The Two Cubas
Im sure everyone knows about the "Second" Cuba, which was discovered and named by Christopher Columbus in 1492. The territory of modern day Cuba was inhabited by the Ciboney Taíno people from the 4th millennium BC until Spanish colonization in the 15th century..

1) But....do you know about the "First" Cuba??

In the small district of Alentejo, Portugal, there is a small town known as Cuba.

This town has quite a historic claim to history...

2) In this small village there stands a bronze statue of Christopher Columbus. Around the base of the statue are plaques that tell a remarkable.. yet unprovable story.

3) The story is that Christopher Columbus was originally from Portugal, NOT Italy, as written in the Washington Irving biography of Christopher Columbus which claims Genoa, Italy as Christopher Columbus birth city.

4) I will not dispute one way or the other, but will let you decide for yourself. So, in 1492, Columbus sails the ocean blue...and he finally hits land and names it "Cuba"...why not Genoa?

5) Now Columbus made several trips back to the new world, and every time he was "discover" a new island.

New island, new name.

New island, new name.

New island, new name.

6) I have compiled a short list of Islands named by Columbus:
San Juan
S Cristovo de Neves
Guadalupe
Santa Lucia
Sao Vicente

Cuban cities too:
Santa Clara
Moron
Santiago

7) Guess what you'll find if you search Google earth "Cuba, Portugal"?

You will find all of these places within a 100 mile radius of Cuba, Portugal!

8) Now why on earth would an Italian explorer name the very FIRST island he discovered after a tiny village in ANOTHER COUNTRY????

More over, why proceed to name every island and city discovered after the surrounding villages names in THAT foreign country????

9) Unless...

.......but who would challenge history????