Scotland Over Sao Paulo

The Saltire flew proudly from the tallest building in Sao Paulo tonight, the 41st floor of the Torre Italia. And Scotland and the Scots have a proud history of contributing to the development of the city and Brazil over the last century with their expertise in textiles, engineering and forestry.

To this day the St. Andrew's Society of the State of Sao Paulo (of which DD and I were committee members during our time here) raises awareness of Scottish culture by organising grand Burns Dinners and Caledonian Balls in aid of local children's charities which it has supported for over 80 years.

And although I am posting this on the 24th of January, the midnight hour is this very minute striking in Scotland where it is now Burn's Birthday, and here, in two hours time, the birthday of Antonio Carlos Jobim of bossa nova fame.

So, to Scots and everyone the world over, in the words of Burns,...

... let us pray that come it may,
(As come it will for a' that,)
That Sense and Worth, o'er a' the earth,
Shall bear the gree, an' a' that.
For a' that, an' a' that,
It's coming yet for a' that,
That Man to Man, the world o'er,
Shall brothers be for a' that.