São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro

Tomorrow is a holiday in the city of Rio de Janeiro. It is the day of the saint-patron of our town, "São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro", also nicked as "Rio".

The name was given according to the day of "discovery" by the Portuguese, 20th. January 1504. Giving names of the saints of the day, or of birthdays of the current or past royalty, was a common practice among portuguese and spanish discoverers. I mean, sure! if you discover unknown land every day, your creativity to bring up new names for it will run out, one day or the other. So you better have a logic schemed out to produce new names. And if you can please your sponsor while doing it, even the better.

So, this is why I'm free tomorrow. The day off will be used for a trip to the nearby town of Petrópolis. Miguel Pomar will be building my ama over there, and I want to see the mould and how he works. Miguel invited me for lunch, and I'm looking forward to it.

It takes an hours drive to Petrópolis. It is about 70km, up in the mountains. Due to the altitude, tempreatures are more moderate, than in our baking Rio. I'm looking forward to that too...