Today is not just the 112th day of the year . . . . . .

. . it is also Earth Day. The first Earth Day was 45 years ago, founded by a US Senator. It has now become an International Environmental Movement, highlighting environmental issues and taking action to achieve change. And in 2012 was a key element in a Birthday treasure hunt!

Today is also the 515th anniversary of Portuguese navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral landed in what has become known as Brazil. As with most European explorers who find new lands he immediately claimed the land for his country’s crown. He is considered, by most but not all, to have been the first European to have landed in South America, along with of course the crew of the 13 ships he was commanding at the time! As Cabral explored the coast he realized that the land he has thought was a large island was probably a continent, and dispatched a ship to notify King Manuel I of the new territory. It was to remain a Portuguese colony until 1808 when the capital of Portugal moved to Rio de Janeiro, following the French invasion of Portugal. In 1822 it all changed again when Brazil gained their independence in the September.

You’ll probably pondering by now about the connection of these events. There is one, but it is a bit obscure!

As I said at the start today is not just the 112th day of the year. It is a day for anniversaries and valuing our environment. So today I’m in Portugal celebrating my birthday. Yup, that’s the rather obscure connection!