In Brasilia

Remember that Brasilia is in the Southern Hemisphere. That means that September is spring not fall and we are heading into summer.

The winters here (summer in the States) is very very dry. So dry that there is no rain at all for months. Now that spring has arrived so have the occasional thunderstorms.

And sure enough it was raining soon after I arrived.

The house where I am staying is the official US embassy residence of the deputy chief of mission -- the #2 in the embassy.

She is Dani's aunt.

Here is the story of Brasilia:

• The idea of a new capitol city started way back in 1823.
• By 1922 the first foundation stone was set just outside the current city.
• In 1955 presidential candidate Juscelino Kubitschek promised to build a new capitol city if elected.
• The first streets were paved in 1958.
• The city was inaugurated in 1960.
• The main design is called the "Plano Piloto" or Pilot Plan. The main part of the city is shaped like an airplane.

The buildings and design of the city were done by Oscar Niemeyer, who just turned 100 years old this year.

Here are some pictures of the building of Brasilia.


This is the construction of the Congress building

And this is the national cathedral under construction.

Compare those two pictures to this one of the city taken early July 2008.