REMEMBERING THE PORTUGUESE EXPEDITIONS
The Monument of Discoveries, designed like a prow of a ship with images
of various explorers carved into it, is a reminder of the era when Portugal was
at its greatest in sending expeditions to discover the other side of the world.
At the monument's forefront was a map of the different routes the explorers
took to explore the world. Viewing it reminded me of the time when Ferdinand
Magellan, a Portuguese, wanted to navigate and make discoveries of the world and
sailed under the flagship of Spain, because the Portuguese royalty denied his
request. It was in this expedition that he discovered a group of islands now
known as the Philippines, named after King Phillip II of Spain. I just wondered
what the Philippines would have been like if Magellan did not land there. Would
the Rajahs and Datus continue to rule the Philippines and keep it a Moslem
nation?
From my spot at the Monument of Discoveries, I saw the 25 de Abril
Bridge and the monument to Christ the King that stood similarly to the one in
Rio de Janeiro. After exploring the Monument of Discoveries, Ron and I walked
to the Tower of Belem, a four-story tower used as a fortified lighthouse that
served to guard the entrance to the port at Belem. Because it stood on the
mouth of the Tagus River, the tower served as a defense system then. It also
was the place for holding ceremonies before expeditions departed for places
like Africa, India, the Far East, and Brazil. After the era known as the Golden
Age of Discovery, the tower no longer served its purpose and it provided space
special occasions. Once it served as a
political prison and as a customhouse.
Ron and I took pictures and forgot about the time limit that our tour
director gave us. We entertained the idea of entering the tower but the long
line of tourist trying to get in discouraged us. The discouragement prompted us
to return to our bus instead and we realized then that Ron and I exceeded the
time limit when we saw some tour members having a searching look, trying to
spot us. They then told us that our tour director was looking for us. It was a
very embarrassing moment.
With all of us in the
bus now, we drove to the Hieronymite Monastery. This magnificent monastery,
where Vasco da Gama's body lies, was built as a monument to him, to honor his
successful voyage to India in 1497. It was said that it was in this monastery
that Vasco da Gama and his men spent the night in prayer before their
departure. It used to house the Hieronymite monks, a congregation of hermits
who devoted themselves to a life of prayer, study, and austerity. The monks had
to abandon it in 1833 when religious orders were abolished in Portugal. Today
it is empty, unused, and deteriorating. One can just imagine the expense in
money and labor or even life of a construction worker for a construction that
lasted fifty years only to end up in disuse except for masses and weddings. But
then, times come and go.
