Podcast Summary: Acontece que no es poco | Comienza el cuarto, último y desastroso viaje de Colón

Podcast: Todo Concostrina
Host: Nieves Concostrina (SER Podcast)
Episode Date: April 3, 2024

Overview

In this lively and irreverent history podcast, Nieves Concostrina and her co-host delve into the little-discussed fourth (and final) voyage of Christopher Columbus, which began on April 3, 1502. The episode unpacks the disastrous nature of the journey, the fate of Columbus, and the accidental European “discovery” of cacao (chocolate). With Nieves' characteristic humor and sharp insight, the story dismantles patriotic myths, spotlights historical ironies, and connects the past to European vices like chocolate and tobacco.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. “No hay refrán para las cuartas partes” – Setting the Stage

• The episode opens with a playful lament over the lack of proverbs about fourth attempts—and thus, the unique disaster of Columbus’s fourth journey (#00:18).
• The hosts joke about Spanish sayings regarding second and third chances, ultimately agreeing that “del cuarto no dicen nada” (#01:31)—setting a wry, conversational tone.

2. Columbus’s Forgotten Journeys

• While the world remembers 1492, most forget the specifics (or even the existence) of Columbus’s later voyages (#01:33).
• Nieves spotlights how by the fourth trip, “a partir del segundo casi todo fueron malas noticias para el Gran Almirante de la Mar Océana” (#01:44).
• The central irony: Columbus dies not realizing he not only discovered a continent but also brought Europe chocolate and tobacco—its most addictive imports (#02:31).

  “Este hombre nunca lo supo. Pero los dos mayores vicios europeos, los que enganchan... los trajo él. El tabaco y el chocolate.” – Nieves (#03:06)

3. The Fourth Voyage: Objective and Disaster

• Objective: Columbus was still searching for a route to the spice islands (the “Indias” and “Molucas”), persistently believing he was near Asia (#05:39).
• Obstacles: Columbus faces hurricanes, political enemies, mutinous crew, hostile natives, and even banned from sheltering in Santo Domingo (#06:35).

  “Iban dando más vueltas que una peonza...y además los huracanes”—Nieves on the endlessly circular misadventures of the fleet (#06:55).

• Ultimate Fate: All four ships are lost (mainly due to “la broma”—a wood-eating mollusk), the crew is marooned in Jamaica, reliant on local indigenous aid, and later, even this support sours (#08:31).

4. From Hero to Outcast

• The episode highlights the speed with which Columbus fell from celebrated hero to despised outcast, a process fueled by his mismanagement and cruelty as colonizer and governor.
• Nieves underscores Columbus’s strengths (science, exploration) and fatal flaws (ambition, poor leadership):

  “Era mucho mejor científico que gobernante...pero la ambición, el poder, el oro, el ansia viva por mandar, todo eso le perdieron como pierden a cualquiera.” (#08:45)

• After accusations and a botched third voyage, Columbus is returned to Spain in chains—“hundido en la miseria y odiado por todos” (#09:48).

5. How Science Saved Columbus

• During the Jamaica marooning, Columbus avoids lynching by manipulating indigenous beliefs with his astronomical knowledge:

  “Colón…les dijo que si no abandonaban la idea de matarle, su Dios…los castigaría ocultando esa noche la luna.”—Nieves (#10:19)

• He predicts a lunar eclipse, leveraging science as miracle and thus “salva el pellejo” (#10:58).
• This anecdote prompts a reflection on the enduring power of exploiting ignorance and belief.

6. Chocolate: The Accidental Treasure

• The highlight: During the misadventures, Columbus’s expedition encounters cacao, used by indigenous peoples as currency.

  “Hernando Colón escribió: Sus habitantes llevan muchas almendras que usan por moneda en la Nueva España...procuraban todos cogerlas como si se les hubiera caído un ojo.”—Nieves (#12:38)

• Columbus brings cacao beans back to Spain, unknowingly becoming the vector for one of Europe’s future passions. The initial Spanish reaction is dismissive:

  “Los primeros que probaron aquellas almendras dijeron que es una guarrería y vamos, ni caso.” (#13:32)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Wry Summary of Columbus’s Fate:

  “Lo más importante del descubrimiento de América no fue el descubrimiento de América, sino el descubrimiento del chocolate.” – Nieves (#02:45)

• On Changing Reputation:

  “La gente te deja caer a la misma velocidad que te alza y te ensalza.” – Nieves (#07:58)

• On Scientific Trickery:

  “Así es como lleva triunfando el estafador de Dios toda la vida, aprovechándose de la ciencia.” – Nieves (#11:15)

• On Cacao’s Unexpected Value:

  “Las semillas de cacao las utilizaban como moneda. Hasta ese extremo era valioso el cacao.” – Nieves (#12:50)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:18] - Jokes about proverbs, “chocolate y cuartos intentos”
• [01:33] - Overview of Columbus’s other voyages, introduction to the chocolate subplot
• [05:39] - The true (misguided) objective of the fourth voyage
• [07:48] - Columbus’s fall from grace
• [10:19] - How Columbus survives in Jamaica using his astronomy knowledge
• [12:31] - The value and misapprehension of cacao
• [13:32] - Early Spanish disdain for cacao

Style and Tone

The episode interweaves humor, irreverence, and pointed critique—hallmarks of Concostrina’s approach. The tone is conversational, mixing personal anecdotes, sharp observations about history, and wry asides about Spanish culture and collective memory.

Takeaway

The tale of Columbus’s fourth voyage isn’t just a story of nautical disaster—it’s a lens into human folly, shifting reputations, and unintended consequences. In true Concostrina style, what starts as a tale about “siglos de historia” and patriotic myths ends up being about the origins of Europe’s favorite vices: chocolate and tobacco, both imported, both initially misunderstood, but now inseparable from its culture.