Four Continents 2012

Cadiz: 21-23 September

		Travelling by train from Madrid to Cadiz, we passed solar arrays ... *
		and windmills ... *
		and a salt works. *
		After checking in to our hotel, we had a look around and found this pleasant square ... *
		and the Cathedral ... †
		and this rather bleak stretch of southern shore line. *
		The next day, we took a local train to Jerez, where we were most impressed by the railway station. *
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		After walking some distance on a rather hot morning, we had cool drinks at a café watching the fountains. †
		Then on to the Gonzales-Byass (Tio Pepe) sherry bodega. There were many many barrels of maturing sherry. *
		Some were signed by eminent visitors. *
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		Two areas were set up for weddings later that day. *
		We finished in the tasting room, where we sampled four different sherries. *
		Not far away was Jerez Cathedral, with some interesting architecture. *
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		There were iron seats like this all over Spain. †
		We has a late lunch in a square with this statue, then took a taxi back to the train station. †
		When we got back to Cadiz, we found that the Costa Fortuna was docked. The ship seemed to follow us around: we also saw in in Malaga and Lisbon. And in 2011 in Rhodes. *
		The next day we visited the excellent Cadiz Museum. This large statue greets visitors. *
		The ground floor has ancient artifacts from prehistory down to Roman times. *
		Amphorae recovered from a wreck. *
		"Don't mess with me: I'm the Emperor." †
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		The next floor has paintings from the middle ages. *
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		Later we walked along the waterfront to the old harbour and beach. †
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		The sea wall is not really this much curved: it is an artifact of the panorama making program. †
		There were some sand sculptures on the beach. *
		We went into the Castillo de Santa Catalina at the western edge of the beach. *
		The beach seen from the Castillo. *
		Cadiz has long, straight, narrow streets. *
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		And some lively night life. †

From Cadiz, it was back on a train to re-visit Sevilla.