A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

204. Cotton candy

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AUGUST 2009: Cotton candy

You see them often on the Brazilian beaches: hawkers. With a wide array of merchandise. They tirelessly scour the beaches looking for buying-eager beachgoers. Sometimes it can be quite annoying when you are trying to relax on the beach, a beach hawker loudly proclaims his merchandise. Besides, their shuffling over the loose sand is not always appreciated. On the other hand, such a beach hawker may be very useful in case you’ve forgotten something, like sunburn cream. Or when you are in desire of some snack or drink, such as a cocktail, a can of chilled beer, or a shrimp skewer. Or, as the picture shows: cotton candy. This beach hawker was active on the Praia do Francês – not far from the city of Maceió – in the state of Alagoas.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2009, 2016

Praia do Francês, ALAGOAS (AL)

Praia do Francês is one of the most popular beaches in Alagoas. The beach is located in the vicinity of the small city of Marechal Deodoro, the birthplace of the first president of Brazil. It is a calm, wide beach with many barracks. The numerous bars and restaurants offer a diversity of local (sea)food and drinks. On the beach, there is a great number of ambulant vendors that try to sell a surprising large variety of merchandise. From painted tiles to bamboo hats to newspapers to peanuts to sunburn cream to shrimps to coconut carvings to pirate DVDs. The vendor in the photograph is trying to sell cotton candies. Cotton candies are very popular in Brazil, where it is called algodão doce.

The original picture was taken in July 2008.

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