Simon Bolivar.

My sons girlfriend is from Venezuela. She's over here for a few months and the other night we all went out for a few drinks. Her English is pretty good ( far better than my Spanish) and knowing that I'm a Londoner she asked me were she could see the statue of Simon Bolivar. My reaction was quite simple.

"Who?"

She repeated the name thinking that I hadn't heard her. I'd heard alright, just didn't have a bloody clue who he was. My face must have said a thousand words because my son started to laugh.

"Dad, he was a famous leader of his people. He single handedly drove the Spanish out of South America."

I nodded and smiled..

"That's great. But why would we have a statue of him somewhere in London?"

His girlfriend was eager to enlighten me.

"Because every major city in the world has some form of tribute to him. Even the Spanish, who he conquered."

So I googled it on my phone. Bloody hell she was right. Theres a statue of him in Belgrave Square, he's even got a Blue Plaque in Duke Street. I searched further. There are hundreds of statues of him around the world, New York, San Francisco, Miami, New Orleans, Ottowa, Paris, Sofia, Barcelona, even Tehran and Cairo!

Bolivia was named in his honour, the South American currency of the "Boliva" is named after him. Every City in South America has a Square named after him. There's even a bloody Orchestra named after him that's played at The Proms.

And guess what? Little old me had never heard of him.

She suggested I watched a film called The Liberator which came out last year. I watched it yesterday. loved it and now I realise why he is so reverred and loved by the people of South America.

If you get a chance to see it. Do so. It made me realise how little I know of other countries history.

 

 

Comments

I kinda guessed he was South American and I thought he might have been some kind of revolutionary, a bit like John Major, but with a better moustache. But I'm with you on that one Jolono. Not to good at other folk's history, or even our own. 

 

There's also a street in Glasgow named after him. Bolivar Terrace. Even got a plaque there to commemorate him!

 

 

we're hip up here. First to commerorate Mandela with a square. Red clydeside. Bolivar Terrace is near Hampden Park. oh dear. cheers all round.  

 

The bastards everywhere!

 

not a bad thing. We need more Bolivars, less Osborne and Camerons. 

 

Can't believe you didn't know about him!! The man's a relic.

 

Never heard of him.

 

 "...just didn't have a bloody clue who he was..."

Bet Julian would have known who he was!

 

torscot

You're right Torscot. Should have given the little sod a call...

 

I've never heard of him either! laugh

 

Massive statue of him in Nottingham! I hear he's like some kind of god there!

 

I knew the name, that was it! Sounds like a Venezeulan Admiral Nelson but land battles not sea . A hero to his people.