A nano story

“Is the children learning” —

As I leave this magnificent city for a short trip to the British Virgin Islands and gaze upon it from a bird’s-eye view, I am reminded of how profoundly generous and nurturing this city has been in its benevolent care for its denizens. Its geography is my kismet, and I have been fortunate to call this place home. I owe everything, except for my wits, to this proverbial mother, for my wits are solely credited to my daily dose of Smartwater and the most delectable fruit: walnut.

Catherine of Braganza, daughter of John IV of Portugal and later the queen of England through her marriage to King Charles II, wasn’t Charles’s first choice for reasons irrelevant to this story. However, to make the marriage an attractive offer and to establish a significant political alliance between England and Portugal, part of her dowry included several territories handed over to the British, including the strategic port city of Bombay. Fast forward to 1680, when the Province of New York was reorganized into counties, Queens County was established in honor of Queen Catherine of Braganza. The peculiar connection between New York City and Bombay lies in the fact that the same queen who became the namesake of Queens borough played a pivotal role in the British acquisition of Bombay. For curious readers, a natural question might be: What’s the story behind Kings County, now Brooklyn? Nothing — it’s named after her husband.