Vasco da Gama!

June 1, 2013

I arrived in Lisbon on a beautiful sunny June day. After checking into my hotel, to combat jet lag I went for a walk along the river. The conference hotel was in Belem, a neighborhood that is southwest of the center of town. It faces the Tejo River.  The focus of this area is the massive statue in the shape of a ship that is dedicated to the Portuguese mariners who left from this site to explore the rest of the world. For a sense of scale, look at the size of the statue relative to the jogger in the foreground.

The most famous of these was Vasco da Gama, who was the first European to reach India. The tiles in front of the sculpture provide a record of his travels.

Interestingly, da Gama's Wikipedia entry notes both his (legitimate) Portuguese children, as well as his many other presumed offspring that he sired while in India. In 1996, when John and I visited Goa, India, we observed his  legacies, both genetic and religious. de Gama founded Goa, and there is a strong influence of Catholicism in that region. Furthermore, the people of Goa had noticeably lighter colored eyes and more Caucasian features than elsewhere in India. I don’t think they all descended from da Gama himself, but I am sure the other Portuguese sailors were craving a little "release" after months at sea! 

Due to his significant achievements, da Gama was treated royally upon his return to Lisbon, and he is buried in the magnificent church of Saint Jeronimo, the Portuguese equivalent of Westminster Abbey. This is his tomb.