Another Day, Another Beach In Floripa

 Merry Christmas Readers!
Hopefully every Christmas was filled with laughter and family and bon-bon hats and an eagerness for the Boxing Day test match to start.
Over the last week I endured the very round about travel that I have previously mentioned, and finally wound up in Florianopolis, Brazil.
For quite some time now, I have been fairly ready to hurry up and see some water, the kind that spreads over sand as opposed to the kind that falls multiple stories.
I arrived in Floripa mid-morning Monday and was in no state to try to find my way to the hostel via public transport, so I swiftly paid too much to get a taxi. I was meeting Cheryl, my friend from university, at the hostel. It was about 11 o'clock so I decided to have a half hour nap until 2. When I woke up Cheryl was patiently awaiting my arrival at the hostel.

I think I'm saying "This is where my nipples were before the sun burnt them off"

The first beach was praia Mole, it was very similar to most beaches found in Australia. The next day we went to Barra da Lagoa, this beach is much more exciting. Many restaurant owners with their shop-fronts on the beach are all competing for your attention and your business, and any you choose can supply beautiful seafood and muito cerveja. When you've finished at the restaurants, and you find a spot on the beach, there is now way you'll ever go hungry, thirsty, or without a cheap woven bracelet. It was a great day at a great beach, even if it is heavily touristy.
Christmas Eve in Brazil seems to be celebrated by the peculiar act of hurling fire crackers over neighbours' fences. It looks like great fun for everyone involved... Over the last few days there hasn't five minutes without a fire cracker or two exploding in the yard. Those cheeky neighbour really love Christmas!

Cheryl's glorious attempt at a selfie

Today (Christmas Day) was a day to relax, because sometimes those big beaches are hard work you know? We caught a series of buses to a beach called praia Campeche, there is an island off the coast of this beach that has a small bar and restaurant. This is where I spent the whole day, drinking beer, and then caipirinha, which is a cocktail like a mojito with a local liquor. The island was beautiful and there would have only been maybe one hundred people on this long stretch of sand. The beer was cold, the cocktails strong, the seafood fresh, and the bill light. Perfecto.
Christmas dinner was spent with a group of Dutch travellers, and consisted of some gourmet snags, a salad, bread and butter, and fruit salad. All the men then ventured to the kitchen and proceeded to perform a miracle, we did the washing up! The females were perplexed, and thought the moment needed to be captured on camera.

The island we spent Christmas day indulging ourselves on

Good spot for some prawns and a beer I reckon

Yep... This is livin

I'm standing in the water

I'm laying down in the water

Tomorrow I embark on another 20 hour neck- breaking bus ride to Rio de Janeiro! I will spend the next (insert number of days here) in Rio including a week and New Year's Eve!
Until next time Amigos!

I wish I could grow that moustache...