Next stop: The Andalucian City of Seville is noted for its Cathedral and the bitter rind of its oranges that seem to grow wild on miniature trees everywhere you turn. After parking our car, we went out in search of dinner, only to find ourselves in the main square with the massive Gothic Cathedral of Seville staring us in the face. Superbly illuminated, the cathedral glowed with a wondrous light. The plaza that holds the third largest Cathedral in the world, built in 1410, still attracted stragglers out for an evening meal. A trio of musicians, formally clad in black tie and tails, played softly stirring classical music that transformed the whole place into a magical setting.

But Llew was hungry and did not wish to lose time that could be spent eating a good meal. We chose La Cueva, a restaurant in the former Jewish quarter called the Barrio Santa Cruz. Like all Spanish spaces that are frozen in time, Santa Cruz is a complicated network of narrow cobbled streets and alleys full of souvenir shops, restaurants and tapas bars. Le Cueva Restaurant was located on Calle Rodrigo Caro in a very pretty patio and was decorated in typical Spanish colonial style with ceramic pots and plates hanging on the walls, the heads of bulls stuffed and mounted on walls, festive costumes of the renowned matadors framed as wall art. There were wooden chairs painted quaintly with faiance designs and patterns, checkered tablecloths, antique Spanish religious statuary, and lovely ceramic plates and pitchers to hold our food. One could also choose to sit outside in a charming orange grove that was softly lit by wrought-iron lanterns. We decided to eat an assorted platter of Spanish sausages as our first course (13 euros). These arrived promptly—Serrano ham, cured in the cold mountain air (serre) is a national staple, a variety of smoked sausages, liverwurst and Spain’s famous manchego, a sheep’s milk cheese produced on the flat plains of Castille La Mancha, hence its name. Llew chose a Caldera or Lamb Stew while I went for the Frito Mixto, a plate of assorted fried fish, lightly dipped in batter and fried to a crisp (12 euros each). It reminded me very much of the fried fish my mother serves back home in India. A pitcher of icy cold sangria with bits of apple and oranges floating in it (8 euros) made a very interesting drink with which to enjoy our meal. A noisy group of middle-aged French tourists at an accompanying table brought much life and vitality to the atmosphere while we savored our Spanish repast. Then, replete, we picked out way through the hushed quietness of the streets to get to our Bed and Breakfast called Naranjo on Calle San Roque. Llew was afraid that there would be no one to let us in at that late hour of night (it was past 10 pm), but the reception area was buzzing with activity and we settled down comfortably for the night.

Naranjo provided a good Continental breakfast which allowed us to fill up before beginning our exploration of the city. Walking through the area called El Arenal, we passed right by the impressive Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza (left), Seville’s 18^th century bull-ring, one of Spain’s oldest, with its Baroque white and ochre façade and the staring black eyes of a bull painted at the entrance. Because bull-fighting season doesn’t open until June, the arena was open only for guided tours but we chose to pass on and head for the Cathedral instead. Just before we turned off a narrow street to find the Cathedral, we spied the Moorish Torre del Oro or Golden Tower built in the 13^th century to protect the port of Seville. The Cathedral, when we did get to it, after a slow stroll, looked completely different from the way it had done the previous night. Gone was the magic and the atmosphere of religious sanctity. Tourists milled around, going about the serious business of covering all the items on their agenda. We bought a few souvenirs and believing that we had to wait until 11 am. when the Cathedral would open to visitors, we attempted to kill time by browsing through the shops. It was at that point that we discovered some people entering the cathedral through the side doors and after inquiring of one of the guards, we were told that we were free to enter.

Upon arriving inside Seville Cathedral (below left), we found ourselves awash in the solemn tones of Gregorian chants and to our enormous delight, we saw that a High mass was being said at that very moment in Latin by the highest prelates of the Seville church community. How marvelous it was to listen to the organ and to the choir as they sang the Latin mass, to hear the main celebrant bless us frequently by uttering Dominusco Bisco. Only a smattering of people were actually hearing mass, but we joined in and received Communion, just thrilled to be in the presence of so much sanctity.

The mass was said at the main altar or the Capilla Mayor that was stunning to say the very least, the Retablo Mayor or altar decoration featuring over 1000 heavily gilded figures from the Christian pantheon. Santa Maria de la Sede, the Cathedral’s patron saint was carved into the main niche in the altar holding the Christ Child in her arms. The fragrance of incense floated about the stupendously large Cathedral and rose up to the fan vaulted ceiling with its intricate stone carvings. Behind us, a group of younger priests attended to other rituals in the choir hall. Monumental iron grilles separated the congregation from the altar where the con-celebrated mass was being offered. We felt truly blessed by the unexpected pleasure of getting to hear such an unusual mass and were informed later that the High Gregorian Latin mass is said every single day at 10 am in the Cathedral—which is why it is closed to tourists with their distracting cameras at that time.

On our right, we could see the handsome memorial to Christopher Columbus whose disputed remains are said to be contained in a casket hauled up by four pall-bearers representing the four houses of Castille, Leon, Navarre and Aragon. The elaboration of this monument, notwithstanding, there exists the common belief that Columbus’ true remains are in the Dominican Republic while the casket in the Seville Cathedral contains the remains of his son Hernando. The cathedral is also home to a large number of religious paintings by Spanish Masters such as Goya and Zurbaran.

            As the morning wore on, more and more tourists congregated in this square, some venturing to climb the several hundred steps into the bell-tower or Giralda (pronounced Hiralda–left) which was first built as the minaret of a mosque in 1198. As the Cathedral was constructed on the same site, the minaret was transformed gradually over the centuries to become ultimately the Cathedral’s Christian bell-tower with a large weather-vane (in Spanish Giraldillo) giving the tower its name. Since we had a busy day ahead of us, we chose not to climb the tower, but we did stroll close by to the Reales Alcazares or Royal Residence, a lavish palace that has served Spain’s monarchy for centuries.

            Very similar in conception and form to the Al-Hambra Palace, the Reales Alcazares  (right) was the result of an order given by Pedro I in 1364 to start the construction of a royal residence within the palaces that had been built by the city’s Almohad (Muslim) rulers. Local artisans responded enthusiastically and within two years, they arrived from Granada and Toledo to create a nest of patios, rooms and gardens in mujedar design. The similarity in the delicacy of the stucco and plaster work with the Al-Hambra Palace is notable immediately as is the abundant use of ceramic tile.

It was from this Seville residence that Isabel dispatched her navigators to explore the New World, for it was in the Casa de la Contratacion (left) that they received their orders. Accordingly the room is decorated with seafaring motifs. As in other Moorish architectural gems, gardens play a dominant role in the layout. The central feature of each patio is a fountain from which tumbling water creates an aural as well as a visual sensation. The majesty of these dwellings can have a very seductive hold upon the visitor and it difficult to tear oneself away from the uniqueness of the design. But we decided to leave and explore the city of Seville somewhat more thoroughly.

On a beautifully stimulating day in spring, we made out way back to the banks of the Guadalquivir river (left), armed with chocolate Popsicles made by Magnum called Double Chocolate. In all of these cities, the weather was so completely hospitable to us that most times we wore only a very light jacket. As we enjoyed the colorful vista of Sevilla’s apartment buildings whose pastel exteriors gave them a very pleasing appearance, we realized how much we had lucked out with the weather for it hadn’t rained once since we had first begun our travels. We enjoyed Seville as much as we had Madrid. Spain’s major cities are superbly laid out and very sensitive of the needs of tourists and visitors. So it was with much delight that we anticipated our arrival, later that afternoon, in the ancient Moorish city of Cordoba.

Bon Voyage!