European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 12, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Future meets past at expo �?T92 by Alan Riding the new York times for centuries visitors have climbed la Giralda to View Seville from atop the Tower of its massive gothic Cathedral. And for centuries it has been a View of palaces Parks and churches set against a background of parched andalusian Countryside and the Guadalquivir River. But today if you stand in the Tower and look Northwest that View has been transformed by the sudden appearance of a strange new world a City of open air Heaters ultramodern buildings artificial lakes shaded avenues designer Bridges and Cable cars that covers 540 acres of the Long verdant Island of cart Uja. Five years after work began expo 92 is a reality. Between april 20 and oct. 12 this year the last world s fair of the 20th Century Hopes to draw 18 million visitors to 100 or More National regional and Quot theme pavilions As Well As to a Rich fare of live entertainment that in True Spanish style will continue Well into the Early hours of every morning. Old Seville just a 20 to 30-minute walk away need not feel upstaged. It too has been spruced up for what will be the Central event of Spain s Columbus qui Centennial. It will be Host to concerts operas and plays while its Fine restaurants will offer Welcome respite from the faster food of expo. In any event once the world s Seville s Alcazar is one of the Best surviving examples of moorish architecture in Spain. Fair is Over much of the new City will be dismantled. And Seville the eternal will remain. But for the moment five weeks before King Juan Carlos inaugurates the Universal exhibition All eyes Are on expo and its scramble to be ready on time. From afar it already looks finished. At the site the Bustle continues. Heavy construction work on most pavilions has been completed but the time consuming tasks of decorating interiors preparing exhibits and applying the final touches will continue up to the last minute. Inside Dusty pavilions National Pride is already astir As architects engineers designers and craftsmen busily prepare the image that their countries will show to the world. No one says so openly of course but everyone knows they Are engaged in a Competition in which Public attention is the Only measure of Success. And a week or two after the opening the verdict will be in some pavilions will be mobbed and others will be ignored. In the end though the real Winner or loser will be Spain. It has spent $2 billion on expo s lakes roads auditoriums and services As Well As on four theme pavilions and its own National Pavilion. It has spent a further $10 billion on related projects a Seville s Urban improvement including construction of eight new Bridges Over the Guadalquivir a High Speed train from Madrid and new highways throughout Southern Spain. And for what Why bother to invent such a Complex and eccentric event Quot collective madness Quot was the Way Lacinto Pellon put it cheerfully a and As head of the state company in charge of construction he should know. Quot it was born at a time of economic euphoria. If we started today it would not be like this. In fact it probably would t have been started. Now it looks like a sort of  Well perhaps world s fairs Are meant to be real. Certainly there is something theatrical about building a City for a six month run. Surely it must be unnatural to expect foreign countries a this time a record 111 nations compared with 77 at the last world s fair in Osaka Japan in 1970 a to invest their own Money to promote someone else s prestige. Add to that the dubious Wisdom of inviting people in july and August to melt in the andalusian summer when daytime temperatures Are often in the 90s in the Shade. Still it is happening. Expo 92 now has an Eye crossing Hodgepodge of architectural styles that gives the site a Disney like Quality and soon it expects to have millions of visitors to go along with it. The scene could be unreal. And Seville can t wait. Beware of women bearing Flowers if you accept one they la demand to read your Palm and to be paid a fee. Below a wrought Iron Lamppost stands in front of the towers of the Cathedral. Tip March 12, 1992 stripes Magazine