jetjunkies

February 16, 2026

After a couple of puny days (unidentified and short lived), I’ve been able to get out and enjoy the festivities and sunshine. Our street is one of the main streets in the historic district. It’s a pedestrian street and although busy, it’s beautiful with well placed benches for people watching.

Busy has gone to another level with Carnival. The photo is of parade day, yesterday, and Calle Ancha is the main street to Plaza San Antonio were the main stage is set up.

Just about everyone here walks, there are very few cars in the historic district as the streets are narrow and the sidewalks narrower…. really narrow, they are maybe 14 to 20 inches wide, so people walk in the streets a lot.

Anyway, after that digression, we decided to head out for the evening to enjoy the costumes, music, and eat a civilized European meal at 8 pm.

The mood was probably improved even more by all the bars set up in front of restaurants serving beer, wine, cocktails and small snacks like potato chips.

Some of the costumed groups were singing groups and some seemed to represent different affiliations, like servers, pizzaiolos, fishermen, doctors, etc. Then some groups were just whatever….lots of Native American Indians, cowboys and cowgirls, aliens, pirates (I was in the elevator with a couple of them), Egyptian figures and much, much more.

We slowly made our way down to the Cathedral de Cádiz plaza as streets and sidewalks were clogged with groups singing, listening, dancing, visiting and drinking.

We were headed to our favorite Japanese restaurant, Feng Shui Street. We have been eating Spanish food almost exclusively and were in the mood for Sushi. Many restaurants don’t offer dinner until 8 pm, which is late for us, so we were very hungry by the time we ordered.

Most people were out in the plaza celebrating Carnival and eating snacks at the endless temporary bars, so we had the place to ourselves….so delicious.

Heading home at 10 pm it was just as crowded. A few dazed looking individuals were sitting on benches, staring off into the distance, but most were still going strong.

Families had disappeared with their costumed little ones roaming around the crowds. It was amazing how they all seemed to keep track of each other.

Here’s a photo of a little perro that just made me smile.