TE19 Iberian Adventure

John Hartley

banished to a fiery underground prison. But some Titans met different fates; Atlas was condemned to hold up the sky on his shoulders, Helios was condemned to drive the chariot that pulled the Sun around the Earth. An eleventh Titan – The Adamastor – was banished to the southernmost tip of Africa to form the jagged Cape of Good Hope. Jealous of the courageous Portuguese seafarers, The Adamastor vowed to torment their voyages. “As da Gama’s ships sail up the East African coast towards the Indian Ocean, the Olympian gods convene to discuss their fate.” Pedro added. “Bacchus incites the sea gods to shipwreck the Portuguesefleet, butVenus intervenes.”Venusbornof thefoaming sea, disguised herself and seduced Anchises – a Dardanian prince and Trojan ally. Venus bore Aeneas, the forefather of Romulus and Remus, founders of the eternal city.

“The same spirit that founded Rome saved the Portuguese adventurers.”

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The following day we returned to nearby Praia da Falesia and the five miles of golden sand where Judy sunbathed, and Grandad read his newspaper. Hours erased in the sun, swimming in the 22 degrees Atlantic and drying off, rinse and repeat. Grandad resented that hewas never taught to swimas a child and practiced his strokes in Vitorino’s barragem. There were plenty of rocks to climb and cliffs to dive. But when I arrived back hours later Grandad and Judy had not moved. “Watch the rip tides.” Grandad warned, “If you get into trouble 188