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main alter, a Rafael in the sacristy, and four Velasquez on the walls of the sanctuary.  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 like lace, with a design representing the apostles.  The grill work is especially beautiful at night, when 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.

[[underline]] May 10 - Cordoba [[/underline]]

Mr. Martinez called for us again, and took us in the morning to see the Palais de Justice, a magnificent structure, recently completed, [[strike through]] and full of [[/strike through]] Cordoba marble inside and Cordoba granite outside.  There is a lot of marble and granite in the Argentine, 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 Dr. Gray) piled into his 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 rollicking 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 home.  An eighteen-hole golf course has a magnificent club house andlinks.  In the town is an old Mission church, much like our California missions and I suppose of about the same era.  Outside the town is a Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, hung with rosaries and offerings of various sorts - small replicas of arms or legs cured by prayer, and several paris of crutches leaned against the grotto wall.  A small church is being [[strikethrough]] xxxx [[/strikethrough]] built near the grotto.

On our way out this morning we asked about a tall monument that rose from the flat country, looking much like the Washington monument.  Martinez said it was a "Pharo", 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.  On our way home Martinez turned in the road 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 300 feet [[strikethrough]] xxxxxx [[/strikethrough]] high of heavy cement, [[strikethrough]] xxxxxx [[/strikethrough]]gradually taper - 

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