eating cádiz 2021

03 Friday Dec 2021

Posted by in cadiz, food & drink, gastronomy, getaways, wine

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eating cadiz

Who knew that it would be more than two years before I’d get to visit – and taste – Cádiz again? Not me. And to be sure, there have been many changes there since lockdown March 2020. This was also my first time on a train since way back then, which was a bit nervous making especially because it meant postponing my booster shot until next week. Whatevs. I was on a train. I went to Cádiz. And hey, it was (mostly) just like it’s always been.

I was there to do research for my next Decanter travel article, which is why I chose this week. I’d have gone earlier but several of the places I wanted to visit were closed during November. My plan had been to visit a nearby bodega in El Puerto on November 30th, then a couple of regular spots in Cádiz that evening, and then the new places that had said they would reopen in December. EXCEPT I found out on the morning of December 1st that two of them weren’t actually going to reopen until the 2nd. WTF. Never mind. I had secured a reservation for the place that had most interested me… brand new Ciclo restaurant, run by chef Luis Callealta. And it did not disappoint. In fact it was pretty fucking amazing. So that made the other disappointments easier to take.

I wasn’t only disappointed by the ones that didn’t actually reopen on December 1st, but also by a couple of places I revisited (and used to like) that left me feeling like I wouldn’t be going back to them again. A bit sad, but overall it was a lovely overnight trip and it really did feel great to be travelling again. I have missed Cádiz so much. It’s one of my favourite places.

the vomitorium

02 Thursday Dec 2021

Posted by in casa azahar, cats, home

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vomitorium

I was originally going to stay two nights in Cádiz but then decided one night would be enough and, well, good thing I changed my plans. Got home yesterday evening after approximately 36 hours away to find Casa Azahar had turned into a cat vomitorium with patches of vomit all over the floors, including one massive hair ball. I reckoned this was Loki because whenever I leave the food out all day (which is only when I go away) he eats like a pig, often until he vomits. And then he gets diarrhea. So much fun. Anyhow, when I went to Arcos on Monday I left out enough food for the day, and Loki was already inhaling it by the time I was walking out the door, but when I got home later in the afternoon, aside from Loki being in a food coma, everyone was fine. Was not so lucky this time.

I cleaned up all the vomit last night and then noticed some other stains on the floor, clear ones that I hadn’t initially spotted. So I spent another half hour hunting down more with all the lights on, and also cleaned those up, plus changed the cat sand. And just when I was about to take a nice hot shower and relax Luna puked up a foamy clear liquid. About half an hour later Morcilla did the same. WTF. This was clearly not going to be the relaxing post-trip evening I’d envisioned on the train ride home.

This morning I hoped that whatever ‘bug’ the girls seemed to have was over. But shortly after waking up first Luna, then Morcilla, vomited the same foamy liquid again. Called the vet first thing when they opened and she had no idea what could be wrong and, aside from bringing them all in (!!!), the next best thing was to try them on prescription soft food today and see if they’re better tomorrow.

I mean, Loki is fine, aside from being hangry. I didn’t see him vomiting last night or today, but withheld food from all of them until I spoke to the vet. He is to get his usual food, poco á poco, with some malt. And the girls will get the prescription food (as soon as it arrives – Peter has gone to pick some up for me). It was also suggested (on twitter) that this might be stress related as it’s the first time I have left them overnight since March 2020. Who knows. Anyhow, for today I am staying in, finishing off my Decanter article, and looking after my little family.

omicron

29 Monday Nov 2021

Posted by in coronavirus, covid, sevilla, travel

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omicron

Well fuck. Though I guess nobody should really be surprised by this latest even more contagious Covid variant since we keep on not sending vaccines to less developed nations, preferring to make anti-vaxxing a political football at home. I mean seriously, just send the damn vaccines to the people who really want them. And so the latest variant omicron has left its “birthplace” of South Africa and is now rapidly travelling around the world, just as Delta (India) and Alpha (UK) did before it. Of course by the time we are notified of it even existing, by the time we are told it is a “variant of concern”, it is already spreading everywhere. And so now what?

For the most part this wouldn’t affect me in the sense that my life wouldn’t change that much. EXCEPT that this week I had made plans to take a couple of research trips (for another Decanter article) to Cádiz province, first to Arcos de la Frontera and then to Cádiz city and El Puerto de Santa María. Now I just want to stay at home. I mean, if these trips had been last week I wouldn’t have been as worried as I am now, even though the reality of the situation probably wasn’t much different last week, we just didn’t know about it yet.

And so… fuck it, I am going. Today to Arcos on a day trip with my friend Tania in her car. We’ll be visiting two bodegas and then coming home in the afternoon. And tomorrow I’ll be going to Cádiz by train with Peter, stopping off first in El Puerto to visit another bodega, then overnighting in Cádiz city, and coming back on Wednesday. I had originally planned on staying two nights in Cádiz but have decided to just stay for one and cut back on exposure risks.

Last Friday my health centre told me I could have my booster shot today (!!!) but as I won’t be here I have to go back and rebook it after I return. In any case, the booster wouldn’t have “taken effect” in time to make any difference for this trip. But guys… THIS IS MY FIRST TIME OUT OF SEVILLA SINCE MARCH 2020. I’m a bit terrified.