Translated it means, Our Savior of the Bay, Salvador de Bahia was the first capital of Brazil and the first major port. African slaves first came here to be sold and the African influences can be seen today. Ladies wearing rolled up scarves on their heads, the popular drum music and the cuisine is all said to have an African influence. We were stuck by the lovely colonial architecture of this city of over 2,250,000 inhabitants.
We arrived earlier than expected, so we were off the ship by 10:00am to the top of the old town area. The lovely bahiana ladies, dressed with colorful scarves on their head and large hooped skirts engulfed us after we got off the shuttle. They wanted to have their pictures taken with us… for a cost we found out afterward. Two ladies each asked 2 reals each for the opportunity to have their pictures taken with us. So goes the entrepreneurship of Bahia.
After we got out of the clutches of the bahianas, we enjoyed walking around the old town area, looking at the artwork, leather sandals, people watching and listening to the drum practice. Being a Saturday, everyone was out walking and enjoying the city. We stopped back by the main square and watched the capoeira practice. These are men who practice a musical kickfighting ritual from their African ancestors. As we took pictures, we were approached by the men asking for money for the picture we had taken. We just walked off.
There is a picturesque elevator that links the upper and lower towns, so for .05 reals, we rode the elevator to the lower town and did some shopping in the Mercato Modela. This is the old slave market that has been turned into a souvenir area where vendors sell hammocks, t-shirt and musical instruments, to name a few.
Crystal wanted to try the local delicacy, coconut water. So for 1 Brazilian real, the three of us sipped straws in a green coconut with the top macheted (sp) off. Not considered the safest area, we walked in the median, past the tourist police back the ship.
Next, more from Brazil…..
We arrived earlier than expected, so we were off the ship by 10:00am to the top of the old town area. The lovely bahiana ladies, dressed with colorful scarves on their head and large hooped skirts engulfed us after we got off the shuttle. They wanted to have their pictures taken with us… for a cost we found out afterward. Two ladies each asked 2 reals each for the opportunity to have their pictures taken with us. So goes the entrepreneurship of Bahia.
After we got out of the clutches of the bahianas, we enjoyed walking around the old town area, looking at the artwork, leather sandals, people watching and listening to the drum practice. Being a Saturday, everyone was out walking and enjoying the city. We stopped back by the main square and watched the capoeira practice. These are men who practice a musical kickfighting ritual from their African ancestors. As we took pictures, we were approached by the men asking for money for the picture we had taken. We just walked off.
There is a picturesque elevator that links the upper and lower towns, so for .05 reals, we rode the elevator to the lower town and did some shopping in the Mercato Modela. This is the old slave market that has been turned into a souvenir area where vendors sell hammocks, t-shirt and musical instruments, to name a few.
Crystal wanted to try the local delicacy, coconut water. So for 1 Brazilian real, the three of us sipped straws in a green coconut with the top macheted (sp) off. Not considered the safest area, we walked in the median, past the tourist police back the ship.
Next, more from Brazil…..
