Christopher Columbus, really?

  A couple of weeks ago, I took my son to Sevilla in Spain. He is staying there to study Spanish and the culture. What a place! I had been there a long time ago, and it was so marvelous to return. Of course, it was almost the perfect time of year: 70 degrees during the day, and the streets filled with orange trees full of fruit. Before we met my son's host family, we stayed spent the night right in the old center, next to the cathedral. We were offered a free upgrade to our room; another room with a balcony overlooking the cathedral was available, so of course I said yes. It was so special. As I gazed over the magnificent building that was all illuminated, I thought, "I cannot leave Sevilla without seeing inside." So, the next day, after meeting Cass' host mother, we wandered around the center, and went back to the cathedral. One thing I hadn't done was read about it. I had done no research at that point about its history, or the art inside the building. That lack of research lead me to get a really big surprise. Breathtaking is a word that comes to mind when I think of Sevilla's cathedral. I have been in many around Europe, but this one really is quite overwhelming. Cass and I slowly walked around taking photos, and reading information about different statues etc. After a while, I noticed a lot of people near a wall, under a large clock. I had actually never seen a clock in a cathedral before, and so I thought it odd to find one there. I went over to have a look, and as I approached, I saw a dark, but extremely elegant statue. It was of four kings, carrying a coffin. I knew that there was something special and different about this piece of art. It was subtle, powerful, and very regal. "What is it?" I thought to myself as I searched for an information placard. I looked and looked, and finally found a little piece of paper that was stuck to the base of the statue. I took my glasses out and put them on, as the letters were quite small. 'The tomb of Christopher Columbus,' it said. I gasped. I felt a lump in my throat. "Cass!" I called out to my son, "This is the tomb of Christopher Columbus!" "Woah!" he said in astonishment. We were both bowled over. It was quite a moment. Obviously, if I had read about it beforehand, it wouldn't have been such a surprise, so I'm glad that I hadn't. I knew there was something special about the monument. Since then, I have read that there is debate about whether all of his body is in the tomb. Well, as far as I'm concerned, all 206 bones don't need to be inside. Even if only one of his little finger bones is there, that would be enough for me. The piece is stunning, and it was built to commemorate someone whose destiny affected the world, and the royalty who sponsored him. That is enough for me.