Ahhhh I now arrive in the sun! And I am amazed... Gobsmacked with so much beauty!!
Florianopolis, Brazil, paradise on earth!
I finally arrive tired after two delayed flights. And the familiar face waiting for me at the airport made it so much better!
Straight to bed after an exhausting day to rest and wake up fresh and ready to rock the next day!
My first full day in Floripa I ventured to the nearest town to exchange money... A small 30min walk in the sun... Needless to say I arrived there a bit drenched. After a small look around I managed to get money and ventured back! It's so much fun to venture into such a different country and forget they speak the same language! I was mistaken for an argentinean a number of times as they take over a part of the island during the summer months.
The heat is just so intense! I had to sit in during lunchtime or else I would burn and ruin the rest of my visit!
In the afternoon I ventured to the nearest beach, jurerê internacional, and arrived to a packed beach... Went for a little walk and was mesmerised with the amount of things that are sold on the beach! Every few meters there were small huts selling, cocktails, fresh fruit juices, coconut water, corn on the cob and beer. Not to mention all the beach carts going round selling the exact same things! You could also buy nuts, sandwiches, grilled cheese on a stick(weird right?), ice cream, bikinis, beach wear and a lot more!
I found myself a quieter spot and bought a green coconut to enjoy its water. OMG... It is soooo good! I can honestly say it is delicious! It tastes like nothing I've ever tried. Far from the coconut flavours we are used to, it is a refreshing super hydrating water that just makes you want to go back for more! Plus the idea of drinking out of a coconut makes it even more appealibg... Felt so exotic!
I then went for a dip, the heat is just insane, there is no way you can sit on the beach without going for a swim to cool down. The water was just the perfect temperature, not to hot(like Hilton Head Island) and not too cold(like Portugal). Perfect to cool off and enjoy the magnificent landscape of the island. It is just beautiful!
Day 2 I joined my friend, who is native to the island, and she took me on a tour of the beaches. First we stopped at 'praia brava'. A beach that has colder water and more agitation. Again full of people all in the vacation spirit. Went for a dip and after we dried off decided it was too hot to be out in the sun,so my friend took me to see her neighbourhood and we stayed there for lunch. We had 'pastel de camarão ' (prawn pattie) and 'bolinhos de siri'. Siri is a crab found in the sands of Brazil and its meat when pulled apart is stringy. All accompanied by Brazilian beer, Antartida, delicious!!
After we made a quick stop for some 'caldo de cana', an amazing refreshing drink made from the juices of the sugar cane mixed with lemon juice. I just can't put into words how delicious this drink is! The lemon juice cuts down the sugar just enough so that it isn't sickling, and bathed in ice... Heaven for those extremely hot days!
We then head to 'Praia da Daniela', a beach that is surrounded by a small peaceful neighbourhood, but no hotels. This makes this beach much calmer, and less explored. Beautiful views of the mainland and surrounding islands. After a nice dip in the sea we walked along the beach to discover even more beautiful views.
For dinner we had a craving for sushi! I know I know... It's not Brazilian food. But due to the Japanese immigrants in the country, Brazil produces some of the best sushi chefs in the world! So we have to try Brazilian sushi! And it was good... Loved it!
Day 3 I was the colour of a pepper(the sun was so strong I managed to get sunburnt before lunchtime and with spf 50!!!). So I went to jurerê centre all covered up for some shopping. I walked through their open shopping and saw a place that sold 'pão de queijo' (cheese bread), a brazilian cheese bread that I am obsessed with!! They are small and you can definitely eat two in one go. I then headed towards the beach to walk back(much cooler this way) and got myself a nice coconut water for the road. Ahhhhh the life! In the afternoon my friend picked me up and took me to the south end of the island to show me the beaches around there. Again mesmerised with such beauty!! We went along the coast, stopped along the way for photo moments, saw the Lagoa de Conceiçao and praia Mole. We then headed to a lagoon to cool down. A lagoon encased in mountains filled with vegetation... A paradise on earth!!!
We then headed to a small town on the coast and have a Sol meat sandwich(this meat is treated with salt and dried out in the sun, and just like cod, you need to soak it for a few days to remove the excess) with a red wine caipirinha! Delicious! Had a walk around, shopped for souvenirs and before we knew it it was midnight!! You lose track of time when you are on holidays!!
On out trip down to the south end of the island we also made a quick stop to try a bowl of Açai. A berry grown in a palm tree tht has good fats that help you lower colesterol. You order a bowl of this berry, it comes in the form of a frozen puree mixed with guarana extract and banana, and the you select sides to mix with it. A wonderful earthy and spicy flavour that combined with your favourite i gredients makes for a wonderfully delicious snack.
On my last day in Floripa I got up early and went to say goodbye to the beach, embrace the island's beauty one last time before heading onto my next adventure. Had one last coconut(I don't know how I am going to survive in Portugal without fresh coconuts!) and thanked the island for these amazing four days!
All in all, The purpose of this visit was to relax, enjoy the beach and eat as much as you can!
Onto my next stop...
