Good, inexpensive chaos

 We are crossing into Cadiz, and most of the day we will spend on the east / land side of the cause way, with its railway and busy road we are a bit trapped.  This will mean we can not scamper across to see the remnant of the Roman aqueduct.  Now, I will admit these are not the Pont du Gard but the fact the Romans took the effort and that any of it survives is of note. Michal gave it one star and ‘Nothing special’.  Mind you fabocs five stars are over egging the pudding a bit.


There is a restaurant half way across - that we can’t get to.  Ventorrillo El Echato has 2759 reviews and must be fun to be in when a storm rolls in off the Atlantic.  The gaff is an 18th Century Post House with almost 2800 reviews.  https://www.ventorrilloelchato.com/  Two hours ago Mica said of it ‘Amazing place, staff, and food!!! Words can't describe it!! You have to come and experience it for yourself!! A truly unique restaurant…’


Back to Cadiz, Being a useful Atlantic port Columbus used it to pop over to see if America was still there and the Spanish Treasure Fleet used it as its home port. It managed to see off the attacks of Barbary Corsairs but managed to burn itself down in 1569 and was subject to Francis Drake, in 1587, who captured six ships and destroyed 31 others. Essex turned up in 1596 and did more damage. Things went up hill after this with attacks in 1625 and 1702 being repelled.

Cadiz’s fortunes improved in the 18th century as the river to Seville silted up the American trade concentrated in Cadiz, which had something of a Golden Age.  Apparently French and Irish exiles found the place conducive.  Cadiz held out against the forces of Napoleon and wrote a Liberal Constitution. They revolted in 1820 when Ferdinand VII turned nasty and he was imprisoned in Cadiz. The French came in to help Foul Ferdinand to suppress liberalism.


We end the day entering outer Cadiz. We’ve not been to a supermarket for a while so let us visit the Supercarmela on the Calle Gibraltar  https://supercarmela.com/  Will 966 reviews it comes in a solid 4 stars.  Bookshelf comes out as a review label so let's look. Four and four stars ago francisco wrote ‘Overall, it's inexpensive. The shelves are a bit chaotic with the products. Good service.’









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