Portuguese Rockets

Today I will talk about the traditional Portuguese fireworks rockets!

In my country (Portugal) the most traditional fireworks kind ever made where the rockets.

They basically consist of a wood stick or cane with a rocket motor (propellant casing) and a paper bag containg flash bombettes or color effects. They are traditionally hand-launched and many times lit by a cigarette.

Rockets, along with other types of fireworks, are used in Portugal mainly in Catholic saints feasts by night, but also during the daylight.

Do you know what's the Portuguese word for Rocket? It's Foguete and the word for Fireworks is Fogo-de-Artifício.

Unfortunately, the rockets are banned and replaced by mortars/shells in the summer because the suspect that they caused forest fires during the hot weather when their hot motor (propellant casing) or other parts come falling from the sky but during other seasons you could see rocket displays in many cities and villages of the country.

Take a look at the appearance of a Portuguese Rocket:

Have you noticed some of them have more than one motor? That's because it's heavier weight!

Look at the video below and see some being hand launched by pyrotechnicians (in Portuguese fogueteiros):

What about visit Portugal and see that amazing things live?

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