Tourist First: Spain: The Unknown Pleasures of Cadiz

Sunday, June 16, 2024

Spain: The Unknown Pleasures of Cadiz

A sidewalk restaurant in the cathedral plaza. The Atlantic Ocean
is just beyond the rear of the building.

When we started planning our spring 2024 trip to Spain, the focus was entirely on southern Spain, and Cadiz was always on the list of must-see places. I didn't know much about Cadiz, but I knew it had been the main port for Spanish ships returning loaded with gold and silver from the Americas (until 1778) and that the University of Cadiz, founded in the 1400s, is one of the world's oldest universities. I guess I was expecting something akin to a gilded Oxford or Cambridge.

What we found is a charming old town or Casco Antiguo situated on a peninsula that creates the Bahia de Cadiz, a large bay that contains the port of Cadiz. A soaring modern bridge crosses the bay to create a shortcut to the highways of the mainland.

Unfortunately, shortly after we arrived, Jane and I realized that we both had covid, so much of our time here was spent in our room at Hotel Casa Canovas in the heart of the maze of narrow streets that is the old town. Jane's symptoms became so severe that we walked a few blocks to see an urgent-care doctor. That and a couple of other short walks was about it during our three-night stay here. The only restaurant we can comment on is the one at our hotel, which was kind enough to not charge us for a meal that Jane ordered but could not touch.

We did see the Atlantic waterfront near the cathedral, we saw a few plazas (our car was parked under the plaza closest to our hotel), and we saw loads of inviting restaurants that we weren't up to trying. If you're going to be ill, try to do it in a less tempting city. It was very disappointing that we didn't get to enjoy Cadiz at all.

Nevertheless, I did take my camera when we went out. Here are some photos:

Thr Plaza de Mina was one of several elegant plazas near our hotel.

We drove our rental car to the door of our hotel
on this narrow street.

A plaza that we encountered walking between our hotel and the cathedral.
I think it's Plaza de las Flores.

Another narrow street in the Casco Antiguo.

Our hotel, the 10-room Casa Canovas,
was once a private home.

The view from our hotel room.

The Atlantic Ocean laps against the waterfront near the cathedral.

What looks like a very old arch spans the street
between two relatively new buildings just off
the cathedral plaza. We had lunch at a sidewalk cafe
on the other side of the arch.

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Argentine Patagonia

They are called what they look like: Mexican hats. They occur naturally in the highlands above the town of El Calafate. The water in the distance is glacier-fed Lago Argentino. An hour's drive east of El Calafate, near the headwaters of the lake, visitors can hike on the Perito Moreno glacier and take a boat ride among icebergs that have fallen off the several glaciers in the Parque Nacional des Glaciares. El Calafate is basically a summer (Nov. to Feb.) tourist town, and there are a number of hotels at all price points. We stayed at Esplendor El Calafate, a very stylish hotel with a full restaurant and bar. The South American picker-upper drink mate is available at breakfast. The hotel is an uphill walk from the commercial area, but that's not much of a drawback. Click on the photo to visit the Esplendor online.

Dominica

Probably the greenest island in the Caribbean, in terms of color and ecological awareness, is Dominica, just north of Martinique. It was named by Columbus, who sailed past it on a Sunday. The island nation is one of the poorest in the Western Hemisphere, but it is rich in friendly people and natural attractions, including a boiling lake, hot and cold waterfalls, a parrot jungle and hill after hill of dense green jungle. There is also a cable-car ride through the jungle canopy (http://www.natureisland.com/AerialTram.html). I wrote about Dominica years ago, and much of that article is still relevant: http://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/26/travel/winter-in-the-sun-an-island-where-less-is-more.html?scp=2&sq= Unfortunately, one of the hotels I mentioned, Petit Coulibri, has since closed. Fortunately, there's still a wonderful eco-resort called Papillote Wilderness Retreat http://www.papillote.dm/), four acres of lush gardens, hot-spring-heated soaking pools and modest cottage rooms.

Palm Springs

Palm Springs, Calif., is a great destination for nature lovers -- Mount San Jacinto State Park is a wonderful gondola ride (shown above -- click on it to visit its website) away, and Joshua Tree National Park is a short drive away. It's also a great destination for naturists; there are several major clothing optional resorts in the area -- and for fans of Mid-Century Modern architecture. For a dose of mid-century style, stay at the Orbit In (http://www.orbitin.com/), which does ask that you keep your clothes on.

Pompeii

If you're driving from Naples to the Amalfi Coast, and it's hard to imagine anyone who wouldn't want to visit the Amalfi Coast, you should plan to spend a night in the modern city of Pompei, adjacent to the ancient city of Pompeii. Above are the murals depicting an unknown ritual in what's called the Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii. If you can, devote most of a full day to exploring the site. Afterward, you'll want a good hotel. Click on the image for info about Hotel Amleto, a small and friendly hotel in the heart of the new town and an easy walk from the ruins.

St. Vincent

This is one of the "rooms" at Petit Byahaut, an isolated (access by boat only) eco-resort on St. Vincent, the largest island in the country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Bequia, mentioned above in this column, is one of the Grenadines. The photo above is of the living deck and doesn't show a relatively enclosed area that had a real bed. Did you notice I said "had"? That's because the place has closed. To read about the property in its heyday, click on the image for a New York Times article I wrote. The article has a link to a slide show with more images of the resort.