We've arrived!

Photos and stuff for our families and friends (next time I'll try to make smaller files so they load faster)

Our first 12 days in Cádiz:

Things we do...Places we go..

The Plaza de San Francisco, the square where we hang out between engagements.
At one end Juan Reyes' bar La Barbería, at the other his café, El Orión. (8 of the students live 2 blocks away at Juan and Carmen's Residencia Mixta).

A pleasant surprise, a visit to renew old friendships from Marina Sheldon (NW Cádiz Program 1997-1998) and her sister (with Juan in his bar).

Our first excursion out of town (Sept. 9). Rose, Ashley and Wendi at the Roman ruins adjacent to the Playa de Bolonia (where it was so hot and windy we couldn't sunbathe).

So we went up the coast a ways to Zahara de los Atunes, where the Playa de los alemanes provided more protection from the wind. Even so, after 3 hours we'd had enough sand blasting, so a quick group photo (20 cameras!) and on to Vejer.

The long awaited photo of the Playa de los alemanes!

Vejer de la Frontera - once a border b/w Muslim and Christian Spain - gave us a good view of the surrounding countryside. Like all the frontier towns in the Sierra, this one is all white and strategically located on the highest outcropping around. We wandered around, caught a wedding party on the way into the church and wondered about the star of David on the church façade.

Amber, Alejandra, Latisha (I think) atop the battlements in Vejer.

Ryan, Alisha and Anna check out the town:

Alejandra and Juan (one of six friends from Cádiz who accompanied us)

Rose, Ashley M. and David pose for a quick shot.

Back in Cádiz, we check out the Sevillana / Flamenco Dance Academy where Carmen Tejera will turn us all into authentic gaditanos/as.

Kristy (foreground), Ashley, Alejandra, Raychel, Adama, Bryn, Alvorada and Lisa watch Carmen prepare her students for a recital.

 

Sunset in Cádiz on the Alameda Apodaca, a few blocks from where many of our students live. Several jog along this lovely walkway that encircles the Casco viejo (old town).

More to follow... Next week an excursion to the Pueblos Blancos de la Sierra de Grazalema where we'll overnight at a campground in El Bosque, visit a guitar factory in Algodonales, see the famous pinsapo, as well as the towns of Olvera and Setenil (and Arcos de la Frontera) and take a 4 hr hike partly along a Roman Highway still in fairly good repair for a nearly 2000 year-old road (between Benaocaz and Ubrique).