Here comes the beach!
I arrived in Cadiz this morning after almost missing the train. My alarm didn't go off and I don't know why. Regardless I made it here after about a 5 hour train ride.
Cadiz is definatly a smaller town and because of that siesta time is even more noticable. I found a nice hotel which didn't cost too much but I finally have my own room, shower, etc. Today is a Sunday so many things were closed just because of that but the beach was hopping. It was so busy that I just walked by. I also walked by some of the few landmarks they have here. This town is basically a place for the beach, and there's not so much in the way of sightseeing because it is pretty small.
There are two basic parts. The old part which has large dock which I saw a cruise ship docked at, and then a newer section. There are three large beaches which I look forward to spending a little time at.
Dinner consisted of 6 small 'bocadillos' or sandwiches and a glass of 'vino de verano' which is red wine mixed with juice. I chose orange juice and it was actually pretty good. I am still amazed at the number of ice cream shops in Spain and Cadiz is no exception. Everywhere sells it and there are a lot of stores that sell only it. I'm suprised that there are so many skinny people here.
This is a small, apparantly family run hotel, yes hotel. It calls itself a hostel but it is more like a small hotel then a hostel. I think it's just a difference in definations because there are a lot of places calling themselves hostels here that are clearly not the type of hostels I've stayed at.
The single occupancy, double size bed, room ensuite (meaning it has a bathroom and shower in it, not shared) was 50€ a night. Comparable to other places I talked with and the guide book. There was no air conditioning and it is located fairly centrally in town. It is still a hike to the beach but it is close to the church and the train station. The room has a television, fan, and a balcony but the view is of the street so there is some street noise since it is so hot that you really can't close the door.
The rooms are clean and I don't have any complaints about my stay here. The bathroom is a bit small, but it's a very old building, as they all are. They did give a discount for paying in cash which I have read was pretty common as well.
