Doors and Alleys

Vejer del la Frontera - Pueblo Blanco

Spent a cloudy, windy lunchtime wandering round this hill town. Low winter sun making the streets well shaded. Probably very welcome in the summer. The timing resulted in a very quiet walk. All the locals were having lunch or beer and tapas in the bars. Empty streets; doors into courtyards gave hints of the hidden Moorish courtyards.

A touristy square and fountain would be popular in the summe,r but these frogs had a very few admirers when we wandered past - well just us really.

And if you're famished, join the locals, pop into a bar - una cana, chickpea tapas and a chorizo roll.

Should have biked here - we didn't know that there was a quiet road alongside the speedy dual carriageway.

A day trip to Cadiz (3)

Beaches in the south of Spain are strikingly different from those Scotland. Three things to mention.

Don't know whether the palms on this one at El Puerto de Santa Maria were planted in the vast expanse of sand or just isolated by erosion. The sand appeared to be groomed every morning. New Year beach walks involve far fewer clothes than at home.

                       

The beach picture wasn't taken the same day as our trip to Cadiz, but why should facts get in the way of a title. And this wasn't what we expected to see inside the large tented area in one of the squares, but if Edinburgh can do it . . .

This is a statue of Simon Bolivar that we stumbled upon. Apart from being famous, especially in Venezuela,  I don't know if he has a specific link to Cadiz but the horse looked quite pleased with itself.

A lunch in the sun was livened up by this friendly parakeet. It could be an escapee as it had a ring, but it didn't confess.

A postprandial stroll out to old harbour defences gave this view. I was going to ask Irene to run ahead to scare off the seagull that was spoiling the composition, but I knew what the answer would be.

As we headed back to Santa Maria on the ferry I was surprised by the three brontosaurus statues guarding the harbour. (Well that's what came to mind.)

The remaining photos weren't actually taken on day trip day either but they could have been and it's the thought that counts.

No bull fights while we were there but Irene took these three (as my battery had died) while exploring the  the town. (It definitely looks like a statue of a bull don't you think.)

Our New year meal was decorated by wild flowers Irene brought back from her run. Luckily I took the picture while the sun was out as, as soon as the sun went down, the flowers closed up.

Sunshine and Cadiz (2)

Made it to almost Cadiz. 'Almost Cadiz' = El Puerto de Santa Maria where there is a nice municipal campsite right next to the beach, Ten minute walk from a supermarket and twenty five minutes from the centre of town. Staying at Sta. Maria cos we had read that Cadiz is a nightmare to drive in and, visiting it later, yes, we can confirm that it is. 

As this has turned, superficially, into a travel blog the first photo has to be the posed holiday snap - spot the white Scottish legs. 

As I don't really want to do a travel blog, that's about it for snaps of us. Walking down to the local marina there was a huge open space next to it. No idea what it was for but all round it were these huge concrete screens that, only on the marina side, were painted in a Spanish / Moorish style. The key-hole was a nice mosque-shape touch.

Walking back, towards the beach there was a long raised planted strip screening the beach road from the wealthy yacht owners. Sitting nonchalantly on the pavement I managed a good angle to hide the concrete walls and road.

Next stop the beach cafe-bar. Una cervesa pequena was required to allow us to watch the beach strollers for twenty minutes. Half of that time was spent trying to get the right exposure for full sun and beads of condensation. Meanwhile Irene was sipping cola as she was popping some strange antibiotic which reacted badly with alcohol.

Resuming the walk back to chez nous, next for star treatment was a scabby, emaciated feral cat that was conserving its strength in the unique way that cats do - apparently fast asleep with its head still raised off the ground. How do they do that?

Next morning, back to the travel blog. I had to take the view from the door of the van. First time we've ever opened up and looked out at a palm tree. And, as a sop to Christmas, our main, well only, decoration was hung up.

The bikes were still hanging on the back of the van.