Cádiz

Trinity Sunday starts with a basic picnic breakfast and then back to the bus stop to see if the Cathedral will be open on a Sunday morning? No, it appears not. When we arrive at 10.45am for expected 11.00am Mass a number of people are milling around the massive doors, looking as confused as we were yesterday. We notice a yellow arrow pointing up the back street to the Former Cathedral.

Wall of former cathedral Cadiz

Recorded music is playing as we go in and there are about 10 people seated in the nave of a not massive, but substantially decorated cathedral. The gold throughout the sanctuary is impressive and there are at least 7 obvious chapels but it has a relaxed feel and we decide to stay – since it is at least open.

Sanctuary of Former Cathedral Cadiz

At 11am a long line of people wearing mini scapulars (possibly Trinitarians – Trinitarian International Solidarity?) process in and fill the rows in front of us. Mass is sung entirely, and nicely, by a soprano- alto duo hidden behind the pulpit. From 11.30 a wedding party start arriving at the Cathedral so we don’t stay around long afterwards to investigate further.

As we walk back to Barrica to wait for word from Kevin about our planned trip to San Fernando we notice a door open in the new Cathedral and a Mass about half way through. The pigeon-proofing nets hanging from the ceiling are rather off putting and we are happy things worked out the way they have.

Plaza de Catedral Cadiz

When it becomes clear that Kevin is still sleeping off the last two nights of partying, we walk around the old city happening on plazas and a Sunday market very like Camberwell and then find our way to the sea wall.

Getting to the end of Cadiz

Lunch is tapas back at Barrica including the special of kidneys in Pedro Ximenez. The more overcast afternoon encourages us to tackle the walk home along the sea looking down at beaches crowded with umbrellas and people having fun on the limited amount of sand.

Playa

We finally hear from Kevin when he wakes at 6.30 and he takes us to tea at a cafe in the other direction from our previous explorations.

A lie-in and lavish hotel breakfast to start the day and yes it appears that Spanish breakfast donuts have holes.

Spanish breakfast donuts

Today we are off to see nephew Kevin in sunny Cádiz. This involves a C1 bus from across the road outside the ancient wall. Then a Renfe train from Santa Justa Estación travelling through cornfields, sunflowers, orange groves and even passing the odd eucalypt.

Andalusian countryside from train

Feeling so proud of ourselves getting around with no Spanish, we find at ticket inspection that plaza means seat, and we are not in the seat numbers designated on our tickets. The conductor argues our case for us to the gentleman whose seat we have purloined and we stay put. We note the Jerez airport station which will will need on Monday, and I am pleased to have a chance to lean out the train door and take a photo of the beautiful old tiled station at Jerez de la Frontera.

Jerez de la Frontera station

Soon afterwards we cross the narrow land link into Cádiz and are met at the station by Kevin – who has had no sleep and has walked the 30 minutes into town in the warm midday sun.

Kevin in Cádiz

It is great to see him, and deliver the hugs requested from family members. He organises a cab to our hotel and converses confidently with the guy on reception as though he knows what he is doing. Timing works well to FaceTime with all the Adelaide family gathered at Renown Park celebrating Chelsea’s birthday.

Kevin gives us a Cádiz bus lesson and takes us to the favourite Top Coffee haunt of exchange students. We set off walking around the old city’s narrow streets and random plazas. Luckily it wouldn’t take too long in any direction to hit the sea wall, so getting lost – while highly probable – is not likely for too long. While it is impossible to miss Cádiz Cathedral it also seems impossible to get in on this Saturday afternoon, or to find any notices about when it might be open.

Cádiz Cathedral

Spurred by Kev’s explanations of how the language works it is interesting to check out the WikiVoyage Spanish phrase book and wonder how many of the Spanish grammar rules we can remember.

After settling in at what becomes our favourite bar in the Plaza de la Catedral we bus back to the hotel for siesta, until we get the knock on our door at 8.30pm to go out to Kevin’s favourite pizza place – which involves more winding narrow streets and marvelling again that the basics of life are so inexpensive in Cádiz.

Wiki notes
In addition to enjoying the phrasebooks in WikiVoyage today I notice the existence of the Wikipedia helpdesk.