Check out Ivan’s post of our
day together with this link http://www.globallanguagetraining.com/slow-travelling-sevilla/
He gives more detail on the
history of the area, his barrio or neighbourhood and I enjoy reading about his
view point of the day.
Completely rainy day, first
ever here for us in Sevilla with wind as well. People’s faces were unhappy
looking as they walked around under umbrellas. I expect it doesn’t rain too
much here. Being from Vancouver we didn’t mind and it was warm enough. We got
lost, actually lost this time, after walking a long way through interesting
neighbourhoods. We ended up at the Alcazar again back in tourist country. By
that point were tired and didn’t know which way to start walking back. No
problem, we took a taxi back. Wasn’t costly and our feet appreciated it.
On our wandering we found
another food etc. market which is much younger than the one Ivan took us to,
this one is only thirty years old.
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| Mercado (Market) Arenal |
Being close to siesta time it wasn’t full
and many vendors had left but still amazing to see. The most interesting vendor
to us was a fellow who worked with dried bamboo and cane, he did baskets,
chairs, all sorts of things. His working shop was his retail store so after
asking permission to enter we saw some true works of art with the materials.
The market is in a massive building with arched walkways that takes up an
entire city block. Showing some age and wear and tear but beautiful.
Time passes quickly when
you’re having a good time. We’ve only got another three weeks here. It is such
a beautiful city! As always we will be sad to leave and have made friends here
in Pepe, Ivan and our waiter at the local bodega.
Our partner’s comment who are living in the flat now: “D. mentioned
today that we only have a month left here in Freiburg. A month on vacation used
to be a long time. Funny how your perspective changes in response to
circumstances.” On the bright side… they look forward, as we do, to meeting up
again and spending time together. I actually didn’t know them well before this
venture of sharing a flat but feel privelaged to know them now, and the
arrangement has worked very well also from both our points of view.
So tomorrow, on to Cadiz
pronounced Cadish for a few days. We hadn’t bought train tickets in advance,
unusual for us but no problem. Had an hour wait and boarded, it’s an hour
and forty five minutes Sevilla to Cadiz
and really on all the train trips we’ve been on, the most boring. Miles and
miles of pretty much naked fields plowed but not yet planted. Except going across the narrow strip of land over the sea, waves on one side with sand dunes and calmer sea on the other which made me think we were on a boat! Arrive and what
is supposed to be a five minute walk to the hotel, isn’t, but we didn’t walk it! We taxied,
I think you would have to be an Olympic walker to do it in five minutes, took
the taxi about ten. Wet and windy in both Sevilla and Cadiz. Once installed in
a very small room, I was warned about that, we walked out and about for a bit.
Had a tapa and drink at a bar, walked some more, went back to same bar, had
another tapa and came back to the hotel.
Cadiz is on a peninsula in
Spain, on the Atlantic. Take a look on Google maps. More on it later as we
explore.
The hotel is old, rooms are
not numbered, they are named after famous people and there is a plaque on the
wall inside to explain. It is four floors around an atrium in the middle . They
are nicely furnished, at least ours is and has a window onto the street below
that we can’t figure out how to open, but if did, Lexi could get through
anyway.
Our first full day in Cadiz
and we did what you’ve read we do in many cities and took a bus tour around it.
Has to be around it because the old town has too narrow streets for buses. Back
again tomorrow, another twenty-four hour ticket.
We are enjoying the palm
trees in Spain, so many, and different kinds, really feels tropical and is.
Less orange trees in Cadiz but I would guess more gardens and palm trees.
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| Beautiful Flamenco dancer, she is named but I didn't write it down, just loved the statue! |
After the bus tour we walked
the older part of town then settled like turtles to enjoy the sunshine, out of
the wind. Watched kids playing hide and seek and running all over the plaza.
Found the food market but it was closed. I “think” we can find it again. As you
can tell from previous posts we’re amateur foodies and love markets.
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| Flower market outside the food one. See the individual "houses" each hold a different vendor. |
More walking until tapa time
and after researching other places, some close the kitchen at 16:30, we were
later than that, we ended up at the same place as last night. The owner greets us and we are set up with a
tapa each and drinks. We are ready to go when the waitress puts another tapa on
the table courtesy of the house, not on the menu, I asked. It was a fish of
some kind, potato and a most wonderful sauce, lemon and truly, not sure what
else. It’s what they were having for their dinner. I felt rather honoured, or
I’m not sure the correct word here but happy minimally. Okay and yes, my
cynical side just says they want to see us back but really they didn’t have to
do that.
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| Cadiz Cathedral, it's enormous! |
Today we “met” two couples
from Holland, I guess this is a winter destination for them. First one was a
young couple who were on the train with us. They were at breakfast at the same
time. She wore a an absolutely stunning short dress of gray, white and silver.
After our gratus tapa, the
other couple from Holland were eyeing the menu and I beckoned them in, saying
in my very limited Spanish that this was a good place to eat. They spoke
English and said they wanted to walk more before coming back. I’ve done this in
several cities on our trips. There are many websites who tout the best
restaurants by category of price but I don’t think you can beat a person
actually sitting in it and saying, this is a great place!
Hammering and general din
started at 08:30 the next morning being Monday. We were warned by a notice in the elevator that they are renovating the
third floor. Sounded like they were coming through our room at some points that
morning! So no problem with the start time, know they have to do it, probably
can’t afford to close the hotel, just not pleasant to live in. Plus, we should
be out and about in Cadiz and not in the hotel anyway but we are slow starters
to our day.
Carnival was just starting I think it includes singing, dancing
large light features are hung between the streets. We really didn't see anything about it, heard the occasional snippet of singing. We didn't stay on a Saturday night when most of it happens.
With the continual racket
coming into the room from the renovation of the hotel we decided Wednesday to leave Cadiz and train back to
Sevilla, we had originally booked until Friday. We noticed other hotels being
renovated as well, this time of year is a good time for them to upgrade. Bad
time to be in one.
Train took all of five
minutes to book and ten minutes to board for an hour and forty five minutes
journey on a regional train stopping many times.
We’re back in Sevilla and
appreciating our home away from home, the space and lack of noise.
Web was down this morning,
came up around noon, we went out and now it’s down again.
Bruce is cooking again! Yum! Except a bit of a
failure yesterday, it’s been a while since he cooked so out of practise. Today’s
version smells and tastes wonderful. We’ve been mostly living on cold food,
like tapas and fruit and veg from here, as said, no complaints and healthy, but
sometimes it’s good to have something hot that isn’t coffee or tea.
Happy Valentines Day! Cheers, Bx2 and Lexi Cat
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