More Moley updates :-)

A few general observations from Moley about life in Florianopolis:

1. Praça 15 de Novembro is great place to hang out and chat: throughout the day and evening there alwuas seem to be some folk sitting on the park benches surrounding the impressive ancient fig-tree, enjoying a rest or a natter in the cool of her shade.  There are also a couple of plaques dotted about where you can learn a wee bit about Floripa's history:

 Praça XV de Novembro

5 of 47 designs made in 1965 by artist Hassis to represent Brazilian culture and traditions such as dances, games, artesanias.

2. Floripians must love fitness and health (or at least very body conscious):  There are endless 'academias' (gyms) and private yoga and health clubs around the city, plus there are free gym machine spots all over, and squares labelled 'medical centres' which really seem to be a series of bars where folk stretch.   There are also loads of farmácias (chemists like Boots would be back in the UK, as well as suppling prescriptions, selling a lot of over-the counter medicines and hygiene products) and café tables are prepared for dieters with these zero-cal sugar replacement drops.  (Dayane tells me this 'health' focus has perhaps more of an aesthetic motivation, reflecting the beach culture of local people.)

3. Floripas love to shop: There are three huge 'shoppings' where you will find most Floripans on rainy days.  Sunny days everyone will be at the beach.  There is apparently not much park or swimming pool culture within families here.  

4. Florianopolis feels more like a series of small connected communities than a single city, and there are clues to the different European influences everywhere. The different paintings, crockery and statues collected in antique shops , plus the ceramics, the style of buildings and the cobblestone streets of coastal settlement Santo Antonio de Lisboa reflects a strong Portuguese influence.  Other areas have very strong German or Italian heritage.  The traditional tiles of these roofs would be uneven in size, telling tale of the slave trade employed at the time of the founding of the community, as their form was created by slaves batting them into shape around their thighs.  Apparently local indigenous Indians refused to be enslaved, preferring to sit placid and be killed as a result than to enter into service for the conquistadors.  This meant that slaves were largely shipped in from Africa, and settlers were encourage with cash incentives to kill local indians, and keep their ears as a count. A horrific part of Brazil's history.

5. Sea-food lovers will love Floripa: being coastal tasty freash sea-food is all around you, including oysters gathered by a specialist farm on Lagoa Conceião.

7. Boi-de_mamão: A tradition which is celebrated annually with song, dance and costume like this one below, where normally a chain of people dress up as a colourful, long-bodied 'boi' (ox) and re-enact the tale of Manuel and his pregnant wife, who is so hungry she wants to eat meat,  They kill a bull which is then revived by all the heads of all the local religions co-operating with one another. A clear moral for such a mixed community: working in harmony gets results.  The name comes from the material used to construct the costume: Mamão (papaya) for the head and bamboo scaffolding for the body.  

8.  The island is believed to be mystical: you can buy 'conselhos da bruxa leca' with one Brazilian Real, or collect a 'message in a bottle' from local craft shops. 

A piece of advice from Witch Leca, Florianopolis, SC

Choose your own path.  Don't be insecure. The opportunities that arise will be beneficial for your life.

Thank you Leca, that was timely advice and I'm left less fretful and more peaceful for it!

 :-)