“It looks like we are in the country” she said.  “Lost in the country’ he said. That said … we wouldn’t have seen the old viaduct and the fish farm (which I think it was)

This is the way to start the day, 9.30am breakfast in the town square people watching. No time constraints, we left Cadiz around 10.30am a different cruise ship has come in overnight. We pass through the new town which is more modern, taller buildings. 

Tipuana trees are in full bloom, yellow blossom everywhere, memories of the years of joy the kids and their friends had with the tipuana tree we once had in the first build of our house.  It was always blooming for Christmas, today we are in the northern hemisphere so the blooming is June.

No bridges for us we are on the reclaimed land that just accommodates a road, train and cycle path although unsealed it’s a great soft ride.  We ride around the peninsula through the Parc Natura; a breeding ground for birds, it’s a wetland and a maze of waterways. We can see the new bridge over to Cadiz for some time in our sights it’s 3km long and quite  spectacular.

I am a little tentative with today’s route I have mapped, I tried to plagiarise a bike tour companies from Cadiz to Seville. So instead of the direct way on busy roads I’m going by what I guess maybe their route.

I half nailed it, they definitely wouldn’t be on a major road, we go on the side of the highway … all’s good for a few kms … we are amongst rivers and small tributaries with a sign no entry, we proceed and try to make sense of it all, can we get over the river? … this is clearly a fish farm, large fish can been seen in the pools and water filters from the river. 

‘John,we will have to go back to the railway line and go this other way on the quiet road.’  Back on track we are on a quiet country road headed in the right direction.  Sunflowers, wind farms, solar farms and market gardens are all part of the landscape on flat roads and a tailwind.  It’s hot I saw 35°C on my garmin, we have many water stops and only 3kms to go it’s 3.30pm.  We have some uphill while we walkour bikes. Now the oasis; the old town on the flat and looking very grand, at least in my eyes, I need a shower and food, a beer as well.   All the above completed and to add to it 500g of cherries.  The streets are a little deserted, shops closed apart from the small supermarkets and bars.  And why not they are sensible, they will open later when it cools down … this is siesta time … for us as well … 20 minutes power nap.  News is that we are coming to another heat wave in the next few days … up to 38C tomorrow and on the road will be much warmer. We have made an executive decision … although I was looking forward to the ride to Seville, we will bus there tomorrow – the heatwave is expected to hang around for a week, Seville is expected to reach 44°C on Sunday.

We had a lovely meal on such a balmy night at about 9.30pm … the town has come alive again. Walking back to the hotel, little kids are playing in a playground … it’s 10.55pm.