Salvador
Trip Start
Mar 04, 2009
1
3
11
Trip End
Mar 30, 2009
Salvador, State of Bahia, Brazil
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
It would have cost about half that and 20 something hours on a bus, plus the time to get to the bus station from the airport, so a 5 hour layover wasn't so bad.
There was a catch with the airport "Executivo" bus though. It's supposed to come every 45 minutes and it took an hour and a half to get there
Lacerda elevator
. We waited outside at the stop the whole time as the line got larger. But at least we got to try our first regional food specialty, Acaraje. It's sold at food stalls all over Salvador. It's a breaded ball that's deep fried in palm oil and then cut open and a bean paste is put in the middle. Fried shrimps are put on top, along with some toppings like sliced cucumbers and hot sauce. It was awesome. Eventually the bus came and with Executivo buses, comes aircon, which was sorely needed, even at 10:30 at night. It took another hour or so to make it down to the Barra district, where we had a reservation for a pousada 2 blocks from the beach. Pousadas are like a B&B that are usually attached to a family home. Not all of them are though and the quality varies widely. Ours had a nice web site that highlighted its pool and proximity to the beach. Also, there are a lot of restaurants nearby and it's relatively a safe area.
The other option for many tourists is to stay in the Pelourinho, the old city center with all the old churches and buildings. We're now glad we did stay in Barra because there were lots of warnings in guidebooks about the dangers at night in the Pelo, as they say. And if the number of policemen (and policewomen) are any indication, then the Pelo wins hands down for dangerous
x
. I don't think I've ever seen such a high number of cops in any area when it wasn't a special event. The pousada we stayed at was indeed 2 blocks from the beach, but it was uphill. And after a 38 hour day, it was a long 2 blocks from where the bus dropped us off. I'm a cheapskate, so paying $40 for a cab when you can pay $4 for a bus that drops you 2 blocks away isn't an option. When we got there, they were expecting us. I asked to see the room first, as I usually do. They did have a pool, but the room the guy showed me was a little musty and there were water stains on the wall. And there was a party going on outside on the veranda. I didn't think Deanne would dig it too much, but it was so late, I didn't care.
The look on her face confirmed my suspicions but we were so damn tired, she didn't care too much either. I went out to get some beers and scope a restaurant that would still be open while she chilled out. I found a nice place right on the beach that was outdoors but had big, swooping tent covering over most of it.
I bought 3 different beers at a gas station, and two of them were malt biers, which I'm gathering were not alcoholic and were all sugar
In the Pelo
. Worse than a Mexican soda! We split the remaining Nova Schin and went for a quick dip in the secluded pool. That made it all worthwhile. Then we set out for food. The restaurant was a little pricey, but it was open at midnight. And the view was amazing. The surf crashed against the rocks on the beach right below us. We settled on a shrimp pizza that was not great, but not bad either. When we made it back to the room at 1, the party was getting louder. I was worried, but we had a fan and AC and earplugs and we fell asleep instantly.
At breakfast, we had a wide assortment of fruit, bread, cheese and meat. That's a typical pousada breakfast here. It's very healthy and delicious and it sure is nice to have it ready when you get up. Plenty of tea and coffee to go around also. While eating, we met a guy from Mozambique who was very nice. He spoke perfect English and was part of the group partying the night before. He and a group of 10 or so college students from Mozambique and Angola were studying in Bahia for a couple months and half of the group had just left before we got up, so they were celebrating. The other half would be leaving in a couple days.
We grabbed a bus along the coastal road to go up to the Pelo after breakfast
Pelo
. We passed by the Farol da Barra, the lighthouse at the old Portuguese fort. Salvador was the first place the Portuguese settled in Brazil and it became the major point of entry for slaves from Africa. Most of them came from Angola, so there's a strong connection to that country and culture still. Much of the food, religion, and dance here is based on Angolan roots. The ride up to the Pelo followed the bay away from the Atlantic and climbed up the big hill that the Pelo is on. It is the original part of the city because it's easier to defend up on the big hill. We enjoyed walking around and seeing the old architecture. There's a huge public elevator that connects the lower city with the Pelo. There's also a funicular down the road. That's a small railroad on a steep hill. Check out the photos because it's a little hard to describe. We took the funicular down, walked through a market, ate at a por kilo restaurant, and then took the elevator back up. Both the elevator and the funicular cost about 2 cents each.
A por kilo restaurant is one where you pay based on the weight of the food you put on your plate in a cafeteria line. It might remind you of bad meals in junior high at first, but it's really quite good, healthy, and cheap. And the bonus is that you don't have to fumble with a menu and a bad Portuguese accent for the waiter. The salads are varied and delicious and there's several selections of meats. And aways, there are desserts. It costs between $3 and $6 for a huge meal. And you get a free shot of coffee from a thermos on the way out.
We only hit one museum back in the Pelo
The funicular
. It was an Afro-Brazilian museum and in the basement there was another one on archeology of the surrounding region. It was nice but the best part was the basement. Jesuit priests had built this cellar and only within the last 30 years or so has it been discovered and remodeled into a museum. The Pelo was a tad too touristy for both of us. Women in flowing dresses and white headdresses walked around asking if we wanted photos (for a price) or to buy something. Think: Brazil exhibit at Epcot.
There were cops everywhere, as in, way too many cops everywhere. We felt safe enough but we weren't interested in coming back at night. Especially after a guy warned us that walking 2 blocks off the Pelo was dangerous. In mid-day. Duly noted.
When we went back to the pousada, the manager upgraded us to a much nicer room with a balcony, two couches, a huge bathroom, and a nicer bed. Sweet.
The beach was nice. Just 2 blocks away from our Pousada, it was a convenient stop after the hustle and bustle of the old city
Asleep at the wheel
. We had started walking down towards Barra from the Pelo and the streets were packed with vendors selling whatever you wanted. We bought a craptastic alarm clock for $2 since we both forgot one. My watch alarm isn't loud enough to wake us. After an hour or so we hopped on a bus to take us home, and then to the beach where we bought a coconut for its milk. Later we walked to the Farol, or lighthouse, to watch the sun set. We were a little late, but it was a pretty sight. While sitting there, I realized that 2 years ago, we were in Portugal, at Cabo de Roca, facing west, where the Portuguese empire built their navy to explore (and plunder) the world. The spot we were on is close to where the first Portuguese ship landed in the new world. So I guess you could say we've come full circle.
Later, we found another restaurant that had seafood, but the quality was amazing and the price was very modest. We had a Mocequa mixta, which is a seafood stew that resembles a Spanish Paella. A "half portion" was more than enough for two. We called it quits after that and in the morning, we took a taxi to the bus station so we could head north along the "Coconut Highway" to either Praia de Forte or a place Deanne read about that's near an isolated stretch of beach.
Praia de Forte is a tourist beach that is clean, popular with Brazilian tourists, and is home to a sea turtle sanctuary.
