WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !

After a week in Mato Grosso do Sul for Adventure NEXT it was time to explore Florianópolis in the State of Santa Catarina.

Santa Catarina is in the far South of Brazil. Although it’s the 7th smallest state , it’s the size of Hungary. The climate is less tropical than much of Brazil, with colder winters, sometimes with snow in the mountains in the winter months of July and August. The population is mainly of German ancestry.

Florianópolis , or Floripa, as it is known to Brazilians is a surfer’s paradise. While I did not have a board with me, I did quite a bit of bodysurfing. May – mid autumn in the Southern Hemisphere is mild with daily highs of about 24 C and lows of 16. The water was quite pleasant about 21.

Sunset view from my balcony.

Brahma Bulls provide succulent Brazilian beef.

Picanha.

Ice cold choppe.

Cold water Santa Catarina oysters are plump and tasty. This dish of a dozen cost 40 Reai or about US $ 7.20. As mentioned in the Mato Grosso do Sul article, the real, at about 5.5 to the dollar makes for overall costs to be moderately lower in Brazil than in the USA or Western Europe.

Southern Hemisphere pines over the South Atlantic. BE SURE TO WATCH THE VIDEO AT THE TOP OF THE ARTICLE !

Floripa also has large lakes not connected to the Ocean.

An odd local seagull.

TotalAdventure flew LATAM roundtrip from São Paulo Garulhos. One can also fly from Congonhas.