Day 13: Cadiz, Spain

We docked in Cadiz early this morning, and we left the ship about 9:30.  We walked about 15 minutes to meet our guide in front of city hall.  Betty, from Ethiopia, is an international relations graduate student at the University of Cadiz, and we were her only guests!  City Hall was decorated for Holy Week, and we got to see a city band playing and marching slowly in preparation for all of the Holy Week processions.  Betty explained that the two pillars represent the end of the known world in ancient times.  On the triangular pediment is a relief of Hercules, the mythical founder of Cadiz. He’s also depicted on the banners and part of the city’s seal. Cadiz is also the oldest city in the western world, established by the Phoenicians in 1100 B.C. 

From there, we walked to the cathedral, which was surrounded by viewing boxes set up for VIPs attending the processions.

Then we walked up to the wall surrounding the city. We walked all the way down, as far as you can see, then curved around into a large park.  (We walked over 11,000 steps!) Thankfully, the weather was perfect, cool and sunny.  

This park was established for plants from Latin America, to determine which varieties would thrive in this climate.  Below is a huge ficus tree.

One walkway was lined with huge, carefully clipped shrubs, interspersed with spherical topiaries. You can see a little of Betty in the first photo.

One area of the park included some colorful tile work, representing nearby Seville, which is known for its tile artists. I enjoyed this bench and the fountain below it.

Redbud trees were blooming everywhere!  

Betty explained that this monument celebrates the constitution that the king signed, agreeing to share power with other branches of government, but he later reneged. The empty throne near the bottom reflected the shared power.

Constitution monument 

This was our view for lunch, at a restaurant across from the cathedral. We enjoyed some sangria, along with delicious cheese and ham filled croissants, as well as a potato salad made with pickled onions. 

After Betty left, to go to her restaurant job, we made our way back to the ship.  My toes are sore, and I’m hoping they recover by tomorrow morning! We have another walking tour tomorrow in Malaga.  Thanks for reading!