Guia Cultural da Costa Verde

Angra dos Reis • Angra dos Reis

SEU LUIZ ROSA

Caiçara affability

The magnetic Luiz Rosa is aged 95 and a native of Ilha da Gipoia, and is a repository of numerous stories. He is married to Paulina who is 90 and also born on the island, and in June 2014 they commemorated 72 years of married life with plenty of festivities. The family lives and works on Ilha da Gipoia, where they run Bar do Luiz Rosa on the idyllic Praia das Flechas.

His relatives report that Luiz Rosa “thrives on festivities” and loves to chat and welcome people. It is common for his restaurant’s patrons to become great friends and to pay him a tribute, such as the case of the Naval College from Angra dos Reis in 2010, when the title “Friend of the Navy” was conferred on him.

One of his great friends Dilo Guasque wrote the book Luiz Rosa história & Gipoia Estórias, now in its third edition. The dialogues gathered during the long conversations with Luiz Rosa – whose memory is impressive – are charming, such as for example the fact that always on his birthday he used to go rowing on his own in his canoe around his beloved Ilha da Gipoia, as if embracing it. He continued doing this until he was aged 81 and stopped only when advised by friends and relatives.

Despite having gone to sea in his canoe or in other boats on numerous adventures, he does not know how to swim. Luiz Rosa remarked that at the time when there were no motor boats, he used to row for more than four hours from Ilha da Gipoia to the Angra dos Reis town center. And like every good caiçara, he has a deep respect for the sea.

He currently loves to remain anchored to the pleasant deck of his bar and restaurant, taking in the beautiful landscape with its clear green waters, preferably accompanied by a cold beer and cheese appetizers, always prepared to repeat his stories to the privileged soul willing to hear them.

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