Solving a Rubik's cube

I bought a Rubik's cube from the Toys "r" Us in Vivocity sometime in late 2007. I had huge ambitions. Wanting to solve it within minutes. Blind folded perhaps. Single handed?
Never got round to solving it until about 1am this morning. And when I twisted all the faces in place, I never knew I had solved it until I turn the faces all round and realised that there was nothing left to do. Except be bewildered by the solution. The initial face was the hardest. After that, it was just mechanically identifying the patterns & applying the solution.
I might have solved the Rubik's cube but I don't know how the solution works.