October 8, 2022
Cadiz
The Bus was Great
The couple who run the Hotel Convento in Tarifa were absolutely wonderful. Then, of course, there was Wanda, the hotel dog. She was a calming and lovable presence in the lobby. A very zen dog. It was a great place to stay. Oh, but the wind…just amazing, and evidently not unusual. Calm would be unusual. So, having boxed ourselves into a windy corner, we biked to the bus depot.
Now that we know (basically) the bus and bike drill in Spain, I wonder why we were anxious. But we were, me especially, and that is probably an understatement. We arrived early at the bus depot and it was closed. It never did open, and I suspect it won’t until Monday morning. So no Google Translate reassurance available there. The helpful man the day before, using Google Translate, had told us we had to remove the front wheel and tie it up with string to take the bikes on the bus. I had researched and researched and RESEARCHED last night and there was no definitive answer. Some sites said bikes had to be bagged, some said the front wheel had to be removed, then bagged, some said you didn’t have to do anything, some said bus drivers hate bikes. Many said if there wasn’t room in the luggage bay under the bus you wouldn’t get on no matter what you did, others had priority. So we waited. And didn’t take the front wheels off. I wish everyone could have been a fly on the wall for this piece. Me anxious to take the front wheels off, the CN his usual calm self adopting the wait and see attitude, explaining it would only take a second if we had to do it.
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Then just moments before the bus arrived a helpful Spanish man who spoke English arrived too. He told us front wheels off, do it now, because you want to get the bikes on the bus before everyone else throws their luggage on to be sure they get on the bus. All right then! So as the bus wheeled into the station the CN was desperately trying to release my ‘quick’ release. It was not budging. I was stressing. Big time. People around us were stressing for us. A couple of British woman were offering advice. Sheesh! Now the both of us got a little stressed. I was pretending to be calm. Finally, with the help of his multi tool my damn wheel released. In retrospect, the whole thing was hilarious. Keith’s wheel cooperated perfectly, he had the electrician’s tape in his pocket (we elected not to use string) and we threw the bikes and bags under the bus. Literally. As it turned out, we had lots of time. Everyone had to buy their ticket from the driver who was totally focused on that and seemed oblivious to our bikes.
So now we know. There will probably be another bus or two in our future and we will be a lot more organized. We fell into our comfortable seats and relaxed and then started to laugh. We also made a note of the fact that we were the only people I could see on the bus wearing our seatbelts. So Canadian. Safety first! The bus ride itself was comfortable and low key. No worries about changing trains and racing up and down stairs in stations with no lifts. The wind, judging by the trees, made the bus the right decision.
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Cadiz is stunning. We have randomly wandered, and discussed the fact that it feels way less touristy than either Seville or Ronda, we are not sure why. The old town is absolutely beautiful. Our hotel is amazing in so many ways and right in the heart of the old town. We should have taken more pictures of the room before we trashed it.
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2 years ago
The Cathedral and its tower were impressive. The pedestrian areas are beautiful and abundant. The beach is dreamy. Cadiz could easily use another day. That decision hasn’t been made yet. Instead we sat on the rooftop terrace and drank wine and contemplated our good fortune. We will head out for dinner as soon as the laundry is out of the hotel washing machine. Sitting on the terrace, in a slip of a dress, warm, with an impressive view of the city and the water made me want to pinch myself. The wind is still blowing though!!!!
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2 years ago
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Dinner was at a Michelin starred restaurant adjacent to the hotel. Absolutely delicious. Sitting outside to eat in October (no patio heaters necessary) is wonderful. So is squid in béchamel sauce.
Today's ride: 5 km (3 miles)
Total: 1,188 km (738 miles)
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2 years ago
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2 years ago
Ps. There’s an app called windy which we use to check out wind conditions and forecasts. We find it quite useful.
2 years ago
Glad you enjoyed Cadiz. It really has a great vibe. We are just on the train leaving Malaga Torromolinos back to Seville. Nice week of touristing and hanging out at a beach resort. Quiet rest of the week then onto Cordoba next week. We are really enjoying your adventures. Thx for taking the time to post them.
2 years ago
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