Adventures in Spain

 Sept. 4 - Cadiz, Spain
 

Cadiz, Spain



Cadiz

We arrived in Cadiz, Spain around 8:00 AM and docked at berth in the Port of Cadiz to start our 5 day country visit.  Our first tour was a city orientation of the old and new parts of Cadiz.  Sun, our tour guide, took us to the central cathedral, public parks and gardens, the natural history museum, and pointed out the local fish market.   It was our first tour and Dave’s first time at being a bus leader.  Being a bus leader has a perk of a free tour.  It also makes one responsible for making sure that all the people that started the tour were also present at the end of each stop and were accounted for at the end of the tour.  Dave decided there was too much accountability required for the benefits of a free trip and is revaluating any further part time jobs as a bus tour leader.

 

Solid Silver "Float"



The cathedral was notable for several reasons – it was started around 1250 and gold and riches from the new world were unloaded and after 1492 the treasure of the local area were significantly increased.  One of the interesting artifacts stored in the cathedral was a ceremonial “float” that is carried even today in local festivals.  This float is made of 2000 Kilograms of silver and takes 12 men to wheel this behemoth through the streets of Cadiz. The other notable reason to become familiar with the Cathedral was that is the highest part of old town Cadiz and all roads pretty much in the square where it is located.  It worked great for us as we negotiated the narrow, winding streets of the old city.



Sunset view from Ventorillo Rest.



One of the high lights of our visit to Cadiz was having dinner at two of the best restaurants in the city, or at least a couple of the best know.  Ventorrillo Del Chato and El Faro – Ventorrillo is the oldest family owned, continually operated in Northern hemisphere – started in 1735.  Food and wine were excellent.  Ventorrillo is located west of city center Cadiz along a beach several miles long.  We arrived at 9:30 just in time to watch the sun set into the Atlantic ocean.  Even at 9:30 we were the first people at the restaurant for dinner.  Everyone else shows up to start dinner sometime at 10:00 PM and continues until well after mid night. 

Sept  5 - Grazalema Natural Park



Grazalema Natural Park

Tour bus left the ship at 10:00 AM to start the 2 hour ride to Grazalema Natural Park.  We stopped once for a short break at Grazalema, one of the 29 white towns located in the valley of the surrounding mountains.  The term white towns is used because all the building are white washed a brilliant white to help keep the interiors cools.  We met our biologist guide, Pedro, and his interpreter, Anna, at Grazalema and road to the trail head together.  We started the hike with a moderate climb – NOT.  In the first mile, we gained about 400 meters in elevation and then the trail undulated up and down for the next 2.5 Kilometers.  We were in search for the rare Spanish Pine trees that grow in only 3 locations in Spain.  Julie kept asking why they had to grow at the top of the mountain.  Between the heat (38^o C), elevation gain, and very rocky, switchback path, Julie was not a happy camper for most of the hike.  By the end of the hike everyone was ringing wet and dead tired for the ride home.  A quick dinner, several Aleve, and a shower all was right with the world and the “Bataan Death March” of Spain had come to an end for Julie.

Sept. 6 - Santa Maria



Santa Maria


 



We caught the Ferry for a short 25 minute ride across the bay to the small town of El Puerto Santa Maria.  Santa Maria is a town that acts as a “bedroom” community for Cadiz.  It also houses a U.S. Naval base.  With the help of some local folks that spoke enough English to help us get pointed in the right direction to the center of town, we made our way to a local café for Chocolate de Churro.  Coffee served with fresh made Churro, a type of donut server hot from the deep fryer, with a cup of hot chocolate that is like warm chocolate pudding.  The best hot chocolate is one where the churro stands up by itself.  Santa Maria is a very charming, older city with wonderful architecture, narrow streets, a castle or two and of course a large cathedral.  We explored the city, had a beer and senorita paella – squid, prawn, mussels and rice.  Paella is supposed to be a requisite dish for one travelling in Spain.  After lunch we caught the ferry home and wondered over to the other must restaurant in Cadiz – El Faro.  The meal was very good, menu was in English, French, German and Spanish so we were able to understand what we were about to eat – crab stuffed pimentos with cheese and fried phyllo rolls stuffed with goat cheese, leeks severed with a sultana sauce.



Restaurant in Santa Maria



Sept 7 - Seville



Seville


 

Columbus' Remains

Up early today to catch an 8:00 AM train with one of the SaS professors and his wife for a 2 hour ride to Seville.  We wondered through Seville – another very pretty town a bit larger than Cadiz.  One of the interesting stops was the Seville Cathedral.  This cathedral was built on the top of the Mosque that was built in 1181.  In 1218, the mosque was consecrated as a Catholic Church.  The cathedral is the final resting place of Christopher Columbus ’ casket).  It also has a bell tower that provides those hardy enough to walk the 35 ramps to the top with a stunning view of the city.  Next to the Cathedral is the Royal Alcazar of Seville.  It is palace that contain a 1000 years of history of Muslim and Christian art and artifacts.

  

Sept 8

Last day in Spain – we leave for Morocco at 8:00 PM.  We had an easy day today, but managed to visit a large department store called El Corte Inglaise.  We were looking for small Spanish made items we could not find in the markets.  El Corte Inglaise is a department store on steroids that is something like a cross between Nordstrom and Fred Meyer.  As large as it was we were unable to locate anything that we were looking for and returned to the ship to start the next adventure – Casablanca here we come.



 



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