Special History and Culture Post

Trip Start Apr 29, 2008
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Trip End Jun 23, 2008


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Flag of Spain and Canary Islands  ,
Friday, May 23, 2008

Hello from Seville. We recently visited Paris and saw the grave of Porfirio Diaz.  He was president of Mexico from 1876 to 1911 with a four year interruption and is considered by the official history of Mexico to be a villain.  However, many Mexicans secretly admire him and judging from the flowers and recent messages left behind, he still has a loyal following.   His crypt is in Montparnesse cemetery just down the street from Jean Paul Sarte and Simone de Beauvoir, so he has good company.

We also visited Castilleja de la Cuesta, a small town near Seville where we paid a visit to the house where Hernan Cortez, conqueror of the Aztec Empire, died.  It's now a convent and they were kind enough to let us in, thanks to the efforts of some of my students who took us there.  We also had churros and hot Spanish chocolate afterward and of course, over some coffee as well, the required deep conversation about the conquest of the Americas, Franco, and the current Spanish debate about immigration.

In Seville, we also witnessed several processions on Corpus Christi.  In fact, they are not over and one of the churches near our house (there are 4) will have a procession on Sunday.

Until later,

James
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