Prince Henry the Navigator

HENRY THE NAVIGATOR (1394-1460) sponsored a great school for navigators in SAGRES on the Atlantic coast of Portugal.  For a guy who apparently never went to sea he had a fine reputation as a Mariner.  His school also has a great reputation even though no one has actually found any buildings or tangible evidence that there was a school per se.  During a recent speaking assignment on MS NOORDAM's trip back to Fort Lauderdale I tramped Sagres and Lagos and was treated to great views but sure couldn't find the school.  

Prince Henry's Statue, Lagos

Henry was a real force who facilitated the drive of the Portuguese to continue to venture further and further down the west coast of Africa.  They established trading posts and befriended the local chiefs with whom they traded goods for gold.  

Business was good and Portugal's economy flourished.  Long range international trade by ship came into focus for a number of reasons.  One big one was the fact that Europe had developed an appetite for the riches of the Orient and events made it harder and more expensive to feed that demand.  Mongols controlled the trade over the land route called the Silk Road that carried the sought after goods from Asia to the edge of Europe.  For quite some time Italian maritime city states acted as their intermediaries on the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea.  The Italians made a hefty profit but Europe’s wealthy were willing to pay. 

Henry at the head of the crowd of explorers; Golden Age Monument in Lisbon

This cozy arrangement was derailed when Turks captured Constantinople, renamed it Istanbul and jacked up the prices.  They still allowed the Italians to market the Asian goods, but the power and dynamic changed in favor of the people who controlled the supply of product and away from those who had access to the market.  The capture of Constantinople was not a stand alone event.  It was part of the greater conflict between Christians and Muslims in the region that has waxed and waned seemingly forever, right up to today.

Fiumicino & Civitavecchia---Hard to Spell and Say, Easy to Like

Stayed at La Conchigglia in Fiumicino.  I guess that means Little River, Italy.  A very fine hotel with great just off season rates.  Had what must be the best cold Continental breakfast ever.  It even had made to order cappuccino or any other kind of espresso or regular coffee or tea you could conceive.  This is the hotel where Fellini,  Sophia Lauren and the makers and stars what the locals call the “Black & White” movies of the 50’s & 60’s stayed and played.  During the season it is a snob loaded mob scene.  Just after the season it is quiet but the air still smells of money and style.

Ask me about it  if you want when I get back.  Took a shuttle to the train station in Maccarese to go to Civitavecchia.  30 minutes waiting on the platform.  Machines were all out of tickets so the driver explained that meant the trip was free.  Welcome to Italy where no one or anything has worked for centuries.  But they do know how to live.  No one checks on the platform nor on the train so if you can't  buy a ticket it's not your fault, you didn't do anything wrong, after all.

Civitavecchia is the ancient port for Rome that everyone uses but no one can pronounce.  Great place to schlepp your bags over musical cobblestones on the way from the train to the port shuttles, “only 750 meters away”.  Do you have any idea of just how far 750 meters is?  I do.

Major surprise on the dock was a 40 or 50 foot high full color realistic statue of WWII’s most famous smooch; the Sailor and the girl in Times Square on VE Day.  Why is it there?  I guess the Italians didn’t want to forget the amorous Yanks who helped throw out Il Duce and Hitler’s guys between smooches.