Pilgrimage to Cardiff Bay ❤️

16 minutes ago
1 min read

I told BBC News that I was planning a trip, and I wasn't kidding!

Ianto's Shrine in Cardiff has been on my bucket list since I first watched Torchwood back in 2012. It was always those "I'll get there eventually" destination that I thought would always be there. And I had good reason to, it's been a fixture in Cardiff since Ianto's death in 2009. But when I found out it was being taken down, my arse was kicked into gear and Niamh and I booked a last minute flight.

As was the case for many people, Gareth David Lloyd's performance as Ianto Jones struck me as poignant. At the time I wasn't sure why, but realising much later that I had been living my life as a closeted teenager, the reality became clear. I felt seen without realising I was feeling seen. And that kind of impact remains with you forever.

So, that's a bucket list item ticked off. Cardiff Bay is beautiful as well. The weather was stunning and the sites were something to behold. The water tower (a.k.a Torchwood's entrance) is much wetter than it looks. Makes me wonder how they filmed scenes there without getting drenched!

RIP Ianto. Gone but very evidently and most certainly not forgotten.