Parks takeover

Cloudy today, but not overcast, with a west wind making it ten degrees cooler than yesterday's thirty degrees. Such fluctuations in the weather! We both slept even later than usual. I went to the Eucharist at St Catherine's alone. Clare decided to attend the afternoon's Welsh language service. A happy atmosphere prevailed during and after worship. Some people were clearly tired after their efforts invested in making yesterday's summer fayre such a resounding success with excellent attendance by old and young alike. A record amount of money was raised, £3150. Just reward for a big effort.

Trump has brought the USA into the Middle Eastern conflict, by ordering air strikes on nuclear industrial sites in Iran, achieving what Netanyahu's government desired but couldn't carry out, as its doesn't have bombs that can penetrate the depth at which Iranian laboratories are situated. Iran keeps bombarding Israel with missiles, but will it dare to bombard American military bases in the region, and escalate the conflict further? What will happen next? The world waits to find out. Meanwhile the daily death toll at Gaza's few aid distribution centres continues to rise.

After lunch, I slept for an hour in the chair, then walked over to Bute Park, to find out what was going on there, as the amplified sound from some event over there was in the background yesterday and today. The whole of Coopers Field was enclosed with fencing. Then I remembered that Cardiff's Gay Pride fiesta has been taking place this weekend, involving a big stage with gigs, lots of stalls and tents housing for smaller activities. There's even a 'Faith tent'. Instagram showed photos of Bishop Mary celebrating the Eucharist there in the open air.

Having found out what was happening, I walked back home by way of Blackweir Fields. This too is now enclosed by security fencing along the footpaths around the periphery and a wall four metres high, making it impossible for passers by to watch from outside the open air concert enclosure. By change Ann called me as I was walking by. Reception was exceptionally bad in a place where there's usually a good signal. I quickly found out that the wall was constructed of metallic panels disrupting electronic signals, enough to prevent anyone using their phones to make a clear recording for free of a concert from a spot just outside. A weak or absent signal could inadvertently put passers-by at risk if there was an assault or an accident that meant making an emergency call. I wonder if anyone responsible has noticed this?

Inside the enclosure a giant performance stage is being constructed. It must be 15 metres high, or more. It gives the vast field outside the woodland conservation area a distinctly dystopian feel, as there's no public information displayed to indicate exactly what is going on behind the screen. During the second world war open fields alongside the Taff were taken up with military encampments, guarded and patrolled. Citizens knew why the fields were occupied for a good purpose. 

Sure, information about forthcoming concerts and the city's decision making process leading to this economy boosting project are all available on-line, but not everyone finds things out electronically. Many people with better things to do will take their usual route through the parks and find out something is about to happen when a usually quiet open public space fills with stacks of fencing and scaffolding being delivered. Is this really a good way to elicit public good will? Or just another instance of showing people how few rights they have and how little control they have over their environment, alienating them from governing authorities.

After supper I watched the first crimmie in a new Italian series set in Bolzano, South Tyrol. The scenery is stunning but it's the social setting that makes this interesting. It's in a mixture of Italian and German with English subtitles. The traditional language of much of the southern alps was a German dialect, but after the first world war, a region that had been part of the Austro-Hungarian empire was ceded to Italy with Italian as its official language. This has bred resentments and after the second world war, a violent separatist movement emerged, reminiscent of those Ireland and Catalunya. Violence may have been contained if not eliminated, but cultural identity is still a bone of contention in a bi-lingual province where both languages don't have the same status and value. I wonder if this has changed in any way, thanks to membership of the European Union? I'm intrigued. Must find out!