Rainy Thursday in Florianopolis

April 16  Thursday

I checked the view from our window and found that it was raining, and had probably been raining most of the night.  My plans to spend time out on the beach - and in the water - were being dashed.  The only way to console myself is to have a yummy Brazilian breakfast.

Kelly and Al

Another yummy breakfast

As we were leaving the restaurant, Merl spotted a woman wearing a Sitka, Alaska, t-shirt.  Sitka was one of our favorite places we visited on an Alaskan cruise a few years ago.  He struck up a conversation with her (Kelly Ferguson) and found that she was a nurse in Sitka.  Her traveling companion, Al, was originally from Brazil and now lives in Anchorage.  They have known each other for 30 years and frequently take trips together .  Kelly is originally from South Africa and had amazing stories of her life (starting by being dropped off at an orphanage by a young, unmarried mother), to being adopted and living in the unstable political arena of South Africa and Mandela.  So many enlightening, almost unbelievable life stories, has left a woman with great understanding of life, direction, and focus.  She has traveled all over the world (changing the lives of many).  David and Ann joined us under the canopy protecting us from the weather. 

Because of the recent funeral and traveling, I was way behind on this blog; we were unable to connect to the internet in our room, so Merl and I spent part of the morning in D&A's room.  I also needed David to proof the translation of a talk I was asked to give in SF de Paula as soon as we arrive back home.

After feeling cooped up inside, Merl and I decided to take a walk on the beach - even if there was still a misty rain.  After experiencing this type of weather frequently here in Brazil, I started calling it wet air.  Umbrellas don't help much, because all the air is saturated with water.  

We walked about a mile on the beach, wading part of the time, before going out to the street.  We checked out several little shops, ending up at one called Blue Artisans where we purchased a few souvenirs and a couple of large scarves (double as swimsuit covers).  We stopped at a local grocery store (Pai and Filhos) to find some lunch.  We chose a chicken pastel and a piece of pizza along with a can of peach nectar.  After finding another outlet back to the beach, we leisurely started our way back to the hotel. 

As we came into view of  our hotel (Costa Norte Ingleses), we carved out our initials in the sand - only to see them shortly washed away.  We then went back to our room and rested for a while - until it was time to have dinner at the hotel restaurant.

We found David and Ann eating with Kelly and Al.  We sat with them and ordered our dinner.  We opted for soup and salad tonight - and that hit the spot as Merl was not feeling great.  We had a nice visit again learning more about the background of this interesting couple.  Merl shared a "Porque Ele Vive) pass-along card as we left to get ready for our nightly swim and sauna routine.


Beach view of hotel on a
sunny day

Indoor pool

Even with the weather not being favorable, I still love the ocean - the sounds, smells, and sights.  We had a relaxing swim and retired - hoping for a sunnier day tomorrow.

Evening view up the beach



Bungalow that we stayed in
on our last trip