Photo and story by Dennis Hensley
Wednesday, February 6 - Los Angeles, CA
On my last day in Florianopolis, my Brazilian escort Eduardo accompanied me to a discount store to buy some of the mega-popular Havaianas sandals to take home for gifts. Cheap and fun.
Later, we met up with our local guides, Marta and Lesley, a delightful and in-the-know lesbian couple who run their own Southern Brazil travel outfit Brazil Eco Journeys. Last night, they reported, they had come across six guys running down the road naked in honor of Carnival.
"They were young, fit and hot," Lesley gushed. "Too bad you missed it." Yeah, it is too bad.
Riding downtown, we passed a wall that had "Bush Assassino" painted on it in graffiti. I asked if it meant "Assassinate Bush," and Eduardo said it means "Bush is a killer." Close enough. The anti-Bush, anti-American sentiment is palpable here and it's disheartening to feel shame about your homeland.
At the Box 32 Atelie in the bustling Mercado Publica, I sampled my last bit of Brazilian cuisine, shrimp and crab pastels, which are like empanadas. Delicious.
On my way to the airport, I grabbed one last serving of my favorite Brazilian treat. No, not the guys in square-cuts at the gay beach Praia Mole -- though they were certainly tasty. I'm talking about Caldo De Cana, a sweet, creamy drink made right in front of you from sugar cane. Before gulping it down, I toasted my most excellent adventure in Brazil and my hopes for returning sometime soon.
