Have you ever wondered how North Americans came to speak so much English? You can credit Italy. I knew English came from the English, but that little history lesson about how drifted far into my old memory. Far away, of course, until I came across a statue of John Cabot while strolling through Bristol, England, last weekend with Sarah. Sarah suggested we stop to get some chips along the old harbor, now lined with restaurants. I chose an outside table adjacent to a statue. Reading the nameplate, I discovered it was a statue commemorating John Cabot (1450-1498). My brain went into high gear, digging into its old archives, wondering where I had heard of this name.
In 1496, King Henry VII commissioned John Cabot to discover the Americas for England. John Cabot was looking for a shorter trading route to Asia. John Cabot was born Giovanni Caboto, a Venetian. As an Italian maritime explorer, Giovanni gained extensive navigational skills by commanding sailing ships throughout the Mediterranean and South Asia along the naval silk trading routes.
Giovanni Caboto (aka John Cabot to the English) moved to Bristol seeking financial support to explore the Atlantic. With King Henry's help, John Cabot sailed 7 ships from Bristol, England, to North America. John Cabot arrived in North America on 24 June 1497, landing near northern Maine and New Foundland. After returning to England with his findings, which included 3 Americans, the European migration to North America (the New World) began. And in doing so, he started the settlements that led to England's claims in America and brought English to the American continent. And if you are a North American, you most likely speak English as your native language. Minus the French and Spanish-speaking parts, of course.
So how did I get this photo? Funny Story. We were sound asleep in our hotel. At midnight, a prankster pulled the fire alarm. What a great opportunity. I threw on my clothes and grabbed my camera. I knew it would take time for the fire department to arrive and clear the building and alarm. I walked the waterfront area returning to the statue among many spots of interest. The street lights spread the gold hue. I took the shot, handheld 1/15 sec, 30 mm, f2.8 ISO 10000. Once home, I masked the statue and inverted that mask. I dropped the saturation removing the gold hue to everything but John Cabot. And there it is.
