 | 22.4 Sunday Domingo.
Our augmented party of five are fed (magdelanas and orange juice) and readyfor off at 0800hrs. We set off briskly down the street from our lodging in Puerto Royal to the University of Cadiz site just over the main route and railway. From here our route has been marked by the amigos de Cadiz with the conventional yellow arrows and while not as prolifically signed as on other routes it is perfectly adequate. We stroll through the Park Natural of the salt pans and marsh. For the first kilometer or so plants are labelled with photos and Spanish and Latin names quite educational (well it is a university). Further on we see more smaller waders such as Ringed Plover and a Curlew and have coffee in a visitor centre for the saltpans with a couple of nice modern steel sculptures of sea birds and proceed up the main road at the edge of El Puerto de Santa Maria. Readers may remember the names of the three ships that "sailed the ocean blue in 1492" with Colombus from this port. Santa Maria, La Nina, and La Pinta. Halfway round the main road we meet La Nina stranded on a roundabout. We can well understand why the old salt Columbus was faced with mutiny some weeks out as it is tiny (if indeed a reasonable replica).
We pass eventally into open country and then again along the old road aside the main road into Jerez following the yellow arrows till we collapse in a nearly closed bar (it is Sunday afternoon) for a well earned beer. We find lodgings in the pension of the Hotel Sanvi clean and ok, and go out immediately for lunch at 1500. This included Cuban rice (with fried egg and fresh tomato sauce) and Gallo Fritas (which should have been fried cockerel) but in fact was deliciously marinaded fish bits fried in batter.
A wander round the various churchs and the castle (much very old carved stonework) completed our afternoon, unfortunately as predicted on a Sunday all the Bodegas are shut.
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