"Pull a thread..."

Ted. Years ago, a priest I knew named Jim explained that, if you pull a thread in the New Testament of the Bible, something will move in the Old Testament.”

I was reminded of this concept the other day while enjoying a tapa here in Cádiz called a “tortallita de bacalao.” 

Tortallitas de bacalao

You see, this is also one of my favorite Jamaican dishes, known there simply as “cod cakes.” It turns out that battered and fried fish, common for many hundreds of years on the Iberian peninsula was spread by the Spanish and Portuguese during the great period of globalization in the 16^th century. In England, the dish became known as “fish & chips” and in Japan, the term was “tempura.”

While we did not plan it that way, Judy and I have just traveled the route of the returning conquistadors from Oaxaca, Mexico in “New Spain” to Cádiz in “Old Spain.” The number of connections is astounding.

For instance, a typical breakfast in Latin America and Spain is churros with coffee or chocolate. 

Churros + chocolate

The churros and coffee were brought to America by the Spanish, who then brought chocolate to Spain from Mexico. See what I mean? The list of New World imports that came through the port here just goes on and on; tobacco, vanilla, potatoes, tomatoes, corn, beans, squash and peanuts. And don’t forget gold, silver and cochineal dye.

And what was sent to New Spain in return? Wheat, coffee, almonds, citrus fruit, chickens, pigs, cows and horses.  Try to envision the Mexican culture without those items.

We visited a tiny 18^th century chapel called the Oratorio de la Santa Cueva. The art in this chapel is incredible and includes three paintings by Francisco Goya. A wealthy priest named Don José Sáenz de Santa María supplied all of the money to build the chapel and even commissioned Joseph Haydn to compose an orchestral piece for a Lenten service based on the Seven Last Words of Christ. Where did his money come from? Naturally, the wealth came from the place of the good father’s birth; Veracruz, Mexico.

As we travel the world, we are also reminded that one’s point of view depends on where one is standing. A beautiful little fort called Santa Catalina has protected Cádiz since 1598. 

Castillo de Santa Catalina

It was built after the town was ravaged by a bloodthirsty pirate known as “El Draque.” And what is the English name for this William Tecumseh Sherman of Spain? Sir Francis Drake!