Cadiz

Sunday 24^th November

I have been to Cadiz before, back in the days when I used to plan a bit more thoroughly. I had maps with all the points of interest marked. I did not see them all last time so I set off this time ready to go to every one of the 19 marked spots. Like most action plans, it didn’t last past the first encounter!

The sun was shining, the sky was blue, the sea was sparkling. Why would I want to walk through shady alleys and look at monuments and buildings? I chose to walk around the bay instead. Cadiz is built on a spit of land, so it is possible to walk around the sea walls, and then at the Cathedral area to cut through a narrow ‘neck’ and get back to the port area, rather than walking further inland.

The temperature was forecast to be 14 degrees, so I had worn a black woollen jacket. Out in the sun I thought I was overdressed. However, as soon as I walked in the shade I knew that it was needed! How lovely to bask in the sun instead of experiencing England’s snow.

At port security (before getting back on the ship) something must have  shown up on the screening machines as I was stopped and asked if there was a nail file in my handbag. Yes, there was. It was confiscated! It will be given to ship’s security just before the ship sails. I will have to collect it from the purser’s desk, where a member of security will bring a form for me to sign! I suppose I should be glad they were so focused on the nail file that they didn’t notice my first aid kit with the scissors and pointy tweezers! I am obviously a great security risk! (It’s strange that Cadiz objected but every other port has cleared my handbag with no problems. That happened to a friend on our first cruise; one port objected to his pocket knife though every other port had let him through.)

Later, when Vi and I went out for coffee in order to use free wifi, she lost her access card. That meant a visit to ship’s security for identification and then a visit to the purser’s desk for a new card.