Cadiz, Espanha

So they say the best thing about travel is the new adventures!! We're staying at a lovely campsite on the beach at El Puerto - a 30 minute ferry ride, or 45 minute train ride to Cadiz.

Cute little ducks at campsite outside Cadiz

Beach in El Puerto

We start the day realising that there are only a few ferry times to Cadiz and it's a long weekend (Spanish National Day) - the Spanish don't like to work too hard on holiday shifts!. The choices of ferries are about 3 hours apart so we decide to take the 1.30pm ferry and return on the 7.00pm.
OK, there are local flea market along the beach path so wander over there in the morning for a look. Basically, the market consists of stall holders that have gathered up their "sh..t" from home, put out a blanket, and are trying to make a few quid - it’s mainly old clothes and other junk. Oh well.

So where was I, oh that’s right, adventures, travel etc. We set off for a half hour walk along the waterfront to the ferry stop for our 1.30pm ferry - a couple of wrong turns and now we're running late for that ferry! We virtually run the rest of the way and arrive, puffed hot and sweaty and the queue is a mile long. We join the queue and eventually are told, "there's no use - it's booked out" What!! OK, what do we do now??

A Portugese lady in the queue, who speaks a little English tells us that she wants to go to Cadiz too but can't get on ferry. She suggests we catch a bus to the train station and then catch train to Cadiz. OK, let's give it a go. A bus turns up and takes us to the train station. Bob joins the queue at the train station to buy tickets as the ticket machine is incomprehensible. But it's shift changeover and it takes an inordinate amount of time for them to balance the float (remember them?) - and eventually they agree that they have the correct amount of money to be handed over. Finally Bob get's served and we get a couple of tickets to Cadiz, as does the Portugese lady and we go to the allocated platform as the electronic sign tells us. We wait for a while for the 2.10pm train, and happen to ask a young couple at the platform "we're on the right platform for Cadiz, Si?". Nope, not the 2.10pm, but the 2.50pm. We said we had tickets for the 2.10pm and showed them the tickets. They said "No", you can only catch the 2.50pm with that ticket?? We go a check with the train lady and she confirms, only the 2.50pm train! The Portugese lady says "stuff it" politely in Portugese and says she's going home. We said "oh well, we wait for the 2.50pm"!

After a 45 minute journey, when we arrive at Cadiz and head straight to the ferry terminal to make sure we can get on the 7.00pm ferry home. We find the ferry terminal closed! The Port fellow tells us they wont open until 5.30pm. Bloody hell, they certainly operate to a different drum here in Southern Spain - no services on weekends when people want to travel, ticket offices not open, how are you supposed to know if you can even buy a ticket home? Forget about it mate!

Now we walk into town, and need lunch. There's a local market place that supposed to be similar to Burrough Markets - let's go there, only 15 minute walk. We finally arrive - but all stalls are closed ("early knock Sunday!!").

Ok, back to the central Square and there's a little cafe window that has takeaway ‘calamari’ and a Jamon baguette a couple of doors down for Bob. I queue for a while and once I confirm the Spanish translation of "calamari", the lady says there's a 30 minute wait for food. You've gotta be kidding !!! Can't you see we are hungry, tired, hot and exhausted!! Oh well, deep breaths - it's a "first world problem". OK, Bob buys a Jamon baguette, we sit on the steps at the Cathedral and devour the baguette (well, I have a few bites) - it's now 5.30pm!! Then we decide we need a treat and line up for the "best gelato in town" - wait half an hour in the queue and get a gelato - not as good or as big as Messina - but ok.

So where was I? that’s right Cádiz! Yeah nice place, huge huge cathedral (we pay to go in and it’s worth it, not ornate but massive), nice walk along waterfront, amen.

Lovely huge square in Cadiz

Beautiful boulevarde in Cadiz

Another lovely shot of the Cathedral

Glorious domed ceiling in Cathedral

Beautiful arches inside Cathedral - Cadiz

Chapel in Cathedral

Nave in Cathedral

SIlver masterpiece in Cathedral

Another Chapel in Cathedral

Lovely Chapel in Cathedral

Beautiful wooden pipe organ in Cathedral

Self supporting domed ceiling in chapel area built below Cathedral

Mummy in Chapel below ground under Cathedral

Well deserved gelato - half demolished

Beach in Cadiz

Dying of thirst now so buy water and banana and try to work out how to get home!! Taxi and Uber are €40+, so back to train station where nice ticket seller says next local train is over an hour away, but long distance train is in 15 mins so that’s a better idea but it’s €10.50 instead of €5. Who cares, we pay the extra and catch the train, it takes only 25 mins as it’s faster, and then taxi from station to campground for €8 - so half the cost which is important for us retirees rapidly reducing the Super balance. We get home and it's 9pm! Scrambled eggs on toast it is!

Adios for now