On a sidewalk along the Avenida de La Constitucion, two old men sell cigarettes and lighters, spread neatly upon a white cloth.
I stop to record the scene with my camera. The vendors look at me, puzzled, bemused. Obviously, they are seldom the subjects of touristic photography."I am a journalist from the United States," I say.
"Oh," says one, in typical Andalusian sarcasm. "I am very sorry to hear that."
Bienvenidos a Sevilla, a city whose character is defined precisely by its characters, a contradictory yet compatible mix of rich and poor, Christian, Jew and Muslim. A city where history has visited but never really lingered.
In his epic "Iberia," James Michener describes Seville as "enticing but withdrawn, alluring but arrogant, modern in appearance but 18th-century in attitude."
Attitude. Yes, it is definitely a city with an attitude.
But who can blame it? While the rest of Spain endured centuries of foreign invasions, reconquest, world domination, religious inquisition, geo-political collapse, economic havoc, civil war and finally fascism, Seville always managed somehow to keep itself above it all, or at least immune in the long run - proud, independent, individualistic. Spanish.
It came as no surprise, then, that international exposition officials chose the lovely Seville and its 600,000 lively inhabitants to host Expo '92. And it was no surprise that more than 20 million people from around the world came to visit.
The Expo was built across the Guadalquivir River in the northwest part of the city. Hoping to capitalize on the new European trade opportunities, Spain used the Expo as an excuse to pump $8 billion into improving the infrastructure of Andalusia. As a result, today's traveler to Seville will enjoy the most modern transportation conveniences ever, including the first freeway linking Madrid and Seville, and a new high-speed train that makes the 542-kilometer journey between Madrid and Seville in just under three hours.
The city itself has enjoyed a rejuvenation also, with the construction of eight new bridges, a new train station and a new airport. On top of the governmental investment, numerous private developers have added hotels and restaurants.
Fortunately, none of this has distracted from Seville's historic charm and beauty.
Originally called Hispalis, the city was first settled by the Phoenicians some 3,000 years ago. The Romans gained control around 200 B.C., establishing relative peace and order that would endure for 600 years. In A.D. 400, Visigoth invaders from Germany took control of Spain, including Seville, from the Holy Roman Empire.
The Gothic power, however, was short-lived. In the eighth century, Muslims from North Africa defeated all but the Basque section of Spain, introducing a Moorish culture that would dominate the Iberian peninsula until the 13th century, when united Christian forces reconquered several cities, including Seville.
Though Spain's most important political events from that point forward occurred in Castile, Seville and its environs remained key in terms of cultural pride and agricultural significance.
Seville was the inspiration and setting for "Carmen"; the story of the famous seducer, Don Juan Tenorio; and, of course, "The Barber of Seville." Renaissance-era painter Diego Velasquez was born in Seville, and writer Miguel de Cervantes spent much of his youth there, making a Seville prison the birthplace of the beloved hero Don Quixote de la Mancha.
Enjoying Seville's cuisine is all the more delightful if you understand the importance of the Guadalquiver River, whose name comes from the Arabic term meaning "The Great River." With headwaters in the Sierra de Segura and fed by tributaries from the Sierra Morena, the river at Seville enters a huge valley, the biggest and most fertile region of Spain, with temperatures often exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit, providing just the right conditions for avocados, citrus fruits, vineyards and some of the best and largest olives in the world.
The Andalusian region is also home of the famous gazpacho soup, a cold vegetable dish that defies description.
Because the Expo site is on the edge of town and is a must-see for any visitor to Seville, I suggest that a day's walk through town begin there.
From the Expo site, cross the Puente de Chapina on the river and turn right onto Paseo de Colon. In a few blocks on your left, you'll see La Maestranza, considered one of the premier bullrings in Spain. Bullfight season runs from March to mid-October, with the shows occurring mainly on Sunday afternoons.
From La Maestranza, you can wind your way eastward through any number of narrow streets and alleys until you come across Avenida de la Constitucion, a busy congested street that runs beside the Cathedral of Seville, the largest in Spain and the third-largest in the Christian world, after St. Peter's in Rome and St. Paul's in London. Plan to spend some time here, basking in its magnificence and admiring its Gothic architecture. The cathedral, which was built in the 15th and 16th centuries, also holds the remains of Christopher Columbus and features the landmark bell tower known as the Giralda.
The cathedral is the central point of Seville's annual Holy Week festival, held during the week before Easter. Eight processions featuring floats from the city's 52 religious associations, known as cofradias, or brotherhoods, wind through the city, ending at the cathedral. Penitents from each cofradia roam the streets in full-length robes and tall, conical hoods with masks.
Next to the cathedral stands the Alcazar fortress and gardens. The Alcazar is a fortified palace begun by the Moors and completed by the Christians in the 14th century. In its halls, the great explorations of Magellan were conceived and planned.
In the Plaza de Reyes, between the cathedral and the Alcazar, you might see a group of flamenco dancers, the classic symbol of Spanish energy and grace.
Go ahead and take their pictures. They're used to it.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information
Write to the Tourist Office of Spain, 8383 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 960, Beverly Hills, CA 90211. The office can provide up-to-date information on transportation, hotel accommodations and local customs.