CADIZ

The morning started out with sprinkles of rain and just as quickly stopped and all in all it was a very nice and sunshiny day.  Cadiz is a nice old city with lots of alleyways to poke around in.  Again we took a hop on and hop off bus – they are the best city tours for the money.    We hopped off the bus in the old city centre and wandered up and down the labyrinth of alleyways.  We were never lost as all alleys lead to a square and then another alley will lead you back to the port. 

There are many city squares with lots of people going about their daily lives and a great many of the people speak some English and can help you find your way.  Wherever we have gone, we are finding everyone so polite and happy to help if they can.

They have some truly beautiful beaches here with fine golden sand.  There is lots of big surf rolling in … and there were lots of surfers out enjoying the big waves.  It is probably only about 15 C and with the wind blowing as it was, there is such a chill in the air.  Wetsuits are a must.  Although we saw one brave soul walking the beach in just shorts.  We had our jackets on with the hoods up and drawn close to cover our ears.  I was glad to get back to the ship to warm up.

You know what we saw here?  No of course you don’t.  Black Friday signs everywhere – telling of great sales in the shops. 

What does the small shopkeeper up one of the tiny alleyways in Cadiz, Spain know of black Friday?  How strange that is.  If someone had told me that we should see such a sight in this small port town, I would have said they were nuts as you are probably thinking right now – but I took a picture of one of the signs just to show you.

We are in port for another 21 hours or so.  Then we will take 6 days to cross the Atlantic.  Having to cancel some of the ports of call and then travel north to avoid the worst of the weather has made it impossible to cross to the Caribbean in only 5 days.  I am looking forward to a few days of down time, but not sure if 6 is too much.  I will find out very soon.