Cadiz - Plaza de San Antonio

We've been without secure WiFi for a few days, hence no blog posts.  As we knew would eventually happen, we reserved an AirBnb for our second trip to Cadiz at a place that was pretty awful - filthy, dusty, uncomfortable, with no secure wifi, and to the Princess, totally unacceptable.  We ended up staying there 2 nights due to issues with canceling and lining up another accommodation.  Yes, we lost a few dollars on the deal, but we went back to someone we were hosted by before and are now situated in an apartment overlooking Plaza de San Antonio again.  This one is on the third (ground, one, two) floor and it is beautiful.  This apartment is what we both needed after two nights in "hell".  It is a vacation unto itself.  This is the view from the two windows I can see from the bed (where I plan to stay for at least 3 hours; yes, a traditional siesta is in my future).

The building across Plaza de San Antonio from the apartment

Just to catch up, we arrived on October 19 and we did explore Cadiz for two days.  We stayed away from the nasty apartment as long as we could each day before going back there just to sleep.  [Oh, and we both got our long delayed flu shots; delayed because I was still having bronchial trouble due to the wildfire smoke in the air in the Pacific Northwest.  Of course, we don't have preventative coverage abroad, so it was out-of-pocket - 8 euros each (times 1.18 for dollars) and a quick jab at the Farmacia. No side effects yet, and it's been over two days.]

However during that time, we visited the excavation of the Roman amphitheater, the Museum of Cadiz, and strolled many times through the Plaza de Espana, the Plaza de la Flores, the General Market, and along the waterfront.

The Teatro Romano de Cadiz is pretty spectacular.  http://turismo.cadiz.es/en/rutas-y-visitas-en-cadiz/roman-theatre  The city has created a simple and wonderful way for visitors to actually see the unfolding amphitheater dig by using windowed viewing areas, viewing platforms that are much closer to the dig, and even creating a walkway underneath the earth where the underground access was for the Roman participants so many thousands of years ago.  It was apparently built in about 70 BC, which tells me that it was there before the Cadiz Cathedral next door.

Downstairs, you can go under the dig through the original circular tunnels.

Steve on one of the observation decks that are accessed by the tunnels.  You can see the other observation deck behind him.

We walked up a ramp to the glassed in viewing area

View from the glassed in area.  This was discovered only a few years ago when a construction project began between that white building and the Cadiz Cathedral.

View of the Roman "backstage" area under the museum floor.  There only a few of the amphitheater seating benches exposed.  This stage is pretty far down.

Then, we found the Torre Tavira (Tavira Tower), which is an iconic site in Cadiz.  http://www.torretavira.com/en/  It appears to be just another building along one of the many narrow streets., but it is one of 126 watchtowers incorporated into buildings and strewn today all over Cadiz  It is the tallest of the watchtowers and probably dates from the 17th century.  They were used by merchants to keep an eye on traffic in the Bay of Cadiz when the city was a major trade hub in the Mediterranean.  In 1777, there were 160 of these towers and, amazingly, 126 are still standing!  [After our experience of trying to ascend the cathedral tower, Steve and I chose not to try to go all the way up to the viewing floor where the best view of Cadiz is spread before you.  Maybe before we leave.]

 The Museum of Cadiz ( http://turismo.cadiz.es/en/rutas-y-visitas-en-cadiz/museum-cadiz )was a wonderful place to see some of the Phoenician and Roman artifacts found in Cadiz. Apparently, the archaeological collection began in 1887 when the first sarcophagus was discovered in the shipyard area of Cadiz.  There are also many visual art collections, but I was fascinated by the artifacts.

The funerary pieces are most notable, apparently.  They are said to have been found all along the sides of the road leading to the Tierra Gate to the city.

Massive jigsaw puzzle.  This only a small part of the floor they are reconstructing.

Here are the first pieces found - the sarcophagi. 

by Joan Miro

I just liked the light against dark and forgot to see who painted it.  My bad.

And then we walked... 

The centre of the Plaza de Espana in Cadiz

The lovely waterfront near the Cathedral at night.

Plaza de la Flores near the Central Market with the Correo building int the background.  The Correo is the post office and that's not scaffolding, but preparations for the lighting for some upcoming fiesta, I think.

Here's where you put your mail for Cadiz

We have a little less than two more blissful days in Cadiz.  Of all the cities that we have visited in Spain, Cadiz is by far our favorite.  I think we could both see ourselves living here, if we ever decided to live abroad.  But, we are off to Madrid on Monday by train to stay for two nights and see the Reina Sofia Museum.  If Guernica is there, we are going to see it, by golly.  

Tonight, we have to make a final decision about where we go from Madrid on Oct. 25.  We really, really want to see Barcelona, but it just won't settle down.  So, it's probably off to France - Marseille and Provence, perhaps, or Italy.  We have lots of thinking to do.

Cadiz - sightseeing and political climate

Today, (October 10, 2017) we boarded the Hop-on-Hop Off tour bus and rode it three times around the city, with audio tour guides in our ears.  It was pretty amazing, aside from being the stereotypical tourist thing to do.  But, come on, how else are we going to get an idea of where to go and what to see without walking our feet down to bones?! [Today, I only climbed 6 floors, walked 11,895 steps and walked 5.4 miles.  See how valuable a tour bus can be?  And, apparently, there is one in every city we've visited, but we just didn't realize it.  Head-desk...]

So, today, we took the tour bus (in fact, we road it about 3 times around the circuit) and saw the outside of the Cadiz Cathedral, the beautiful beaches (Caleta in the Old Town, Victoria and Santa Maria beaches), 3 fortresses, the Plaza de Espana, some wonderful waterside parks, some of the 126 watchtowers that are still standing all over Cadiz.  And, we stopped at El Catamaran ticket office and bought our tickets for crossing the bay to Rota on Thursday (10/12) for our next AirBnb apartment.

The entrance to the old city of Cadiz.  These two arches were widened in the 19th century after an accidental explosion. 

Near Victoria and Santa Maria beaches in the new city.

Archaeological site discovered when this spot next to the cathedral was excavated for construction. It's over 2500 years old!

Ironic.  Look close, the upper inscription says "eloquence" on a statue proposed by a Cadiz mayor.  But, a seagull is sitting on top of the statue's head looking more regal then the statue.

Cadiz Cathedral

A smaller chapel next to one of two cathedral towers (the one that you can climb; we made it half way up the tower, don't judge)

I love the way this narrow street suddenly opens up to brilliant sun and the view of the cathedral.

Cadiz Cathedral (Roman Catholic)

The Crypt

The oldest of two pipe organs mounted above the gated choir area

The alter and pulpits

One pulpit and ceiling

There were many small side chapels, funded by various families.  This was one of them.

And, this was the view from our apartment building roof top at the end of the day.

Plaza de San Antonio

The roofs of Cadiz

Also, though we have not see any political/Catalan rallies or demonstrations here in Cadiz, we felt a little trepidation waiting for the Catalan leader, Mr. Puigdemont, to announce his decision to the Catalan parliament.  It was widely expected that he would ask the parliament to vote on Catalan independence within 48 hours and, if the vote was yes, independence would be declared.  Our feeling was, "oh, boy, are we glad we are we will be right next to a U.S. Navy Base."

Puigdemont says, although his people voted for independence, he will ask Madrid for a negotiated solution, stating that he wants to "de-escalate" the tensions and reassure people on all sides who were worried about what would happen next.  Frankly, I felt reassured.  This seemed so much like what happened in Cyprus in the 50s, which ended up in an all out revolution against the Greek and British governments.  That would be scary.

The next day (today, October 11, 2017) there was no other disturbing news about Catalonia.  So, I'm hoping this will be resolved amicably.

We walked among the two large parks along the waterfront, which were very like a botanical garden, and then took the bus to the cathedral to see inside.  The photos from the cathedral are above with the outside views of the cathedral.  Here, below, is what we saw in the parks.

Beautiful Bird of Paradise tree.

Gorgeous red hibiscus, at least 10 bushes of them.

A beautiful walk beside the Bay of Cadiz

Fountain with boy holding fish which is spraying water

Another of those extremely old trees said to have been brought back by Columbus

You have to look close to see the figure with water coming down on her in the fountain.

Tomorrow (October 12, 2017) is the Spanish holiday Fiesta Nacional de Espana or Dia de la Hispanidad.  It commemorates the the day Columbus first set foot in the New World, October 12, 1492.  There will be a big parade in Madrid, with speeches by the Prime Minister and the King and participation by representatives of all the autonomous regions of Spain.  I wonder if Catalonia will be participating this year.  There will be celebrations all over Spain, too.

However, tomorrow is also the day we move to our next accommodation in Rota, Spain.  It's across the Bay of Cadiz from our current location and we are taking a 35 minute catamaran ferry over to Rota at 2:50 pm - the holiday schedule.  It will be interesting to see if we will have anything to eat tomorrow.  Perhaps Rota will roll up the streets and close everything for the celebrations.  It could also be interesting because we have to be out by of this location by 11am, but our Rota place does not open until 6pm (rather late for an AirBnb, we usually can check in after 2 pm).  Maybe they will allow early checkin because of the holiday.  We will see...