jetjunkies

February 7, 2026

“Storm Leonardo has caused the evacuation so far of nearly 7,000 people across Andalucía, the regional government has said”. The hardest hit is the Cádiz area with flooding in El Puerto de Santa María and Jerez de la Frontera. This has been going on since the day after we arrived on the 1st.

We have had some sun clearings when we rush out to grocery shop, have lunch and walk around to our favorite places.

There were few people in the botanical garden as all the gates were chained and padlocked. There is one access on the seaward side that was open. The birds were making the most of being able to fly around and sing in the sun. The winds have been so high, they must be hiding in the shrubs most of the time.

We went to the local Ferretería (ironmongery, hardware, tools and other small objects made of metal) last night. They opened at 5 pm and there was a small line of people waiting to get into the shop. We bought a stock pot and large kitchen knife, as our little kitchen isn’t very well equipped for cooking anything beyond scrambled eggs and toast. Because of the weather we’ve had a longing for lentil soup. It’s supposed to storm most of the day, so we are having a cooking day with our little two burner stove.

Carnival is scheduled for February 12 through the 22nd. Last year we watched the city workers construct a huge main stage in Plaza de San Antonio. The metal superstructure includes the tricky placement of a roof that is constructed on the ground then lifted into place by crane. With the daily high winds it has been impossible to safely raise the completed roof sections.

We are hoping that all the preparations will be completed by Thursday for the official Carnival opening. Increased sun and milder winds are expected. Fingers crossed!