January 12

On January 12, 1616, Francisco Caldeira Castelo Branco sailed up the Amazon River delta and founded a fortress and settlement, naming it Santa Maria de Belém do Pará. Originally built to protect Portuguese interests from French incursions, Belém grew into a vital port and administrative center. Its strategic position allowed control over the Amazon basin and facilitated trade in timber, spices, and indigenous goods. The city became the cultural and economic heart of the Pará region and retains its colonial heritage in architecture and cuisine. Today, Belém stands as one of Brazil’s most historic and vibrant cities.

Commissioned by Cunard Line as a successor to the iconic Queen Elizabeth 2, Queen Mary 2 was the largest and most luxurious ocean liner at the time. Built in Saint-Nazaire, France, she featured state-of-the-art engineering, including azipod propulsion and stabilizers for a smoother voyage. The maiden voyage set sail from Southampton, England, bound for New York City, with over 1,300 crew and 2,600 passengers on board. Her public spaces boasted grand ballrooms, fine dining restaurants, a planetarium, and extensive leisure facilities, blending tradition with modern comfort. Queen Mary 2 was designed to maintain a regular transatlantic service, preserving the heritage of ocean travel amid growing air transport. Her introduction revived interest in luxury cruising, offering a nostalgic yet high-tech alternative to air travel. The maiden voyage was met with widespread attention, cementing Queen Mary 2’s status as an icon of maritime engineering and elegance.