Andalucia, Part 1
26th October, 1999
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As we had been out late the previous day, we were a
bit slow at breaking camp. Albufeira had been a good stop in so far as the
infernal rain had reduced to bearable showers. However, it was cold in the mornings
and we felt we needed to be heading for better weather. Our neighbours, Roy and
Mary, were ready before us and set off for Tarifa, where they thought they might take in a
trip to Morocco. We set off late morning. The drive to Spain is remarkably
easy, now that there is a motorway to the border and we stopped there for lunch. In
Spain they are just beginning the motorway and the old road is not so good. |
Just over the border, we saw evidence that Andalucia had not escaped the
torrential rains. As we crossed the flood plain of the Rio Guadiana on a
causeway, the land below was flooded and what looked like quite a major road was submerged
and possibly damaged. It had rained frequently during our journey and as we
approached Seville, we saw many flooded areas. We had seen on Spanish TV
reports of floods throughout the South. As we passed Seville, we were
surprised at how built up and busy the area is and how extensive their motorway system is.
We had chosen (not wisely) the nearest site listed for Seville, which is in
Dos Hermanas. To get there involved a diversion round a new underpass that
will eliminate a level crossing. The Spanish and the Portuguese are
specialists at pot-holes and in these roadworks was a prize-winning example that was
unavoidable. The site was easily found, but on entering we had a feeling of
foreboding. The site was next to a railway line and was pretty much
water-logged. Within minutes, we had succumbed to a dozen mosquitoes
each.
We had planned to go into Seville and stay the night, so we did not feel it was
worth going in search of the next camp. In general inland sites do not seem to
have the quality of the coastal ones, where there are many more customers and real
competition. Most troubling is the site's 2-pin electrics, which we used with
great care. We set camp to the minimum necessary, ditched the bikes off the
car and set off for Seville.
The drive into Seville was easy, till we got to the centre when lack of any real
map and heavy traffic made life difficult. We had three attempts to find one
hotel from the sign-post on the main road and gave up. Eventually, we found
the Hotel Alcazar and managed to park right by its rear door. We checked in
and put the car in their underground garage, which is designed for minis rather than
Scorpios. From our room we looked out over the Alcazar and could see the
Giraldo, shown centre below, with its distinctive weather vane on the right.
Our guide book told us that the old Jewish area, Santa Cruz, which is now the
restaurant area, was the place to be and it was only a stone's throw away, so we decided
to have a quick look before dark. Finding it, however, was a
problem, but when we did, it was most rewarding and we decided to return, change and
return for dinner. Above left we show the square opposite the Church of Santa
Maria la Blanca, which used to be the Jewish Synagogue. The next problem was finding
the way out of the maze of tiny streets. Twice, we walked in complete
circles. Somewhat later than intended, we dined at Hosteria del Laurel, where
we had some wonderful fish. With the bill, which was quite modest, came the
answer to our anxiety over finding our way back, as they included with their bill a small
map of the area.
| The Hotel Alcazar was OK, but the advertised English language TV
could not be found and the beds were a bit short and too tightly made. We awoke
to a beautiful warm, sunny day. Breakfast was poor - tables not cleared from earlier
guests and a very poor selection. After a light breakfast, we left to visit
the Cathedral, shown on the right, but found it closed all day. Instead, we visited
the Alcazar, which for anyone who doesn't know, is the Royal Palace built originally by
the Moors and added to by later rulers. |
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Below left is shown the main entrance, which has Arabic inscriptions to the effect
that the Moors had built this place and no-one would defeat them, and Latin inscriptions
above to the effect that the Spanish had. Centre below is the courtyard in which it
is said that visiting dignitaries would bequeath maidens to the Moorish ruler. Below
right is a courtyard showing the ornate plaster work.
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In Moorish days there would be no imagery at all, but as the
plasterwork was renovated odd images have been surreptitiously added. To the
left is one of two heads, only 30mm in diameter, we spotted (actually we overheard the
guide from a group) in one of the ornate side rooms. The bear-like figure, above
left, on the other hand, was clearly visible in the maidens courtyard. Above centre
and right are views of the extensive gardens. |
Next we had a quick stroll along the
Rio Guadalquivir - which in fact is not all that pretty - and then saw the Plaza de
España which is a most impressive, if somewhat purposeless, building, having been built
for an ill fated exhibition at the time of the great depression. |
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We had only time for a quick sandwich before we had to collect our car from the
hotel garage. We ate outside a bar on the edge of the Plaza de España and were
amused by a young lady in a thick, full length winder coat, wandering about chattering
with two cellphones.
On our return to what claims to be a three star hotel, we were pretty disgusted
that the bellboy walked in front and did not help us at all with our cases. We
were less pleased when he, supposedly helping us out of the impossibly tight car park,
directed us, albeit gently, into the wall adding yet another scratch to our long-suffering
Scorpio. He did not get a tip!
We visited the 15th century Cartuja Monastery where Columbus discussed plans
for his voyages and where, for some time, he lay buried. Getting across town
gave us another opportunity for sightseeing, though at the expense of a few grey
hairs. Though we did find an internet café, we were unable to stop.
Truly, the city is ruined by the motor car, but we could not have seen as
much on foot. The monastery turned out to be not so interesting as for some
years it has been the Cartuja Ceramic Factory. It is on the island used for Expo 92,
which is littered with little used tourist attractions.
We decided to cut our losses and headed north to the Roman ruins at Italica, where
an EU passport gained us free admission to what was more interesting than we expected.
Italica was a very important city, being the birthplace of the emperors
Trajan and Hadrian, who was to become a well known north of England builder. The
town's decline only came about because its river changed its course in Moorish times.
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Above left Kate is standing in the
remains of the amphitheatre, which was the third largest in the Roman world. Above
centre is one of the villas and above right is one of the remarkable mosaics - open to the
weather. Outside of the main ruins, in the middle of the modern town of Santiponce,
we found the remains of the Roman theatre which are being readied for public viewing.
As we peered through the fence, we were puzzled by a number of small padlocks
attached to it, apparently without purpose. We were to learn later, in
Morocco, that young ladies, looking for husbands, place these locks in special places, and
we saw another in Marrakech. |
We returned to camp, which was every bit as bad as we thought - no hot water,
noisy trains and still loads of mosquitoes. So we made the best of it and
resolved to pull out at first light.
28th October, 1999
| To save time, we had not deployed the plumbing system when we set up
the caravan. We had not, since the soaking of Gijon, risked putting up the
awning so we were able to depart reasonably quickly, despite a late night and a lie
in. We made good progress down past Jerez de la Frontera, which we visited
several years ago, and made for El Puerto de Santa Maria where, after only one false turn,
we found the camp site Playa Las Dunas. |
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| The site is just behind a beautiful sandy bay, shown on
the right. Anxious to get into Cadiz, we did the minimum necessary, including our
usual salad lunch, and set off by three in the afternoon, passing over the magnificent bay
bridge and then along the long ithsmus to the town itself. We had had the
foresight to collect a tourist map from the camp office and were able to get on with the
tourist task very quickly. |
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Cadiz has a most impressive entrance at the Plaza de la Constitucion, shown below
left. We found a parking spot next to the Cathedral, shown below centre. The
Cathedral is undergoing a total renovation and is closed, but we were able to peer in over
a barrier in the main entrance and see the work, shown below right. A tourist trail
is marked by a red line in the roads and pavements and we followed it around the old
city.
We found a square full of flower sellers, opposite the amazingly ornate Correos
(post office). Nearby, above centre, we found the covered market - the oldest in
Spain. We followed the trail up Sacramento, which is a central street that runs the
length of the old town.
Part way down, we stopped at the Torre Tavira which is a merchant's house atop of
which an observation tower was built which, in 1778, became the official watch tower for
Cadiz recording maritime traffic. Today, it houses a 'Camera Obscura', which
is a rotating mirror and lens which projects a view of the town onto a white, dish shaped
screen in the darkened room at the top of the tower. Despite the dozens of
steps, which had to be climbed, this turned out to be a most rewarding
experience. Below left is a view over the roof tops to the twin towers of the
Cathedral and in the centre is the 'Hidden Beauty' of Cadiz - an ornate water tower that
cannot be seen from the streets below.
Cadiz also has a Plaza de España, shown above right, which has a monument that
commemorates the first constitution of Spain and atop of which some disrespectful stork
had built its nest. We returned to our car via the supermarket we had spotted
next to the covered market, and completed the tourist trail in the opposite direction,
taking in the Roman Theatre which was being excavated. We finished our trip to
Cadiz by driving round the periphery noting its substantial fortifications.
The lady at Torre Tavira had told us the location of two internet cafés on the ithsmus,
so we stopped at the first to check our email. Alan and Carolyn were in Tarifa
and checking out Morocco.
We then returned to camp via the scenic route as the driver countermanded the
navigator's clear and correct instructions to turn left, but continued around the Bahia de
Cadiz, taking in San Fernando and Puerto Real on the way, but in the dark.
Last updated: 18/03/01
