To Travel Is To Live: Andalucia II: Sevilla 2, Cordoba

Everyone seems sufficiently recovered from the Mother's Day evening at the bullring (hopefully cows were treated well) followed by a very late dinner (although a 10pm start is common by Spanish standards), and we begin the next day with a walking tour from Plaza Nueva. Our guide is Concepcion, who was featured on Rick Steves' video on Seville. No one better to tell you about the city than a extremely intelligent, knowledgeable and enthusiastic native. For example, in addition to Seville's rich history, she goes over how she partly designs her own and her young daughter's flamenco dresses for the Feria every year. We cut the tour a bit short as we have to catch the train to Cordoba (described below).

Speaking of the flamenco, we are not going to leave Seville without catching a bit of the action. After we return from Cordoba, however, before heading to the flamenco venue, we stop at Basilica de la Macarena, the site of the revered "weeping" statue of Madonna. In the adjoining museum the main floats for the Easter parade are kept.

Seville: Basilica de la Macarena, no, not the light-hearted Brazilian dance craze of 20 years ago. Quite the opposite. Upon entering this small church, you are struck by the quietude in the dominant presence of the radiant beauty of the statue. This "Weeping Virgin" is the most precious symbol carried on a float during the Easter procession. (Detail below).

La Macarena, Seville: Weeping Virgin with five crystal teardrops on her face.

Despite the on-line reviews advising against booking a full package including dinner at the flamenco establishment, that's exactly what I do because we 1) get better seats and 2) can avoid a very late dinner. We were very impressed years ago at El Patio Sevilliano but at the highly-rated Tablao El Arenal, the experience is even better. Call it touristy but these performers are artists, taking their craft seriously. The dancing so stylized that not a single move is wasted. A female dancer was so intense that her hairpieces were flying around, to be kicked and ultimately trampled to pieces on the stage before her piece was over. Male dancers are in a sense even more memorable maybe because of their athleticism.

Seville: no photography allowed at this flamenco show, which I actually support. Just picture two guitarists in the two chairs, flanked by two men and a woman providing intense, hoarse, soulful singing for the dancers with lots of clapping and stomping.

Cordoba is an easy day trip from Seville but setting aside only an afternoon does not do justice. Of course the Mezquita is the major attraction but I find out at the last minute that there is a Patio Festival and Competition going on. Imagine rushing from the train station by taxi to catch a few patios before they close at 2pm (for siesta of course) which are designed to provide relaxation and refuge.

Cordoba: arriving barely in time to check out some of the patios

Cordoba: this house looks like it has won enough awards in the past...

Cordoba: this one looks to me like a formidable contender for the patio competition.

The Mezquita is not quite how we remembered. Of course the fabulous double arches are still there, but now you get the sense from the audio-guide and the signs that you are entering a major cathedral built on a prior mosque much of which has been left intact. On our last visit over a quarter century ago, it was presented to us as a marvelous Moorish structure and the fact that Charles V ordered a Renaissance cathedral inside (and later regretted) was an oddity and a footnote. We don't even remember there were side chapels to which much of the audio-guide is devoted.