350 Year Old Map

Two days ago I bought this 350 year old map of Cabo Verde.

I defined a new project for me: writing a book on Cabo Verde maps between 1455 and 1975. Looking for proof on the maps for slavery and the economic use of these islands.

Twilight Zone - My Mind

Since Friday - Valentine's Day - I have been in hospital. Today I heard I can go home Friday. I was in hospital for two weeks. I'll share more details later.

How am I? I feel like I am in a twilight zone. Not physical. Above all in my mind.

300 Years Cabo Verde Maps

The Cape Verde (Portuguese 'Cabo Verde') islands were discovered between 1455 and 1461. (Remember that Columbus discovered the American continents, thirty years later, in 1492.) The credit generally goes to de Noli, Gomes and Diogo Afonso.The oldest map with the islands included, was made in year 1468 by Benincasa. Just some dots in a corner. Nothing fancy. Source: here.

The first real recognizable map dates from 1598 by Langenes.  Throughout the 1500s ship supply (water and food) was the islands' great function. In those years Santiago was the main island with Ribeira Grande as the capital. Next to water and food for ships, the islands produced "seasoned" slaves and cotton. 

In 1712 the French robbed Ribeira Grande of all its riches.

After the abolishing of slavery - 1854 as business and 1876 private - Cape Verde became the place of exile for Portuguese thieves and political dissidents.

 In the 20th century São Vincente became the chief commercial centre. Not fertile Santiago. 

300 year Cape Verde maps resumed:

Is the history of Cape Verde reflected on the maps? I couldn't find any proof of slavery on the maps. Can you?

Map 1. 1598 Langenes Barent. Source: here.

Map 2. 1640-1660 Anonymous. Source: here.

Map 3. 1662 Blaeu J. Source: here.

Map 4. 1683 Mallet Allain Manesson. Source: here.

Map 5. 1684 Ioannes Van Keulen. Source: here.

Map 6. 1691 Coronelli. Source: here.

Map 7. 1745 Roberts. Source: here.

Map 8. 1746 Bellin Jacques Nicolas. Source: here.

Map 9. 1749 Vaugondy. Source: here.

Map 10. 1765 Bellin. Source: here.

Map 11. 1780-1790 Bonne Rigobert. Source: here.

Map 12. 1788 Jefferys. Source: here.

Map 13. 1823 Fielding. Source: here.

Map 14. 1827 Vandermaelen. Source: here.

Map 15. 1827 Letts. Source: here.

Map 16. 1844 Lopes. Source: here.

Map 17. 1911 Encyclopaedia Brittannica. Source: here.

P.S. I can look and study for hours on maps like these. Surprised? 

It's the ... Wind

It's the #wind that defines what I'll read this evening. The wind as a metaphor! 

A song. A quote. Something someone said. Or did not say. A smell. A face. Eyes. An image. Or a part of it. A memory. A dream. A taste. An object. An artefact. An animal. A cloud in the sky. A ray of light. Or ... - there must be more.

From a distance - for me it never feels like that - my reading strategy is #fringe. I wrote on this before: here and here. On a day to day basis my stream of what to read today is #wind. Most of the time I continue with the book I read yesterday but may be I'll not today (and for weeks to come) just because the wind has turned.

Am I boring you with this?

Like Bees Build Their Hives

Jüri Mildeberg (born 1965) makes art the way bees build their hives. What a great metaphor!

Somehow his 'Providence' turned into 'Provence'. Providence as in the capital of Rhode Island in the United States? Or as in a divinely ordained event and outcome?

Providence (2003)

Provence (2004)

What is it? A magical swimming or flying fish born from a mouth? Pregnant with houses under a dark sky with stars? Where does she swim/ fly to? Did she swim/ fly from Providence (USA) to Provence (France)? What's the next destination - if there's any?

P.S. Source: here

How Does This Sound?

On a guitar? Or on a piano or on a guitarra portuguesa?

P.S. Source: here.

Spot the Differences

Cabo Verde. Those lovely islands halfway between my country and Brasil. I could live on São Antão. In a little house with banana trees in the garden #dream.

Between Xmas and New Year's Day we visited Museum Boerhaave in Leiden. In one of the rooms I found two old Globes of Planet Earth. On both of them Cabo Verde :)

Willem Janszoon Blaeu around 1618:

George Adams around 1765:

What More to Say?

Answer. The Answer

During the past couple of weeks I have read three books on flying.

Rudel (1916-1982) is a German pilot who flew in World War II. He wrote 'Stuka Pilot' after the War, in 1949, about his experiences. Lovely read. I have written about him before: here (follow link to blogpost). He was the most highly decorated German serviceman. He escaped getting killed dozens of times in battle. Göring and Hitler asked him both a couple of times to stop flying but he disobeyed their orders.

Hammond writes more in detail about John Boyd. I wrote a blogpost on him before a couple of weeks ago: here. Did not read something new in Hammond's book. Three interesting points.

Quote (page 184-5): "Nuances, analogies, and metaphors produce new concepts. They are there, it's just that they are prisoners of other concepts, and you need to liberate them. It's a sort of guerrilla warfare of the mind."

Quote (page 191): "OODA loops are the answer. From that process come the possibilities for success, failure, life, and death. Coming to grips with these opportunities or threaths faster than others gives us greater advantage still. A failure to recognize these truths will mean we fail to survive or prosper."

A Boyd riddle (page 181): What are these pictures? They are all the same thing. How?

Mike Shaw is a former Harrier pilot who writes with great detail about a "normal" day flying a Harrier. Lots of lovely pictures. Why do fighters usually fly in pairs when you see some in the sky? Because they are training their battle formation:

Miscellanies (iii)

2014! This is the year I'll become fifty years old. 50! I still remember New Year's Eve 1970. Since then I counted down the seconds - 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and NOW - every year. Never missed it.

In retrospect, those years flew by fast. High School. Being a drafted soldier. University. Work. Getting married. Kids. You.

The last couple of years have brought perfect balance in life. As a daddy. In my marriage. With you. As a citizen. As an employee.

Not that life is perfect. I guess it never is or will be. In a way I am perfectly able to handle the imperfections and surprises. The sweet and sour in life. The biggest contributor of my equilibrium: you. Having you in my life :)))