We stayed at Posada Estrela do Mar in the seaside town/area of Barra just outside Salvador itself. It was a lovely place and the staff were excellent. Our original room was on the ground floor and if we sat outside we could be seen right down to the street. Luckily, they had a cancellation and we were able to move up to the room above where we were a bit more secluded and could overlook the way in from our balcony! |
I had thought that we would be shattered after the journey so had not arranged anything for the Saturday or Sunday and this proved quite right in one way although a bit unfortunate in another as at the end of our time there we were both unwell! We had wandered round to a supermarket on Friday afternoon and got some provisions which we were able to keep well (and chilled) in our little fridge in the room. Saturday and Sunday we spent lazily wandering along the sea-front.
Salvador is in the province of Bahia was founded in1549 on a high bluff overlooking Baia de Tudos os Santos (Bay of All Saints – because it was discovered on All Saints Day!!) and was the capital of Brazil until1763. It is the size of France and it has a very large African influence due to the huge numbers of slaves brought over to work - approximately 80% of the population having African ancestry.
The city is divided into 2 main areas – the Upper City (Pelourinho – old historical centre) and the Lower City and on Tuesdays evenings there is usually a large number of musicians and dancers in the square in the Pelourinho. I had arranged for a guide to show us the Upper and Lower Cites on Monday and take us into town on Tuesday night. The pousada was advertising a visit to a Candomble ceremony and I booked this for Sunday night. Unfortunately nearly all these arrangements went wrong for one reason or another which meant we were able to spend a couple more afternoons wandering along the sea-front, having a beer and something to eat overlooking the sea. (We don’t see much water, you know! Ho-ho-ho-ho!)
We went to the Candomble ceremony on Monday night – this was fascinating as it’s a ceremony that was developed by the slaves brought across from Africa to confuse the authorities who would not allow them to celebrate their old ways, gods and traditions!. Although the different tribes had many different gods, they managed to get together and agree and found a common way and developed common traditions and stories. (A lesson to be learned maybe?) The ceremony was VERY loud with lots and lots of drumming, chanting and went on for several hours. During the ceremony several believers fell into trace and they were later dressed as gods to depict the tales. it was really amazing and the guide who had taken us tried to explain exactly what was happening but I’m afraid that by the end, my head and sinuses were absolutely pounding and I rather lost the plots! We were not allowed to take any photos of the ceremony and had to be dressed in colours – definitely NOT black! In town on Wednesday a number of women were dressed in their “costume” but this was for the tourists and mostly cost for a photo!
We had hoped to go out Tuesday evening to hear the music etc (one of my main reasons to go to Salvador!!) but it had rained all day, was still drizzling and I was feeling really awful so we had to cancel the trip which was a terrible shame but I’m not sure that many would have been dancing and playing anyway!
Wednesday afternoon, we finally managed to get our trip round the historical centre and it was well worth it – the guides were quite rightly very proud of their city but it was strange to hear that the oldest buildings etc were 16th century! It’s so easy to forget that Brazil was not “discovered” and developed until then.
The square, Largo do Pelourinho, lies at the heart of the centre and its dark history, the word pelourinho means pillory or whipping post where slaves were tied and savagely beaten Inevitably, as in many cities all over the world, a lot of the older buildings fell into dis-repair and have either been pulled down or left to fall down on their own!
There are many, many churches and the most spectacular was the Igreja de Sao Francisco. Gold was very cheap and it’s estimated that between 90 and 150 kilos (!!!) of gold leaf have been used in the church! It was amazing!
Just down the road was Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosario dos Pretos. As the slaves were banned from the churches of their masters, they worked for almost the entire 18th century to build their own – at night in their spare time!!! Tied to the railings were thousands of “fitas”. These are colourful ribbons that are usually knotted round your wrist with three knots and when the ribbon falls off your wishes are it is equally valid to knot them round the church railings.
Thursday we were off again – this time on just a 6 hour coach trip to Lencois, approximately 420 kms (260 miles) inland. Poor old Chris could really have done with staying in bed but managed to get on the coach somehow!!
I’ll leave it there for now and try to post together with some photos here and then add the next episode in a day or two with some more photos in the gallery.