New Things, And Old

I met a young man at the Hostal. Just finished with college, he’ll fly to Boston in a week and a job at a homeless shelter. He took a Gap Year after high school, six months of which were in Nepal. I’ll be there in March so we had a connection.

Somehow we got to talking about maps. Turns out his father is an engineer, and a cartographer. Shortly before COVID hit, his father and three colleagues began work on a navigation app. It’s completed, in the App Store, and now on my phone.

“It’s better than Google Maps,” the young man told me. “Great for overseas if you don’t have a SIM card. You can go offline with it.”

I set out. My destination, the Alcazar, a royal palace built for King Pedro I of Castile. Arrival at 8:40.

I’d been told the Alcazar is near the Catedral so I had a general idea where we were going. Still, as I like new things, I put trust in the app as my primary resource. Though the route was different from the day before, I appreciated the change in scenery.

8:40 came. The app said I was close. But I wasn’t. My trust began to wane. One new side street after another.

8:50. No Alcazar. I turned off the app and began to ask directions, the old fashioned way.

Somehow we got there, just a block beyond the Catedral.

I consulted my watch (an inheritance from Pa) its hour hand at 9 and minute hand at 12. Just in time for our ticketed entry. Pa chided me a bit, in a gentle way. “Young man, you should rely on your watch. It never failed me.” I agreed that I would, not mentioning that it hadn’t come with a map.

Though some historians date the construction of the Alcazar as 1360 something, that’s not quite right. It has a long history. In the early 900’s the caliph of Al-Andalus (the southern region of Spain is still known as Andalusa)

built a fortress to replace a Christian basilica. Over the centuries, various demolitions, constructions and expansions took place resulting in a massive complex. When the Christians again took over Seville, the Alcazar was converted into a residence for the monarchs. King Pedro’s people modified it even more,

the result being much of what can be seen today.

Entering the Alcazar,

we were transported.

No further commentary necessary.

After a slow, contemplative afternoon, we were on the streets again, having found an old fashioned map to guide us for the rest of our stay.

Our day ended with a simple meal

at the Casa Placido

followed by a restful sleep.

Today, however, I walk with a heavy heart, having learned of David Crosby’s passing. Once again I’m transported to the olden days when music was my guiding star.

If you smile at me I will understand

'Cause that is something

Everybody everywhere does in the same language . . .