¡Hola! from the island of Bioko, formerly Fernando Poo, formerly Fernando Pó.
Readers of the Illuminatus Trilogy may remember the tagline “Where the hell is Fernando Poo?”
Yes, it really exists! It’s a former Spanish colony, now part of Equatorial Guinea.
Under Portuguese colonial rule, Bioko was known as Fernando Pó, after a Portuguese explorer. But following a transfer to Spanish rule in 1778 it officially became Fernando Poo. Perhaps due to some misplaced sense of delicacy, the English speaking world has mostly stuck with the “Fernando Po” form.
The name “Fernando Poo” can still be seen on Spanish colonial-era stamps and monuments.
The island is small, Spanish speaking, and Mostly Harmless. The main city, Malabo, was actually still the capital of Equatorial Guinea when I booked my flights in May, but apparently anticipating my arrival, they cunningly moved the capital to a new safe location on the mainland. Grump.
