26 November 2017 –– Cadiz, Spain

We arrived in port early this morning before the sun even rose and after breakfast, got off the ship and started walking on our own.  We started in a beautiful tree-lined plaza and the Information Booth opened as we got there and we picked up some maps.  One of them was a DIY.  The city had painted 4 colored lines that led to 4 different walks and each had historical markers at the points of interest.  Something very unique!

The skies were overcast and we even felt a drop of rain or two, but the skies cleared and gave us a beautiful warm, sunny day.

We had a 10:30am walking tour scheduled and we met our tour guide, Pablo, who is a native of Cadiz, and he was excellent, filling us with the history and folklore of the city and showing us all the sights!

We saw the old cathedral that used to be a mosque; 

the new cathedral that was built over a period of 113 years, by 3 different architects, using 3 different styles, and 3 different stone materials.  

We saw the ruins of an old Roman Theater modeled after the one in Rome, representing the trade that existed between Cadiz and Rome.  

We saw the old fortifications, San Sebastian and San Maria that were built in the 16^th C. to protect the old city.

Speaking of old city, Cadiz was founded by the Phoenicians in 1104 B.C.!!  The main reason for its importance back then was a good supply of potable water.  Later, as we learned in Malaga, the Phoenicians discovered salt or sal in Spanish, which was needed to preserve food, and also became a source of currency.  Thus the words SALary, Salario, or the phrase “a man is not worth his salt” when he was a poor worker.

We ended the tour after 2 hours at a place where 2 Australian fig trees had been planted many years ago. Two others were planted in the northern part of the region.  

We walked through the narrow back streets, visited the local market (fish, vegetables, bars, etc.), and the plazas that were alive with vendors and locals and ship people looking and buying.

 

As we finish this post we await our Sunday worship service at 5:00pm and our sail away at 5:30pm. 

Morocco tomorrow!!!!