Last day in Florianopolis

April 17  Friday

Today was our last chance to get some beach time.  Kelly and I agreed that we would meet  in the morning to go swimming.   Merl and I went directly to the beach - with swimming suits on under our clothes.  We walked the beach, wading and getting splashed by the waves. The temperature of the water was tolerable, but it was too windy to be comfortable.  I still pulled out a beach chair and sat on the beach under a completely overcast sky.  No swimming this trip - very sad. 



Utensils were arranged
different each morning

We went back to the hotel for our usual breakfast.  Kelly and Al were almost finished with their breakfast, and they decided that it wasn't a good day to go swimming.  We said our good-byes; I gave her a red and yellow bookmark that I had made and we exchanged emails.  It would be great to be able to go back to Sitka and find a place to stay for a few days.  We ate our last hotel breakfast and took some pictures around the property. 

After breakfast, we went back to our room to repack and check out.  I spent time on the computer in the lobby (still no connection in our room) while we waited for David and Ann to get ready to leave.  The hotel called someone (not a regular taxi) to pick us up with all our luggage and take us to the Central bus station. 

We unloaded our suitcases and checked them into storage lockers at the bus station so we wouldn't need to drag them around with us all day - a good thing because we covered a lot of ground today.

We walked to back to the Mercado Publico to again search for the exact purse store that Ann was looking for - again to no avail.   We found the restrooms again (where David and Ann lost us).  It was interesting to find a lady who sits outside the restroom all day unrolling toilet paper into sections to hand to each person entering.  I guess that helps reduce waste.  What a job. . .


restroom attendant

Mercado street

Homeless sleeping on the sttreet














Yummy sorvete

Before leaving the building we were in, we found a sorvete shop.  We each purchased two scoops in a cup - but then I discovered another flavor I wanted to try.  I had four scoops to eat - I guess I was making up for my disappointment of no swimming in the ocean this trip.

Back to the city bus station to catch the bus  to another bus station - to catch a bus to ride back down the steep, curvy road, past the lake and the bobbin lace ladies, and to a shop that sells natural fiber clothing and other things.  Merl found a big hammock he wanted; Ann and I purchased skirts and blouses.  This shop was a short distance to a nice beach and the 2 Irmãos  restaurant where we ate lunch two years ago.  Instead of soccer in the sand, today there was volleyball.    It was quite windy, but that didn't stop the parachute surfers from riding the waves. 

Then back to the bus for a ride to Bobbin Lace Street - Ann found her lady at the store today. she purchased some items and received some instructions on some new stitches.  Then back up the hill to the bus station to catch the bus back to the city center.  We had some extra time, so we walked the streets of Florianopolis taking in the sites and sounds. 

There was a city park with amazingly huge trees - planted in the 1800s.  It was dusk, and everything was a bit eerie.  The bearded gentleman on the bench told David about the history of the tree he was sitting under.  We saw interesting buildings and people before heading back to the Central bus station.

We still had a couple of hours to wait for our overnight sleeper bus to Gramado.  The bus station was crowded.  Merl was still a little unsettled, so I found a shop with chicken cup of soup and chicken pasties.  We gathered our bags and caught the 10:20 p.m bus for an all night ride home.  I think most of us got some sleep on this trip.