Sometimes a Change of Port is a Good Thing! Welcome to Cadiz, Spain!

We were supposed to stop in Lisbon today but due to a "strike"- we detoured to Cadiz, Spain. Have to be honest- I'd never heard of Cadiz before today- but OMG I'm so glad we stopped.

First off since we knew nothing about Cadiz- I looked at the options the cruise offered for excursions- something we HATE to do. I am just not one for playing "follow the leader" and walking with a group of strangers with yellow stickers following a yellow flag some tour guide is holding up and they are SOOOOO overpriced. Yeah- no thanks! But a good tip is to look at the excursion options to give yourself an idea of places we might want to see. Just try and ignore things like "stop at a local maker's store" because it usually means the ship is getting a kick back on the stuff that the owner sells and it's all part of the game....

Last Sunday night I was googling Taxis in Cadiz. Wanted to know if there might be a cab stand in Port that we could haggle with to show us around for the few hours we had there. But then I had a moment of sheer genius... I googled taxi companies and figured one of them might be on WhatsApp! Luck was on my side because the 2nd number I texted was to a gentleman named Fernando at Taxi7Cadiz.

I explained how we were in for the day- had ZERO idea what there was to see in Cadiz and he replied that the best day with the time we had was a tour of Old Town Cadiz and a drive to Arcos de la Frontera about 30 minutes outside town. We negotiated a very reasonable price and agreed he'd be here to get us at 9:30am even sending me his photo and exactly where he would be parked.

I did do a little research on Cadiz and found it was the first and oldest inhabited European city - even though the Romans might beg to differ.

Yesterday morning Fernando was there and spoke English much better than my non-existent Spanish. We immediately felt as though an old friend had come to spend the day with us. We drove out of town passing a farm where they grew olives, a horse ranch where they raise police and military horses, another ranch where the bulls for bullfighting are raised and trained- (don't shoot the messenger please)... to a town where literally all the buildings were white.

Driving up the hills through incredibly narrow streets where I would have ABSOLUTELY taken both the driver's side and passenger side windows out to the very top of the hill.

The view was spectacular and a little unnerving when we saw 2 policemen who were checking out a car sans driver but with keys still inside and then walked to the edge of the cliff and spent too much time looking down at the ground below. Fernando informed us that that particular hill was a favorite for "jumpers"... ugh morbid!

We walked the narrow streets and found our way to a senior center where a gaggle of ladies were chatting and gossiping about the weekend events. Each corner of the town was like opening a gift box. The marble tile, the wrought iron gates, the mosaic street names, the architectural gems. And every building white and people who all smiled at the simplicity of their small town and very very peaceful life.

At the top of the hill aka "jumper's paradise" - we met a man who rehabilitates birds- owls, eagles, a black crow. I've never held an owl in my hand before. I've never seen an owl whip its head around 360 in real life. I've never seen such gorgeous birds! I could have spent all afternoon with them! My favorite was a baby owl with her big eyes and another who had a lot to say but every time I turned my video on he stopped. Kinda like an actress who was being a serious DIVA!

We stopped by a local artisan store owned by a friend of Fernando. I know I SWORE our souvenir shopping would be SMALL- but they had these black/white hand painted plates that SCREAMED - TAKE ME HOME!!!!!!! Them along with a hand painted fan unlike anything I've seen before- painted by the owner's granddaughter. Nothing expensive but just beautiful. The colors of the pottery and the plates and each piece was more beautiful than the next.

After the tour of the town, Fernando drove us to Old Cadiz, where he and his family have lived for generations. He made a point of telling us the difference between old and new Cadiz. The whole town on the edge of Spain with a beach from that stretched as far as the eye could see.

We parked and walked the small town square, breaking down the Christmas tree and small stalls that in previous weeks had most likely sold handmade holiday gifts and wares to one of the many many churches - where we went in and lit and “electronic candle” and I took a minute to say a prayer for health for my friends, family and myself.

With stomachs that had earned lunch, Fernando took us to a place he frequents and where no tourists were in sight and we feasted on fresh everything. Tapas as they were meant to be served. Clams, fresh local cheeses, a meat that Andre loves (something about the pigs being fed acorns) and potatoes mixed with garlic and olive oil. Everyone who knows me knows I am not the “foodie” but I tried everything served and it was delish!

A perfect end to a really magical day. He dropped us off at the ship right on time and we all exchanged information, knowing we had made new friends in this new town that we were never even supposed to visit.

Next stop is Funchal, Portugal on Wednesday (ask Andre to pronounce it) and we will meet Diogo (not Diego) who is a friend of Fernando’s and who promises us a day as wonderful as Fernando had given us.