Salvador—Bahia—Brazil
There was an unspoken anticipation among us. We had left Cape Verde 6 days ago and since then had seen little else besides the vast sea. The idea of “land” was confusing to us—intoxicating, yet strangely foreign. But we were excited about the prospects that Brazil had to offer us.
Salvador was the capital of Brazil for 200 years until 1793. Its rich culture generated by the mixture of European and African roots made this the best place to begin our discovery of this amazing country.
Our first stop was Farol da Barra, a picturesque old fort at the entrance of All Saints Bay. Ironically, it was named All Saints Bay because it was discovered on All Saints Day—502 years ago to this very day!
It was here we first encountered the Salvadorian custom of tying ribbons with the words “Lembranca do Senhor do Bonfim” on the wrists of visitors. We were confused by the literal translation “Our Lord the Good Results,” but were happy to learn that our presents entitled us to three wishes. As we contemplated our wishes, we wandered around the outside of the fort, taking pictures and admiring the stunning seaside beauty.
Our next stop was the Carlos Costa Pinto Museum, located in a fantastic colonial mansion. The architectural gem houses 25 years of collecting effort by this traditional Bahian family. The collection of 3000 17th to 20th century pieces of artwork includes a superb display of silver objects.
After seeing some highlights of the lower and newer part of town it was finally time to head up to the historical side of Salvador—the Pelourinho. As we ascended we were afforded astonishing views of the glittering bay below dotted with colorful fishing boats.
It is said that there are 365 churches in town and our walk began with a visit to two of the most important churches of Salvador. The Cathedral, built in the 17th century, impressed us with its gold laden altar and intricate ceiling. The outside of St Francis Church, built with stones brought from Portugal, did not prepare us for the immense beauty hidden inside. From top to bottom, delicate carvings covered with gold leaf decorated this work of art.
The walk down to the Largo do Pelourinho took us among the recently remodeled 17th and 18th century buildings. UNESCO considers this to be one of the best examples of this architecture in the Americas! They now house many shops selling art, handicrafts, and typical music instruments. Smiling vendors were lazily sitting by the doors as we strolled the cobblestone streets. Music was percolating the walls of every house since it’s a core part of the culture of this city.
In the Modelo Market we could feel the pulsating energy of the people from Salvador. A large array of shops located in the former customs house made it easy for us to see the best of Brazilian handicrafts and many of us returned to the bus carrying bags filled with treasures.
Lunch brought us back to the Endeavour. Those of us that have made the ship our home for the last two weeks were thrilled to make the acquaintance with the new group of guests that have recently flown in to join us on the next stage of our adventure.
After dinner we once again took to the buses and returned to the historical Pelourinho for a traditional folkloric performance. We were electrified by the colorful costumes, rhythmic drumming and the astounding athleticism of the performers. The show portrayed the local costumes and religious beliefs brought by the slaves in times long gone.
At the end we couldn’t say no as the gorgeous dancers invited us to join them for a final dance under the stars. At that moment we truly understood why Salvador is referred to as “the soul of Brazil.”
There was an unspoken anticipation among us. We had left Cape Verde 6 days ago and since then had seen little else besides the vast sea. The idea of “land” was confusing to us—intoxicating, yet strangely foreign. But we were excited about the prospects that Brazil had to offer us.
Salvador was the capital of Brazil for 200 years until 1793. Its rich culture generated by the mixture of European and African roots made this the best place to begin our discovery of this amazing country.
Our first stop was Farol da Barra, a picturesque old fort at the entrance of All Saints Bay. Ironically, it was named All Saints Bay because it was discovered on All Saints Day—502 years ago to this very day!
It was here we first encountered the Salvadorian custom of tying ribbons with the words “Lembranca do Senhor do Bonfim” on the wrists of visitors. We were confused by the literal translation “Our Lord the Good Results,” but were happy to learn that our presents entitled us to three wishes. As we contemplated our wishes, we wandered around the outside of the fort, taking pictures and admiring the stunning seaside beauty.
Our next stop was the Carlos Costa Pinto Museum, located in a fantastic colonial mansion. The architectural gem houses 25 years of collecting effort by this traditional Bahian family. The collection of 3000 17th to 20th century pieces of artwork includes a superb display of silver objects.
After seeing some highlights of the lower and newer part of town it was finally time to head up to the historical side of Salvador—the Pelourinho. As we ascended we were afforded astonishing views of the glittering bay below dotted with colorful fishing boats.
It is said that there are 365 churches in town and our walk began with a visit to two of the most important churches of Salvador. The Cathedral, built in the 17th century, impressed us with its gold laden altar and intricate ceiling. The outside of St Francis Church, built with stones brought from Portugal, did not prepare us for the immense beauty hidden inside. From top to bottom, delicate carvings covered with gold leaf decorated this work of art.
The walk down to the Largo do Pelourinho took us among the recently remodeled 17th and 18th century buildings. UNESCO considers this to be one of the best examples of this architecture in the Americas! They now house many shops selling art, handicrafts, and typical music instruments. Smiling vendors were lazily sitting by the doors as we strolled the cobblestone streets. Music was percolating the walls of every house since it’s a core part of the culture of this city.
In the Modelo Market we could feel the pulsating energy of the people from Salvador. A large array of shops located in the former customs house made it easy for us to see the best of Brazilian handicrafts and many of us returned to the bus carrying bags filled with treasures.
Lunch brought us back to the Endeavour. Those of us that have made the ship our home for the last two weeks were thrilled to make the acquaintance with the new group of guests that have recently flown in to join us on the next stage of our adventure.
After dinner we once again took to the buses and returned to the historical Pelourinho for a traditional folkloric performance. We were electrified by the colorful costumes, rhythmic drumming and the astounding athleticism of the performers. The show portrayed the local costumes and religious beliefs brought by the slaves in times long gone.
At the end we couldn’t say no as the gorgeous dancers invited us to join them for a final dance under the stars. At that moment we truly understood why Salvador is referred to as “the soul of Brazil.”
