CADIZ, CHOCOLATE AND CHURROS . . . AND PAELLA

Continuing with my gastronomical tour . . . this time Espana: Years ago I lived in Washington, D.C. where we frequented a "churroria" in the Adams Morgan neighborhood, and our entire family enjoyed nothing more than a Sunday morning with our churros, my husband and I drinking cafe while our two children enjoyed hot chocolate.

Plaza de las Flores

Meandering through Cadiz the day we arrived, I found the churros and the hot chocolate, although the bar owner pointed us to the churros stand to get our churros before bringing them back to the cafe for chocolate.  Lisa, a "lifelong learner" (aren't we all?) from California, and I did this and then had a delicioous rest as we sat and munched the delicioous churros (the larger ones taste like donuts).  they are in fact, a mixture that is deep fried in long strips and then cut up and served in paper.  Sometimes you sprinkle confectioner's sugar over them, but that was not offered in the Plaza de las Flores.  The chocolate is hot and thick, almost like a pudding, so you can dip them into that if you so desire.  Very delicious.

And that was only lunch!

After a siesta on the ship, I walked back to the nearest Plaza, sat sketching a building and watching as people began to arrive after the siesta period.  Children yelled and screamed and hid behind trees around the plaza, playing a version of hide and seek.  A young couple who were very well dressed (she in heels) pushed a stroller with two babies (presumably twins) asleep, and they were soon joined by a mature woman (the grandmother of the twins?) pushing an even older woman (great grandmother?) in a wheelchair.  A gentleman who had been hanging around the plaza before their arrival joined them.  He was probably the "grandfather" of the twins, but he and his wife looked to be in their early 50s. Much Spanish conversation as the older man took charge of the wheelchair and they moved off into the evening.



A half-eaten paella!

Later, I packed up my drawing supplies and moved on the Plaza Flores and then back to another smaller plaza where I found one lonely restaurant that was open (the rest being closed until 8 p.m. or so).  I had a Spanish cerveza and then noticed the menu advertising paella so I decided to have that.  I thought it would be way too much food, but in fact, I "ate the whole thing."  It was a paella de la marina, a seafood paella with mussels (mejillones); squid (cigalo), langosta (small lobster);  shrimp (gambas) and fish (pescado).



The Madonna

As I left the Plaza, I came upon festivities in the street where a huge replica of the Madonna and child on a dazzling throne was being carried by our men followed by a priest and a brass band.  I stood with the crowds, watching and the leaders who carried large crooks would bang their crooks on the ground as they processed through the street, the priest (who looked quite young) and the band following them.



The Procession

 

 

 

I resisted the temptation to follow the procession and instead headed for home, stopping only to snap this final photo of our ship in the distance as I left the plaza.