Cádiz.

 Sunday, I decided to go to Cadiz. It took around 80 minutes by coach. Not a grimy and stuffed smelly coach. No, this one was spacious, air conditioned and quite posh really. You do pay €20 return, but the price definitely matched the quality.  

Cádiz is quite a unique city, completely surrounded by sea. As you approach you can see it's port and the whole thing is quite disappointing as it has such an industrial feel to it. Driving through the outskirts of  Cádiz, you are surrounded by building blocks, mass tourism and hundredths of people going to the beach with armchairs and picnic tables. As I got off the bus, I was jaw struck. It was at least 7° less than Seville, with a refreshing breeze. I followed the people and arrived on the beach. White sand and clear water but so many people. I had never seen anything like it. I hopped through the scorching sand and installed myself in between two families. I had nothing else to do apart from watch everyone.  Little by little I realised that most people were not tourists, but locals from Cádiz . On a Sunday whole families and friends meet at the beach for a picnic and a drink. Most groups of people were made up of 10/ 20 people. Rare were the couples and people alone, like me! What also struck me was the high obesity rate of Cádiz. It was quite impressive. Children, teenagers were morbidly obese. As I later walked through the city, the many  McDonalds and Burger Kings underlined the Americanisation of the city.  

Many men dressed in immaculate white linen suits walk across the beach selling fresh drinks and seafood.  They carry basket full of tiny prawns and crabs. Quite a nice touch. After a couple of hours I could feel my skin burning. Yes, I was applying suncream, but my skin was not liking the sun. After a quick rinse in the warm sea I went to visit the Old Cádiz. It was stunning. Once you walk through the gates of the Old Quarters you discover a totally different Cádiz. Narrow winding alleys and small plazas covered in exotic plants and giant trees (which were brought back by Columbus from the New World). 

Feeling a little peckish I stopped of in a tiny bakery. I could not even begin to describe the wide range of pasteles, biscuits and bread. All coated in sugar and almonds it looked delicious (and tasted delicious).  

I then took the bus back and collapsed in the shower to discover how red I was. No surprise there huh? So I covered myself in cream and had some food. 

Then Cristina, my flatmate arrived. It was the first time I met her. She comes from Jean, a city in Andalusia, not so far from Seville. She's 22 and works in the Arab baths. We completely hit it off together. We spoke for about 4 hours none stop in Spanish. The whole was very amusing and we were both using our hands a lot. She's great fun and I find it so funny when she just starts talking none stop, so enthusiastically. It seems so interesting but I just loose the plot.  Right now we're waiting for the landlord to come pick up the rent and so we're a little stuck until he gets here.