Number Three - A birthday present

The visit to São Cristovão was postponed but not forgotten! As some of you may know Imperial de São Cristovão used to be a very posh and noble address. After King John VI of Portugal moved there in 1810 and made Quinta da Boa Vista his official residence, the local aristocracy moved to the neighborhood.

During the reign of Pedro the II the neighborhood was modernized and industries installed.After Pedro the II of Brazil was deposed by a military coup on November 15 in 1889, his palace, Quinta da Boa Vista, became a museum. The elite moved on to the new neighborhoods of Botafogo and Copacabana and São Cristovão became a place of industries and migrants.

Right now, with prices of renting office space in Rio de Janeiro at an all time high, many companies are rediscovering São Cristovão, and moving there. In some of the old warehouses, several companies share the space, and they offer an interesting option for those shopping for bargains or just for something different.

I set out with a special place in mind: M2V:
http://www.m2vcomercial.com.br/Old/?page_id=90
They are located close to Quinta da boa Vista, and are open for anybody to visit, but you have to set up an appointment. And so I did! They represent several different European designers and it was not difficult to find a birthday present! Although the best present was the experience...