A day in Cadiz

Monday 8th January 2018

A quick (or in actual fact not so quick 31 mins for 5k) run along the prom to the marina and back started what was a really enjoyable albeit COLD day. We had decided to go into Cadiz with Richard and Angela. A 20 mins walk took us to the ferry which runs a regular service from El Puerto De Santa Maria straight into the centre of the old town. The 30 mins sailing would have been gorgeous on most of the days we have had so far but today it was a tad on the nippy side and the swell, once out of the harbour – well let’s say it added interest to the journey. Now I have wanted to visit this ancient city for years but had never been near enough to pop in for a day. Europe’s oldest city and founded by the Phoenicians in 1100BC (or even Hercules as legend has it) has a maze and tangle of narrow streets are all clustered on the headland with the sea surrounding nearly all of it. The history attached to this little outcrop must be immense over 31 centuries but visually from the narrow alleyways it was not to be seen as successive generations have added, improved and modernised its centre creating some very pretty balcony strewn and narrow avenues. The beautiful cathedral dominates the largest square but we saw only a few other squares. We climbed the Torre Tavira which has been converted into a ‘camera obscura’ showing a 360 degree live feed of the city from above via mirrors which was really good. We committed to the last spiral staircase to brave the cold and see the views for ourselves from the terrace.

As we left the sun came out and the cold morning was forgotten Richard was insistent that we should go and see the famed and ancient fig trees supposedly brought back from the new world, and when we arrived we could understand why. They were enormous. The huge trunks and massive branches made for a tree climbers delight. We found a bar in the sun and out of the wind so stoped for a drink in the warm.

Time was against us and we were all famished as it was 4pm so we headed back to find a traditional tapas bar and failed dismally, and ended up in a “sort of one” to abate our hunger. The waterfront gardens and open squares that the guide book mentioned would have to wait for another day as we had a ferry to catch. Tomorrow we head for the famous rock and hotly disputed British territory that is Gibraltar and to catch up my very dear friend Lulu (who ignited my love of Salsa) and her family who have just relocated there from Marbella we can’t wait.