Cádiz

part of the old town in Cadiz

I arrived in Cádiz about 10 till 2 on Wednesday and immediately found the bus that would take me to Playa Victoria where my CS host Samantha from Wisconsin was going to meet me. When I arrived, she was waiting for me with her friend Johnny who also teaches English in Cádiz.  He was from Nottingham, England and sounded just like Daniel Radcliff in Harry Potter.  It made me happy. :)  We immediately went to a nearby tapas place because they were starving.  I’d eaten a PB and banana on the train, but I went with them for second lunch.  (Here in Spain I have started classifying my meals as follows: breakfast, first lunch, second lunch, ice cream, first dinner, second dinner, chocolate).  Needless to say, I’m beginning to miss the gym.  Lol.

pausing our bike ride to take photos with the ocean

I just had one tapas – cuttlefish meatballs in rice and soaked in oil or butter or something.  I don’t think I’d ever had cuttlefish before, much less in meatball form.  But they were pretty good (and only 2 euros).  I could have been even more adventurous and gotten fried bulls tail, but to eat something like that, I really wouldn’t want to know what it was beforehand. Haha.

we found a really cool tree that I had to play on

After tapas, Johnny left us and Sam lead me back to her place.  She is in a nice apartment in the new part of the city close to the beach.  She has two other roommates who are also English teachers in Cádiz from Wisconsin and Pensilvania.  After dropping my stuff and changing, we headed out to go rent bikes and bike around the island.  (I think it’s an island...either it’s an island, or a peninsula with a very narrow bit from the mainland to the Cádiz area). 

As we took the bus to the old part of the city to get bikes, I asked Sam about her roommates.  She said, “Did you feel the tension when we were at home?”  And I said, “Yes, I wasn’t going to come out and say anything, but I was wondering...” 

the harbor in Cadiz

Apparently there’s been loads of miscommunication between the three and now it is a very awkward situation for Sam, as the other two sort of gang up against her and scarcely talk to her.  It started back 9 months ago when they first arrived and Sam really wanted to find Spanish roommates to immerse herself in the culture, but they sort of pressured her to room with them as there was very little time to find a place.  The whole situation sounds very high-schoolish, and I can see why Sam is looking forward to being done in a couple weeks and returning to the states.

When we arrived to the bike place it was about 4:30...and the sign on the door said they were closed until 5:30.  Siesta hours are a good idea in theory, but it makes it nearly impossible to do anything from about 2 to 5 – EVERYTHING shuts down (minus some of the restaurants).  So, we walked around the old town for about an hour which was very pretty.  It reminded me of a less touristy version of Córdoba with the narrow streets, cobbled streets and beautiful churches. 

With Samantha on a bike ride pause

When we returned to the bike place it took another 45 minutes for them to prepare two bikes for us to rent and since they closed at 8:30, we were only able to rent them for 2 hours. Finally, we hit the road (or the sidewalk, as it were) and began to bike around the island. The coast was beautiful with harbors and lighthouses and an old wall (probably Roman).  We stopped periodically to take photos, and biked through a really cool park that had a waterfall and you could bike under it through this little tunnel and see the waterfall from behind.  It reminded me of something you’d see at Disney.  We also rode for a while on a path along the beaches which were really lovely. 

sunset in Cadiz

After returning the bikes, we went back to her place then went to the grocery store to pick up food to make sandwiches for dinner.  I wanted to eat on the beach to watch the sun set in the Atlantic (since that’s not something an American gets to do every day).  But, by the time we made it to the beach with our food, we had just missed the sun sinking behind the waves. However, the colors in the sky and on the water were still wonderful. We took a bunch of photos and then made our turkey and cheese sandwiches.  Munching on apples and chocolate, we watched as the sliver of a crescent moon came out,  then stars began appearing and the lights of the city started twinkling on as the lighthouse began its slow rotations. I wish a camera could capture the beauty of that night. 

the moon after sunset

By the time we walked home, it was about 11:15 and we went to bed shortly thereafter.  I thought I was going to have to entertain myself the next day because Sam was scheduled to work until 2, but when I woke up at 10 and went into her room to get my clothes, I was startled to see her still in bed.  She said they’d called her in the morning and said she wasn’t needed today.  What perfect timing!  After putting on our bathing suits under our clothes and packing sandwiches, we went shopping before heading to the beach.

Sam was trying to get a photo of me touching my toes, but she was a little late or early every time lol

Sam doing a yoga pose

I bought a new bathing suit (which I obviously haven’t worn yet) and a pair of flat black slip-on shoes.  Both were cheaper than one could get such things in America, even with the monetary conversion. 
After that, it was beach time.  I was so excited.  When we arrived, I coated myself in sunscreen and we lay down to absorb the warm sun and listen to music on my iPod.  I went to test the water, but it was quite cold.  However, after about 2 hours, I really wanted to go in.  I sucked it up and got in, and once in, it felt lovely.  It felt so good to swim and be free and float and dive and kick.  Watching me have such a good time in the water, other beach-goers decided to also come in.  I started a trend, as the water had been nearly empty before I entered.  Finally, I came back in to dry off before we had to head home.  Sam tried to go in, but only got up to her waist before she gave up. Lol. 

an adorable Spanish beach baby

A side note about Spanish beaches: prepare yourself for a lot of almost-naked people – many of which should not be naked.  The group next to us on the beach consisted of two late-30s women, a man, and a baby.  Maybe the women were sisters, or just friends, I don’t know, but the man was definitely with one of the women.  Yet, both women were topless and wearing almost-thong bikini bottoms.  I’m sorry, but I would feel incredibly uncomfortable knowing my husband was hanging out with me and my sister/friend who was nearly naked.  So weird.  We also noticed two VERY pregnant women in tiny bikinis.  They, at least, had tops on, but it’s just such an interesting difference between the US and here.  In the States, pregnant women usually wear one pieces or tankinis to cover their stomachs – but not here.  In a way, I kind of envy their freedom.  With so much less taboo, they don’t have the same embarrassment that Americans often feel.  Also, perhaps this bodily freedom is why the Spanish men don’t seem to leer or catcall as much as the men in France (most of whom were from the middle east or Algeria or other such places).  In Spain, all you have to do is go to the beach for a continuous peep show. Lol

in the freezing water

Back at Sam’s (after getting ice cream), I packed and we finished our chocolate from the night before and she walked me to the bus stop.  I am now on a train from Cádiz to Malaga where I will be staying with Enrique’s parents – Juande and Pilar. It’ll be nice to stay with a real family and be able to sleep in my own room (well, Enrique’s old room, but mine for the next four nights).