In 1519, Ferdinand Magellan set out on an incredibly risky voyage around the world with five ships - Trinidad, San Antonio, Concepcion, Santiago and Victoria. Three years later (!!) only one returned to Sanlucar de Barrameda - the starting and finishing port of the expedition - Victoria, the second smallest of the five ships. Of the approximately 270 crew members on the five ships, most died. Only 18 survivors returned on the Victoria.

Magellan himself also died, while still in the Philippines, so the final part of the voyage was commanded by Juan Sebastian Elcano, which is why some documents call the expedition Magellan-Elcano, which is more accurate. Along with Elcano, Venetian Antonio Pigafetta also survived, the chronicler of the expedition, travel blogger and the character who made us know everything we know about this venture.

The picture shows a modern replica of the Victoria, sailing in front of three frigates of the Spanish Navy. One is probably called the Blas de Lezo.

Powerful photo! The Victoria is a tiny ship, here it looks big because of the great shot. Even these frigates behind are not particularly big - about 6000 tons. The Victoria is 85.

I don't know about you, but pictures like this make me proud and almost bring tears to my eyes.

A man who is moved by pictures of warships? An idiot? A toxic masculinist? No, but a lover of the time when people did risky but epic ventures, in which mother Europa was at the forefront. Through this prism I also look at Elon Musk and his crazy dream of a human crew on Mars. This is the Europe I respect, not this bunch of slimy, bureaucratic, strategically lost misery that we are today.