on reception, who told her all about the place's history; of how Cardiff used to be the biggest port in the whole wide world, and how it had been changed and preserved over 100 years, all while the rest of her class charged off to Techniquest.

She leaned against the black railings on the bay front, staring nostalgically at the building. It wasn't often that she could just stop, ignore her works and constraints for a little while, and simply enjoy life. But with fresh sea air about her, a hot cup of tea in warming her hands, and an example of beautiful architecture, this was most certainly one of those moments.

---

I'm back to writing my little stories, having managed to free up a bit of time!

As in 2016, I found myself in Cardiff for the University's annual Model United Nations conference, though not heading the delegation this time *grumble grumble*. Still, the two co-head delegates did a rather decent job, although someone who knew Cardiff well had to rush to collect the delegation's welcome packs (*ahem*), after their bus from Canterbury had fallen behind schedule. No great deal of rushing for the rest of the weekend, however, though after a year out of British MUN-ing, I had to be quick on my feet to compete with some of the other representatives in the room.

To clarify, the Pierhead Building was just the site of the conference's opening ceremony, while the committee sessions took place on the Cardiff University campus. This Welsh G-Shep was placed in the Economic and Financial Council of the EU, representing Greece (it's rather like a poor joke). Although outnumbered by countries wanting further cuts to save the EU budget, we were adamant that trade deals with Japan, Canada, and the UK could fill the budget hole left by the UK's departure, and our position was eventually accepted into the draft resolution. For my efforts, I managed to win the award of 'Distinguished Delegate', leaving my record of awards won at UK MUN conferences unbroken.

Now, enough of inflating my own ego; time for a little bit of history behind this seemingly out-of-place building! It was built in the late 1890s, as an office building for what was to become the Cardiff Railway Company, which organised the transport of coal from the Welsh valleys to Cardiff Port, onto the ships, and out to the rest of the world. At this point, Cardiff was indeed the biggest port in the world, fed by the most industrial area in the world, by some of the most industrious folk int he world. In 1922, the Great Western Railway took over, and poured even more money into the port, updating many of the old Victorian facilities. All of this went into a sharp decline after the Second World War, however, and for the best part of 30 years, the Cardiff Bay fell into disrepair, becoming a hotbed of crime. This has been completely revolved since the 1990s, and the area has been developed as the heart of Wales' self-government, with the Assembly building and offices all being located here, right next to the Millennium Centre and Roald Dahl Plass. In the past few years, dozens of eating establishments have also opened to give the area a vibrant, fresh feel, with plenty of upmarket cafes and restaurants, whilst retaining a rustic atmosphere with local bars and pubs. Perhaps I should consider a career in the advertising business? ;-p

Hope you enjoy!