Cadiz

The old city of Cadiz was bustling today as it's Easter week and festival time. So unprepared I didn't know anything of this, but that can be an advantage as I wasn't expecting anything special.

Lovely sunny day too as we headed into the old city after breakfast. We're close to the centre but even so we take the shuttle bus to the port gates - no point in walking there as we'll be doing enough in the city.

Just vaguely following the map we wandered through the maze of cobbled streets past shops and residential areas. Very little traffic to speak of once we're across the main boulevard and into the old city. Quite busy around the Cathedral with plenty of street cafes, street entertainers and tourists milling around. We head up through the city in the direction of the gardens on the Atlantic coast. The narrow streets open out into large piazzas which are flooded with light and warmth, and generally surrounded with cafes. Very much the sort of place to come and watch the world go by, and definitely geared up for the tourists, but I didn't think overly so, a pleasant balance of old and new.

A few hours and we return to the ship for a short break and late lunch. K settles down on deck to soak up the sun and I prepare to return to the city, with her instructions ringing in my ears - make sure you're back in time for sailing! Plenty of time, don't have to be back aboard until 7pm.

Not many heading in now, the morning "rush" ashore is over. in the port terminal building I meet S, who tells me there's a procession going on in town. We head in, making for one of the squares where the parades are gathering. Streets are closed off so it's a circuitous route and so busy when we arrive there's no real vantage point to get a view of the parades. I head off alone, guessing that they'll be heading for the Cathedral, there were loads of viewing platforms set out this morning, I wondered what they were for. The Cathedral square is full, with the parade and band preparing for entry into the Cathedral, so I hang around and get what photos I can. Fascinating spectacle of the "brotherhoods" in their gowns, the penitents barefoot walking the streets and the massive floats on the shoulders of the bearers. People hanging out of balcony windows around the square are captivated by the scene, as am I, who can fail to be entranced by the spectacle unfolding.

All too soon I see it's gone 6pm, time to head back to the ship, with the occasional stop for photos of course!

I step on board about 6.58, plenty of time before the 7pm deadline and I'm sure I'm not the last. Back in the cabin, K says she's had a phone call asking if I'm back on board! They do look after their guests.