A Look Back into Cadiz

At the end of last month, a couple of friends and I decided to make the journey south to Cadiz for Spain’s second largest Carnival Festival.  Cadiz is known for its pristine beaches and picturesque coastlines, and when you add in one of the most famous festivals it amounts to a great weekend.  On the bus ride down I could barely contain my excitement, some may say that my expectations for the weekend were unreasonably high, but with all the stories and footage I came across I just couldn’t help myself.

Upon leaving the bus, one could immediately feel the buzz of the city. Locals and tourist alike were all decked out in their costumes and festival gear. Street performers had waves of audiences in awe of the singing, dancing, and even magical abilities. Needless to say it was a feel good atmosphere; the sun was shining and the vibes were flowing through out city, everyone was outside having a good time and enjoying the special nuances Cadiz has to offer.

Speaking about specialties, when dinnertime came rolling around we decided we were going to have the two famous dishes Cadiz has to offer. Before embarking on our trip, my friend’s host dad said we couldn’t come back to Madrid without trying the tortilla de gambas (shrimp omelet) and the cazones (sand shark). Naturally we searched the town until we found both dishes on the menu, and when we found them we weren’t disappointed, in fact we were blown away. Both dishes were so delicious and the freshness of the seafood was unlike many others.

After dinner we strolled around the city, taking in the sights and lovely music. At one point we even found ourselves dancing in the Parade! Unfortunately we had to catch the bus back to the hotel that night, but I will never forget my weekend in Cadiz. The trip was an amazing experience and I would recommend it to anyone traveling around Spain during the time.