Stage 12: Arcos de la Frontera -> Cádiz 65 km
Late start due to an 8:30 breakfast at hotel (best of the whole tour, I feel) and the decision made night before to abandon Gibraltar as final destination, instead opting for the more direct run Cádiz and the sea.
Very pleasant ride on a somewhat convoluted route to stay on near-abandoned roads. Whole groups of cyclists out, it being a Saturday morning, coming up the respective roads from Cádiz. We think we saw what seemed to be a race in progress but hard to tell, as they flashed by so quickly.
First 40 km or so went very quickly as we came down onto coastal plain; progress then slowed due to stiff cross and headwinds. Stopped for cokes once only before finding our way onto a magnificent suspension bridge up and over into the old quarter of Cádiz. While having celebratory cervezas, it finally dawned that we were looking at the Atlantic and not the Mediterranean. Oh well! And also that the Battle of Trafalgar was fought offshore from here (more or less).
After finding hotel, shower and then an excellent lunch of Moroccan prawns, sea bass ceviche and good bottle of white in the beach. All good.
Tomorrow we’ll explore the town, relax, look into transportation options back to Seville for Monday and confirm our respective trips back home on Tuesday.