I came out from Faro early on September 11. Stop at the highway service station for coffee and the journey continues. Destination: Cádiz, Spain. But first, a quick visit to Jerez de la Frontera, a city not very big but with a beautiful cathedral.
I walked through the Puerta de Tierra, I arrived to Cadiz! The scheduled time for check-in with the host of the house that I rented through AirBnB, in the historic center, had already been surpassed ... but Luis Javier proved to be understanding with the delay, because of the distance that I had to park my car and, very attentive, shows me the house and gives me a map of the best places to visit marked.
Now begins my visit to the city founded by Hercules, according to the legend - in fact, Cádiz was founded by the Phoenicians and its commercial port was one of the most important in Europe during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. On the way to the famous beach of La Caleta, I passed through the botanical gardens of San Fernando and the Castle of Santa Catalina.
One of my plans required on this trip was to say goodbye to the 22 seeing setting of the sun on the beach of La Caleta and I must say it didn't disappoint me. The tone of the sky at the twilight was unforgettable, a moment of pure relaxation and admiration. Even with the amount of people that were in place, silence reigned.
After this, what was reigning was hungry, I admit it. The dinner was at one of the typical restaurants of La Vina neighborhood and I must say I was surprised by the quality of the service ... In Madrid, my experience with restaurants wasn't exactly the best but over this trip I don't have one point negative to point out. Fourteen kilometers walk after the arrival to Cadiz, then comes the most awaited time of the journey: it's midnight and I'm in my loft of the eighteenth century, completely renovated. Another birthday on the road, 23 in total.
The September 12 - the most beautiful day of the year! - started early and was passed in a true tourist way: visit to the Torre Tavira, where it is a dark chamber through which we can see the whole city, 360º, in real time; the Cathedral de la Santa Cruz, an imposing monument near the sea and where you can also see the city from the Clock Tower – I almost became deaf after a bell starts ringing just when it was beneath him...; passing by Plaza San Juan de Dios, by Alameda Apodaca and the Constitution Monument of 1812.
It's at this point that, as always, a tiny but important setback happens... Anyone who knows me knows that I'm very attentive to the little things when I travel and forget something important is very - very - rare! And when that had happened? Exactly. On my birthday. In Cádiz. I ran out of battery on my camera and the charger was resting in Faro. Great Leonor! From here, all my photos were taken with my phone and I was always thinking that any time I would run out of battery on my iPhone too - at least the charger was always with me! The day ended with a dinner at Balandro restaurant. I recommend it! It isn't the most affordable restaurant in Cadiz but the quality of the food, the ambience and the service definitely make up.
For the last day of my extended birthday, I had planned to go to Seville, a city that I already know but for which I'm passionate. However, because of the autumnal weather - with stong rain, cold and wind – I quickly changed my plans and decided to visit Huelva. I had lunch in a downtown restaurant, and of course, I found a Portuguese – there's one thing that people have to realize, on any trip , wherever you go, you will find a Portuguese somewhere! The Portuguese was the employee og the restaurant La Mirta, where I was having lunch. The photos don't lie, everything - I mean, everything! - was just perfect. Of course I didn't miss the opportunity of being served by a Portuguese to ask for a decent espresso! "In our own way, right?" Yes, please, I need a good coffee! Thank you!
This employee so helpful even gave me a map of Huelva and told me I had to visit the Muelle de Las Carabelas, where there are multiple copies of the caravels in which Christopher Columbus walked around to discover new places in the Age of Discovery. Besides interesting, I found the museum beautiful and I especially liked to be able to enter the caravels.
At 10 p.m. I'm back home in Portugal, with one more destination scratched from my list and with the desire to always have birthdays like this one: happy, full and on travel! Spain never disappoints me. How and when will be the next visit?
