Here we go!

For years we’ve talked about taking a prolonged trip to Spain. Literally since pre Covid. During the prolonged dreaming period of the drip, we’ve had the support of Spain loving enthusiast’s. One is a friend who lived in Cadiz for a time. And LOVED her time there. Nothing but positive things to say about the city and her time there. So naturally, as we are already in southern Spain, we determined we had to see what the fuss was all about.

Cadiz is not particularly close to Benalmadena. Sure, it is on a map, but in reality it’s a haul. We decided to bite the bullet and rent a car for this one. It’s nearly a 2.5 hour drive to get there. Public transportation would be an unimaginable hassle. And take FOREVER.

Alarms set for the wee hours of dawn, we hit the road with bleary tired eyes. I’m the navigator and Doug the driver on these road trips. Navigating here is no joke at times. The exit may or may not have a number on it, that may or may not match any signs or what GPS tells you. Expressways have multiple names. Which might not be anything close to what the directions are telling you. And Google Maps can be very wrong here. As in veer right when you very much should have gone left. But, despite irritation from the driver on all the ensuing confusion, we have made it everywhere we needed to go. So there’s that.

One major problem with morning road trips can directly be related to the consumption of coffee. As in my bladder will not make it all the way to Cadiz without a rest break, or as my friends here call it, a “comfort stop”. Spain, to my observation and experience thus far, does not have rest stops. I have not seen one while on the road, either in a rented vehicle or by bus. Not a one. Turns out I love that about the States. I like knowing how far that next rest area is when on the freeway. I can then adequately gauge bladder vs miles. Not so much here.

At a swap in freeway to highway (I think) we stopped at a little gas station. There was only one. Now, at home, gas station potties are a solid 50/50 on tolerable or deplorable conditions. I’ll just say I have not had one bad experience in Spain in regard to gas station bathrooms. I like Galp and Repsol. Easy to use the gas pump (some other’s, not so much) and they always have restrooms to utilize. Added bonus, Galp stations tend to have Illy espresso, some of the best coffee we’ve had in Spain. Who knew good espresso could be found at a gas station!

Cadiz

Back on the road to Cadiz, we passed over Puente de la Constitucion de 1812, or the bridge spanning across the Bay of Cadiz that links Cadiz with mainland Spain. I found this bridge architecturally stunning. It’s roughly 1.9 miles long, so you’ll enjoy it for a minute while crossing.

We chose to park near the main train station and walk to the surrounding attractions. Made getting in and out of the city a breeze and was fairly inexpensive compared to a few other options we saw.

Cadiz is bursting with history. It’s generally considered the oldest continuously inhabited city in the whole of Europe and has arguably been in existence since 1100BC. That’s plenty old by anyone’s standards. Granted, it’s believed to have originated as a small trading post, was fortified as the years went on and became a naval base under Roman rule many years later. Parts of the old fortress walls remain intact around the “old town” and there are reportedly over 100 watchtowers along the coastal line. It’s fabulous to see.

Walking toward the old town is a treat in itself. We got to see the city come alive as its residents made their way into the day. Small cafes hosting patrons along with people beginning the daily bustle. Plenty of tourists soon joined. Cadiz’s port hosts cruise ships so there are tourists aplenty.

Cadiz is considered a center of Andalusian flamenco culture, which does explain the numerous flamenco statues within the city. And the Center for Flamenco Art.

Wandering through the streets of old Cadiz is a pleasure. Buildings are painted in visually pleasing hues that go beyond the basic muted grays and browns preferred in the states. Why are we so boring? I loved the intermittent splash of color, ranging from terra cotta to aqua. Generally with the upper floors in a more muted color or white. Complete with balconies of course. So pretty!

I loved a massive buildings white facade, pillars and trimmings painted a vibrant yellow. It felt alive and beautiful. Anyone who loves old buildings like I do may understand that comment. Turns out it’s a school. My schools were never that pretty.

After wandering the streets and along the waterfront a bit, we headed inward and found the aptly named Plaza de la Catedral. Sure enough, it boasts the Catedral de Cadiz. Shocking, I know. The entire plaza was kind of a mess. Looked like they hadn’t quite taken everything down after a Santa Semana event and there were barricades and whatnot throughout. The cathedral itself is lovely. We considered entering. Cadiz is quite proud of their cathedral and we passed on forking out 10 € per person. For the record, that’s quite expensive for a solo cathedral entrance in Spain. Especially when it’s not particularly unique to the vast quantities of other cathedrals we’ve entered for free or at a fraction of the price. So nope. Not feeling another cathedral.

Treats and Tragedy

Kept walking and passed a heavenly smelling panaderia. Mmmm, the smell of fresh pastries. Following temptation, I headed in and was thrilled to find more than the typical offerings. Settling on a Breztel de Natillas (custard pretzel) to share, we soon bit into a piece of heaven that melted in our mouths. Perfect soft dough with just the right amount of sweet, topped with nuts. Not a pretzel at all really. My only regret is not taking a few to go for the next day or car ride home.

Strolling into the nextdoor Plaza Candelaria, tragedy struck. Walking amongst the trees I stopped to snap a photo. An adorable group of pigeons bathing in a fountain. Wings flittering, water droplets sparkling through the air. That glorious pastry in the other hand. Out of nowhere, PLOP! A warm wet sensation all over my arm. Stupid pigeon above me promptly poo’ed on my arm and wrap. Eww! I handled it well. Meaning I immediately freaked out. Luckily there was a drinking water fountain a few steps away where I could wash the defecation off my arm and jacket to the best of my abilities. So, naturally I have a fresh resentment to all pigeons. I don’t care if they are only distant relations to this particular offender. This resentment has not dimmed over the past few days. Turns out I prefer them freshly cooked on a plate as to anywhere overhead. Had pigeon in a French restaurant in China, it was delightful. At least the delinquent bird missed the pastry! Worst part was I didn’t even snap the photo. While some consider it great luck to be pooped on by I bird, I find it rather revolting. Pretty sure it’s someone else’s turn for that kind of “luck.”

Onward (while giving every pigeon the stink eye) we roamed more streets and found another church. The Parroquia Nuestra Senora del Rosario was free of admission. Much better deal. The interior was quite exquisite with white washed walls and golden embellishments. While I am not Catholic, I appreciate the peacefulness of these houses of worship. Always remember to be quiet and respectful within. There’s frequently a patron within to pray. And take your hat off. You weren’t raised in a barn. And if you were, still, take your hat off. Sheesh.

Walk the Walk

Along the waterfront (Bay of Cadiz side) there’s a seaside walkway. At one end is the Parque Genoves. This is a botanical garden-esqe park with loads of benches to plop down on (and glare at pigeons) and a collection of topiary’s. Apparently I am hard to impress. I found the park random. Doug was impressed with the giant sculpted plants. Moving along, I preferred the Jardines de Alameda Apodaca. I found the tiled pools and fountains charming amongst some of the most colossal tree’s I’ve ever seen. Further along there’s a wall with old cannons along it. There’s a fortress (we skipped it being short on time). A fishing pier. People fishing. Loads of tourists taking in all the splendor.

Mercado

Hunger lead us to the Mercado Central de Abastos de Cadiz. If you’re ever in Spain, find a market. They are busy and overwhelming. You’ll find fresh fish, veggies, fruits, meats, spices, olive stalls and stalls for tapa’s, baked goods and drinks. The joy is in the sampling. Some things were amazing, such as the truffle and mushroom tortilla. The jamon sandwich on nut bread with fig jam? Amazing. Turns out nuts in Spain are called frutos seccos. I had a heck of a time trying to understand what the lady was saying. She was just making sure I’m not allergic to nuts. Nice of her to warn people.

Monuments and Ruins

Within Cadiz’s Plaza Espana is one of the most impressive monuments I’ve seen to date in Spain. The 1812 Constitution Monument is massive and eye catching. Semi circular “arms” surround a platform. A tall pillar raises skyward, detailed carvings and statues intrigue the eye. It is lovely. The plaza is gorgeous as well. Tiled with plenty of tree’s to provide shade. We even saw green parrots taking a bath in a puddle.

On our way back to the car we had one last must see stop. Roman Ruins. Heck yeah! And this time they were so much more than a random pile of rocks. This time they were a part of a large Roman theatre that is guesstimated to have seated 20,000 people. And the best part? You can walk through the theatre gallery, the under passage that sits below part of the stadium above. Walking through the massive arched walkway was spectacular. It has been partially restored and is well worth the visit. One of my favorite stops in Cadiz.

We took a round about drive leaving the city, solely to drive through the arched gates of the Puerta de Tierra, which is a massive fort. Pretty amazing to drive under a fortress’ arch.

Cadiz offers a boatload of other attractions that we simply did not have time for. I would love to spend a few days casually exploring and simply enjoying its wonders. Time to enjoy its cafe’s and wander through the maze of streets. Maybe next time.