Welcome to the beautiful city of Sevilla. We arrived here late Wednesday night. The next morning we awoke to threatening clouds. The picture to the left is of the Guadalquivir River and the "Torre de Oro" (Golden Tower). Sevilla became the hub of commerce starting in the 16th century when ships would navigate up the river from the ocean to deposit its merchandise. In this city ships carrying gold from the Americas anchored. Here is where you will find the world's largest Cathedral and where Christopher Columbus is buried (or at least according to the Spaniards!). Our first stop was at the Real Alcazar, a beautifully decorated palace that was home to caliphs and the Catholic Kings, Isabel and Ferdinand. We entered the Alcázar from its extensive gardens. Within the garden space are mazes, fountains, pavilions and pools. The pavilions are decorated in the typical "azulejo" or ceramic tiles found in Sevilla and most of 
southern Spain. There are many facets to the palace that take the visitor from closed interiors decorated with "yesería" to open patios where and admirals gathered. One of the most interesting areas is the "Sala de la Justicia," a small Moorish building with a beautiful interior fountain and patio. Other rooms of the Alcazar reflect this peaceful environment where both the outer gardens and the inner spaces come together and create a symbiotic relationship where contemplation could take place. Water is an essential element of these spaces, it being a symbol of purity and a symbol of life. If you can find a quiet moment in a patio 
where there is running water, you become absorbed in the space and become more aware of the smells, the air and your own thoughts.
Sevilla offers the visitor many unexpected experiences. While making our way to the town center some of us met up with a group of pilgrims on their way to pay homage to the "Virgen de Huelva." Throughout Andalucia this week there were pilgrimages or "romerías" in honor of local Virgins. Devotees dress in typical Andalusian attire, decorate carts pulled by oxen, and take their journey outside the city where they set up large campsites. Some of the romerías last only a couple of days, some upwards of one week. These pilgrimages can cost anywhere from 1500 to 7ooo euros (which
includes the food, the preparation of the wagons, the rental of the oxen, etc.). After visiting the Alcazares we went directly to the Cathedral de Sevilla. This immense edifice is so large that it has two ambulatories or interior walkways that go around the inner core of the cathedral where the main altar and chorus are located. The cathedral is the resting place of Christopher Columbus and his son, Diego. To give you a feel for the height of the ceiling, the highest point over the nave is 138 feet! It is an impressive edifice. The cathedral also contains valuable pieces of artwork from throughout the centuries. Below are a few interior and exterior shots of the Cathedral.
Other sites around Sevilla include the "Plaza de España" which was built for the 1929 Ibero-American World's Fair. The semi-circular pavilion reflects the Moorish influence with its extensive use of brick and ceramic tiles. The two towers that flank the plaza are reminiscent of 
the Cathedral's Giralda. Around the interior of the plaza are small sitting areas that pay homage to Spain's key cities. Of particular interest is the fact that George Lucas used the plaza to represent Nabo, Senator Amidala's home planet. Other areas of the city are populated with park, paseos (walking paths), and monuments.
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