1 November 2022 - Cadiz

Miles driven today = 0

Total Miles to date = 2,874

Today is All Saints' Day, a public holiday in Spain.  We didn't actually realise this until last night but it certainly explains why there were so many large family groups camped out yesterday for their Halloween celebrations.  They are all gone now.  The only remnants are a couple of orange balloons bobbing around the site as if they are wondering where all the children have gone.

The holiday also meant a considerably reduced ferry service to Cadiz.  Rather than leaving every 45 minutes or so there was just one this morning at 9:45, so we made sure we got on it.  The crossing takes about 40 minutes and costs roughly €5.50 for a return ticket.  This isn't the ferry by the way, although it may have been back in the day.

We had no set agenda and, being a public holiday, we knew that a lot of the museums and other public buildings wouldn't be open so we picked up a map from the tourist info offices and then just followed our noses.  

We made our way from the docks towards the furthermost point of the peninsular via the Plaza of Flowers.  The building at the far end is the Post Office.

Despite being November now the temperature was still in the mid-20s so these 2 huge trees gave some very welcome shade.

St Catalina's Castle is at one end of the Playa de La Caleta.

And at the other end of the beach a long rocky spit is home to the Castle of San Sebastian.

Santiago Church faces out onto the Cathedral Plaza.

Naturally, so does the Cathedral.

Santa Cruz Church is the old Cathedral.

We popped inside for a quick look at the interior.

From the back of the Cathedral this is looking north along the promenade.

And looking South to the more recently developed parts of Cadiz.

The Plaza of San Juan de Dios with craft stalls and the City Hall in the background.

Saint Domingo's Convent Church with the statue of "La Perla de Cadiz", a famous local flamenco artist.

It was lunchtime and we were hungry.  Believe it or not the practice of frying fish in batter didn't originate at Harry Ramsden's.  It was here in Cadiz, so we sought out a restaurant near the market which had a menu of various fried seafood goodies.  Lisa had anchovies, whereas I went for cuttlefish.  They didn't look the most asthetic of dishes so I didn't bother with any pictures.  In fact if I'm honest, mine just looked like a big plate of chips.

And of course, when in Cadiz, what better way to wash down your meal than with a glass of sherry.

We had a little time to kill before our ferry back to El Puerto de Santa Maria so we walked towards the San Carlos Barrio.  The Plaza San Antonio had a selection of sculptures by a guy called Kieff Antonio Grediaga.

There are so many balconied lanes to lose yourself in.

Plaza de Mina is wonderfully shaded by mature trees.

The right hand side of this building has been refurbished as a hostel but the left hand appears derelict, which seemed rather sad for such a grand old place.

So, Cadiz has basically been another city which has immediately appealed to us.  The old town is relatively compact but has several distinct areas, each with its own individual character.  It has the reputation as being a very liberal city and we certainly noticed far more openly same sex couples here than anywhere else on this tour.  And what with having such amazing weather this late in the year it gets a big thumbs up from us.

2 November 2022 - Conil de la Frontera