Cadiz and Tarifa

We left Seville on Wednesday morning intending to have a few hours in Cadiz before heading on to Tarifa where we would spend a few days preparing for our trip to Morocco and where we would leave the van for the week we were away.

The journey across the flat plains South of Seville was uneventful but as we drove into Cadiz we were reminded that this week is a holiday week for many in Spain and Cadiz was very busy. We aimed for the old city hoping to get some feeling for the history surrounding the place which might claim to be the oldest city in Europe having been founded by the Phoencians in 1100BC. It is probably better known for being the jumping off point for a couple of Columbus’s voyages to the New World in the 15th century after he had discovered (actual found something that was already well known to others) it in his first voyage and for where Drake singed the king of Spain’s beard in the 16th century.

As if in retaliation for this last act we were unable to find anywhere to park our British van and so had to come out again and park up some 3 or 4 miles from the old town from where we could, at least, enjoy the brisk air coming off the North Atlantic. Yes after six weeks we had reached the Atlantic again and it looked just like it should – breakers crashing against white sand in brilliant sunshine.

After a short stop we took the meandering coast road to Tarifa aong the Costa de la Luz. This is surfers paradise and the number of vans increased dramatically at each town and village we passed they were parked up while their occupants enjoyed the water sport that was offer.

Arriving at Tarifa we chose our spot (with a sea view) settled in, decided the place would be ideal to leave the van in relative security and prepared a late lunch on the bar-b-que surrounded by young familys enjoying a holiday with mum – dad seemed to be absent. In the late afternoon we went off the check the beach. We were unprepared for what we found. Friends had told us that this was a popular spot for surfing but as we looked long the 6km between us and Tarifa the sky was filled with surfkites and the sea was awash with windsurfers. This is where the missing dads were to be found.

We agreed that the campsite had a great family atmosphere a that it is was nice to have the youngsters around – all very Cornwall in July or August.