April 27

In 2005, when we lived in Spain, we traveled to Cadiz, Jerez and a “white city.” I recall 2 highlights. First, the kids played at a large square with an historic cathedral while we ordered “famous” fish and chips at a restaurant. We were expecting a couple pieces of fish and french fries. We received 30-40 fish…all fried. The small ones… sardines, I think…were fried whole. The larger ones were cleaned and then fried with bones in. We finished them, but it was tough.

The second memory is 2005–Karla’s half marathon in close-by Jerez. We arrived at the registration desk in the midst of a number of Spanish runners smoking. I think that’s important for their performance. Karla encountered a young Kenyan who was somewhat confused about how to sign up; he spoke no Spanish. As she was helping him sign in, she asked, “Are you going to win?” He replied very seriously, “I think so.” He did…and won the 500 Euro prize. The kids and I watched him finish on a track in a large stadium. Upon completing 3/4 lap, clearly in first place and with hands raised in a victory salute, the race officials signaled that he needed to run one more lap. He did so and won again, easily. Our favorite runner entered the stadium a bit later. She always tries to pass at least 3 “competitors” on the final lap. She did so, although looking less fresh then her Kenyan counterpart. She seemed a bit more disappointed with the “do another lap signal,” but managed to do it. She won no money. I would think that the Kenyan might have sought her out with a tip for registration help, but it didn’t happen.

Cadiz is a well-located city on a peninsula in the Atlantic. Today, it is the capital of the province of Cadiz in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia. There are about 120,000 residents although the population is on the decline.  There is no room to expand and the relatively high unemployment  results in younger people leaving for better opportunities. Its location has led to a long history as a trading port. Following the earliest settlers in 1100 BCE, Cadiz has been occupied by predictable powers…Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths, and then the Moors from 711 to 1262. As the “Voyages of Discovery” began, it played a key role as a supply and trading port. In fact, Columbus began his 2nd and 4th voyages from Cadiz. Later, it became home for the “Spanish treasure fleet” and a target for Barbary pirates as well as Sir Francis Drake. Drake occupied the port for 3 days, captured 6 ships and destroyed 31 others. When the locals wouldn’t pay a demanded ransom, he had the city burned. There are still lots of old buildings, many of which have been cleaned or restored.

Our day started with the “Viking Marathon” …which is a bit misleading for a 5K walk and run. The walk was at 7am; the run at 8:15. I got up at 5am and walked more than 5K by myself so that I could avoid the crowd. Karla walked with me a while and then decided to join the crowd. She placed 2nd behind a well-conditioned friend. Last cruise, she was the winner, but seems to be aging. Still, by the end of the day, she’ll have 30,000 steps; that’s very good for a woman of her age. Our Cadiz walking tour and other ambling should get me to 20,000.

The walking tour was a pleasant 3 hours over territory we had seen previously. Still, it was enjoyable…narrow streets, lots of cathedrals, plazas, and cafes. It is Sunday so many shops were closed. There was still plenty of foot traffic and there was “crowd energy.” It was a pleasant way to spend a 75* Sunday. This is a place we could come back to.