Coasting in a Car to Cádiz

We drove down to Cádiz Tuesday morning. It's less than an hour and a half south, but it felt like a different world. Jerry and I picked up the rental car at the train station Monday night and parked at the garage under the bus station, which is by the river and a 10-minute walk from our house. We wanted to avoid any possible snags trying to make it down our little street to the parking garage closer to home.

To walk from the train station to the bus station takes about 30 minutes. A taxi ride takes 10 minutes or less. Jerry and I drove it in just over 50 minutes. As they say in Maine, "You can't get there from here." The thoroughfare we tried to use turned out to be open only to taxis, buses, and cars with resident stickers. We had to detour. Instead of heading mostly west from the train station, we went west, north, east, north, west, south, and then west. Or at least that's how I think we went. It's a good thing we enjoy getting lost.

WALKING ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF THE OLD CITY. THE BAY OF CÁDIZ.

It was definitely worth the effort. Linda and Tom walked over Tuesday morning with their overnight bag. We had coffee downstairs and then all walked to the car. Getting out of the city was easy, thanks to Google Maps, and the drive to Cádiz was a pleasure. What a beautiful city. Tom and Linda had been there before and loved it. We now understand why.

TREES SAID TO HAVE BEEN BROUGHT FROM THE NEW WORLD BY COLUMBUS.
(COLUMBUS SAILED FROM CÁDIZ ON HIS SECOND AND FOURTH VOYAGES.)

Cádiz is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in possibly all of southwestern Europe. Its founding dates to 1104 BC (which is well before Jerry was born; hell, that's well before The Dowager Duchess was born). The city is undergoing a huge facelift — building renovations, repaving, new plantings (including massive palm trees) — mostly I think in preparation for the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the first Spanish constitution.

We stumbled on a lunch place that was the pits. Ham croquettes without ham, French fries from a freezer bag. But, we were in such good company that it didn't matter. Jerry had researched places for dinner and our day ended with an exceptional meal at Restaurante Aljibe. Unbelievably delicious food. Absolutely perfect, warm and charming and gracious, service. We arrived just as they opened that night. Jerry did the research and arrangements for our little escape, including finding an excellent place to stay, the Hotel Argantonio, in the old center. He's a great travel agent.

LA CALETA BEACH. THE EAST SIDE OF THE CITY ON THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.

RECENTLY RESTORED BUILDINGS IN THE OLD CENTER.

UNRESTORED. BUT WITH WALLS OF FLOWER POTS WAITING TO BE FILLED.

OUTSIDE THE POST OFFICE.

THE SOUTH COAST OF CÁDIZ. LOOKING ALONG THE ATLANTIC FROM OLD TOWN TO THE NEW.

BEHIND THE CATHEDRAL.

THE GOLDEN DOME OF THE CATHEDRAL AND SOME OF THE STONE WORK.

THE FRONT OF THE CATHEDRAL. GETTING READY FOR HOLY WEEK.

PLAZA DE SAN JUAN DE DIOS. MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS UNDERWAY.

THE CHURCH OF SAN AGUSTÍN, 1647.

RESTAURANTE ALJIBE. THE PERFECT PLACE FOR THE PERFECT MEAL.
TAPAS DOWNSTAIRS. FULL MENU UPSTAIRS. WE WENT UPSTAIRS.