The Names of People, Places and Things

Cristóbal Colón
For probably fifty years I have wondered why names change depending upon where one is. For instance, in Germany, Köln is spelled that way and not Cologne as it is in the US. München is spelled that way and not Munich. Nürnberg is spelled that way and not Nuremberg.

Why do we in the US call Cristóbal Colón Christopher Columbus? The guy's name was Cristóbal, not Christopher. I verified this by checking his tombstone yesterday. He is buried in the Cathedral de Sevilla, about two blocks from where I am sitting, in a sarcophagus almost as fancy as the one where Napoleon is planted in Paris.

So if I met an untimely demise and was buried here in Spain would it say William or Guillermo? If in Germany would it say Wilhelm or William. By the way, we are in España, not Spain. If Cristóbal Colón had died in America would his tombstone say Christopher?
Things have names for a reason. So we will know what they are. To clarify, I really don't mind if some words are translated, just not people and places, they should remain what they are and be called the same thing no matter where one is.

Getting back to Chri...I mean Cristóbal, he began his journey to the new world from Sevilla for each of his four voyages. He also returned to Sevilla because that is where King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, who financed his operation, were living. The Palais Real (Royal Palace) is about a stone's throw from the cathedral.

Toldos
The installation of the awnings (toldos) above the streets continues and they started on our little street yesterday afternoon and finished this morning. It was a pretty noisy operation but I watched the guys putting them up on the building next door, which is on Calle Francos.

They won't put them up on our little one block long street, Calle Conteros. It is only about eight feet wide and is shady anyway unless the sun is directly overhead and that would only be for a few minutes each day.