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main altar, a Rafael in the sacristy, and four Velasquez on the walls 
of the sanctuarjr. The choir stalls were all carved by Indians, as 
were some of the heavy doors of the church, and our guide showed us 
the marks of the primitive hatchets that they used in doing really 
beautiful work. The baptismal font was brought from Spain in 
early Colonial times, and is a beautiful rose-colored marble with 
a fine carved wood dome (what is the ecclesiastical word?) that 
folds back on hinges to uncover the basin itself. The portico 
of the Cathedral has the finest grill work, great gates of iron so 
delicately wrought that it looks If ke lace, with a design represent* 
ing the apostles. The grill work is especially beautiful a,t night, 
v/hen the lights of the Cathedral porch are lighted. It looks as 
though you could crush it in your hand as you would a Spanish lace 
mantilla. 
May 1C - Cordoba 
Mr. Martinez called for us again, s.nd took us in the morning 
to see the Palais de Justice, a magnificent structure, recently 
completed , Cordoba ra&rblex ins ide and Cordoba granite 
outside . There is a lot of marble and granite in the Argenti ne, 
and it is lavishly used both here and in B.A. One building in 
Cordoba is faced on the outside, for some distance above the 
street, with a dark grey granite that glistens with particles of 
nickel « 
As we sat around the hotel having a pre-luncheon cocktail, 
Martinez suggested that we drive out into the country for lunch. 
Accordingly we all (including the Shippens and Jir. Gray) piled into 
hi s Chevrolet , and headed for Alta Gracia, one of the better known 
resorts in the hills. 
Alta Gracia is an old Spanish town, with a huge hostelry 
known as the Sierras Hotel, with its adjoining Casino. A big, airy 
frame building, it faces the hills, and a heavenly breeze was sending 
yellow fallen willow leaves rollicki ng along its verandahs, down 
its tiled corridors, and into its swimming pool. After the customary 
excellent beefsteak, we took a short drive around the town before 
heading for home. An eighteen-hole golf course has a magnificent 
club house andlinks. In the town is an old Mission church, much 
like our Calif ornia missions and I suppose of about the same era. 
Outside the town is a Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, hung with rosar* 
ies and offerings of various sorts - small replicas of arms or legs 
cured by prayer, and several pari s of crutches leaned against the 
grotto wall. A small church is being 3 ckxh. built near the grotto. 
On our way out this morning we had asked about a tall 
monument that rose from the flat country, looking much like the 
Washington monument. Martinez said it was a "Phar o” , which I knew 
meant light house, and we realized it was an aeroplane beacon. 
Still it puzzled us, as it was curiously built, and so apparently 
out of place on that vast plain. Cn our way home Martinez turned 
in the roah that led to it, and we realized, as we got out of the 
car and stood under it, how towering and impressive it was, nearly 
ieet high of heavy cement, x&E^psisbdo gradually taper- 
