Lisbon, at last!

I need a Vasco da Gama quote ASAP! Please!!!?
If you could get a short one that would be wonderful. I'm having a horrible time trying to find a quote said by this guy. It's killing me! Please, help! Thank you so much in advance!!!! =D
"T.T." on Yahoo Answers

"We left from Restelo one Saturday, the 8th day of July of the said year, 1479, on out journey. May God our Lord allow us to complete it in His service, Amen."

"Vasco Da Gama" Best Answer Chosen by Yahoo Viewers.

Sorry about the delay on this one. Since my last post I’ve traveled back to the Western Hemisphere and become absorbed in a week-long choral directors’ workshop in Cannon Beach, Oregon. My access to both the internet and to endless stretches of time for writing blog entries has been somewhat curtailed. So, without further ado…Lisbon!


Like any good capital of a former European commercial empire, Lisbon is pretty well chock-full of impressive architecture, sculpture, and museums. This one also has a wealth of maritime history and a fair helping of Moorish ruins.

Here, the statue of Dom Jose presides over the Praco do Comercio, the main square at the base of the Baixa district. In one of the first instances of grand scale European urban planning, his entire neighborhood was rebuilt after the earthquake of 1755, though the consensus of most historians suggests that the empire never recovered.


The Se is the largest of many cathedrals in the Alfama district.


This is Saint Vincent. In the distance is the monastery that takes his name, the Sao Vincente de Fora.


By contrast, the Bairro Alto district offers a picturesque maze of well-graffitied alleys and some of the most intense nightlife on the Iberian Peninsula. The party starts at midnight and goes well past dawn.


Finally, here is something of a pictorial essay on the Mosteiro de Jeronimos, probably the most outstanding example of Manuelian architecture in the city.


The monastery was built in celebration of Vasco Da Gama’s successful establishment of the sea route to the Orient, and is located on the site where he held the prayer vigils prior to his departure.



While Da Gama’s initial voyage yielded only a small payload of spices, this more than paid for his voyage. The commercial success that followed for Portugal gave King Manuel I the nickname “the fortunate.”



Finally, here is one piece of architecture from the mountain retreat of Sintra. What was once part of a private estate is now one of the biggest tourist centers in Portugal.


Regrettably, this is the end of this year's journey. From Cannon Beach, I'm headed home to Sitka to begin a new school year. Until next time, friends!