Cariocas love their long weekends

Today, April 21st, is a national holiday in Brazil, it celebrates a martyr by the name of Joaquim José da Silva Xavier. He is more commonly known as Tiradentes. He was a leading member of the Brazilian revolutionary movement. In 1792 he was tried, found guilty, hung, chopped to bits, head put on display - the complete martyr treatment. And for the blood he spilled we get the day off today. Tomorrow April 22 (AD 1500) marks the discovery of Brazil by Pedro Álvares Cabral - no trial, no hanging, no chopping, no head on display. No blood... no holiday! However the 23rd is a holiday in Rio de Janeiro, it's St George's day... It's not a national holiday, it's only observed in Rio. Cariocas (people from Rio) enjoy their long weekends, but before you jump to the conclusion that Cariocas are opportunistic in creating fictitious holidays just to have long weekends, I want to point out that St George's day is a perfectly valid holiday because apparently there was this dragon that didn't make in the end. And who's to say dragon blood is less holiday-worthy than martyr blood. Well, I'm sure all the cariocas are debating that very subject while lying o the beach drinking a cold beer today.