Obviously, this entry is not going to be a detailed chronicle for historians or history buffs, but just a summary of my experience, which, unsurprisingly, is highly influenced by my reincarnationist vision, already inseparable from my being, at least until I die (and I hope beyond).
It is also very curious that in this type of situations my own British pride rekindles. Even when it had reduced considerably during my last years as a British Navy officer, some of it must have remained. I still can’t believe this thing they say, that the Naval Museum of Madrid is one of the best in the world. I don’t deny I was quite impressed, especially by the collection of old weapons, but I doubt very much that in London there is not a much larger museum and with better pieces than this one. If I ever go to London, I promise to tell whether I found it or not, and I will make a comparison as it is meant to be. When I entered the first room, full of kings and queens portraits, I couldn’t help a wry smile. I guess this comes down to the little I know of Spanish history —my knowledge comes basically from the books of Arturo Pérez-Reverte, because unfortunately we are only taught useless and boring things at school— as much as my own experiences serving a Crown that, just as all men and women who hold power, the least they do is to care for the well-being of all those who risk their lives at the sea day after day.
Blas de Lezo.
The battle of Toulon.
18th century armament.
One of the display cases contained ammunition frequently used in cannons. Of course, this case also attracted me like a magnet. I was hoping to find a chain-shot, which I had only seen in a Wikipedia drawing right up to this day. When I verified this past life, I read in the chronicles that a chain-shot had caused my death, but I haven’t been able to find the exact translation to Spanish of this device just yet. A chain-shot is simply composed of two metal balls linked by a chain. What I did find in the exhibition was another device, very similar: it is called bar shot, two metal balls linked by a bar. Both are designed to cause the maximum damage on the rigging, that is, all the things that are used to impulse the ship: masts, yardarms, ropes and sails (needless to say, I have just learned this on the internet, currently I have absolutely no idea of sailing and I have spent all my life over 400 kilometers away from the sea, not counting the sporadic visits to the beach on holidays). For bar shot there is a translation to Spanish, or that is what I saw on the explanatory sign of the case: palanqueta.
Navigation instruments.
Reconstruction of a hold.
Video of the Naval Museum of Madrid.
Strange events while I was preparing this entry.
- Monday, January 16th (morning): I had an episode of anxiety right after writing the first Spanish version.
- Monday, January 16th (night): I practice self-reiki before going to sleep. I don’t notice anything unusual during the session, but once in bed I feel an odd pain localized near the left knee. One point is situated a bit above the knee, dorsal position. The other point is under the knee. I don’t know why, but I always imagine the tissues of the left knee got completely destroyed, though the leg itself wasn’t severed. The right leg suffered less damage, but it was kind of dangling. It is a pity I will never be able to validate these details. Beside the physical sensations, I also notice some of the emotions that must have accompanied this event, mainly the realization that I couldn’t get up, the thought that I didn’t want to be a cripple, and the knowledge I was going to die.
- Tuesday, January 17th: my partner turns up with a large copy of one of the engravings where my ship is depicted, as it appeared after the cannon shots. I had seen that picture before, but not that large. I become abstracted staring at it and it moves me to see they refer to my person and my injuries. I comment my partner that I feel I am going to enter past life mood. I also tell him we have to make another copy with a better paper to frame it and add it to the memorial on the wall.
I suspect there are still things to deal with in this past life.