Monday, August 11, 2003
Did you know??? Columbus crew can't cash in on cacao currency. On August 15, 1502, on his fourth and last voyage to the Americas, Columbus and his crew encountered a large dugout canoe near an island off the coast of what is now Honduras. The canoe was filled with local goods for trade -- including cacao beans. Columbus had his crew seize the vessel and its goods.
Later, Columbus' son Ferdinand wrote about the encounter. He was struck by how much value the Native Americans placed on cacao beans, saying:
"They seemed to hold the cacao beans at a great price; for when they were brought on board they did not want to depart from their goods."
What Ferdinand and the other members of Columbus' crew didn't know at the time was that cocoa beans were the local currency. In fact, in some parts of Central America, cacao beans were used as currency as recently as the last century.
While perhaps not as priceless as currency, today's elegant gifts of chocolate are certainly well received. The elegant way to say chocolate is... SCHAKOLAD.
Later, Columbus' son Ferdinand wrote about the encounter. He was struck by how much value the Native Americans placed on cacao beans, saying:
"They seemed to hold the cacao beans at a great price; for when they were brought on board they did not want to depart from their goods."
What Ferdinand and the other members of Columbus' crew didn't know at the time was that cocoa beans were the local currency. In fact, in some parts of Central America, cacao beans were used as currency as recently as the last century.
While perhaps not as priceless as currency, today's elegant gifts of chocolate are certainly well received. The elegant way to say chocolate is... SCHAKOLAD.
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