Spain and the Philippines lay connected by only a couple of ships – the Manila Galleons – from 1573 until 1815. There was trade with Asia, mainly China, before then. Silver came to the Philippines to purchase silk, porcelain, tea and other items like beeswax. The galleon trade facilitated the exchange of culture, traditions, and culinary practices between the Philippines and Mexico.
Continue readingA recent trip took me to La Palma in the Canary Islands off the northwestern coast of Africa. At one point, La Palma (also known as La Isla Bonita – the Beautiful Island) served as an important trading post on the way from Spain to the New World. Santa Cruz de la Palma, founded in the spring of 1493, is a pretty little town on the northeastern side of the steeply rising island. A life-sized model of Christopher Columbus’ Santa Maria located in the town center serves as the unique maritime museum for the town. Evidence of the once flourishing Spanish galleon trade.
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