Salvador

Brazil is another country where you go from rural areas where people have loads of space like this place a few km´s on the outskirts of Salvador.

Then you hit the built up area of Salvador - with a population of 3 million living in the city and that again living on the outskirts and surrounding area. No wonder it looks like they are living on top of each other.

Another city where new modern buildings stand next to old traditional (and in some cases very delapidated) buildings! Definetely a lot of money in these cities but still the majority of the population seem to live in cramped and very basic accomodation (and I never got anywhere near the ghetto areas!!).

After my overnight journey I got off the bus and was met by this band practising their tunes - sure they came out just to greet me.....

I stayed in the Historic Old Town - lots of cobbled streets and old buildings on the cliffs overlooking the bay - was a nice atmosphere and always something going on here.

Locals of course like to support their national football team.

Plenty of shops/street traders selling souveigners for the many tourists who visit Salvador.

Street entertainers give a demonstration of Capoeira which is a Afro-Brazilian art form combining elements of Martial Arts, Dance and games and was developed in the 16th century by slaves who were practicing their martial arts hidden from their ówners´ under the guise of music & dance.

This cross stands in the centre of the old town where it is believed that Salvadors first church once stood.

Chom Poo Moo is enjoying the views over Salvador from the old town.

The local ladies dress up in traditional costumes to entice the visitors into their shops and resteraunts but they were friendly and happy to pose for photo´s even if you didn´t go into thier place.

A walk down to the commercial area and I found the leather market -like a few other countries I have been to you get loads of people selling similar goods all next to each other!! Healthy competition.....

Catholisicm is as expected pretty huge over here - churches seem to have services on most days and their are of course churches on almost every corner.....

Me in the old town.

Fresh cocunutmilk served in the cocunut shell of course!!

Blatant selling of counterfeit DVD´s (and about anything else you might want) - no effort to hide this as the police just walk past - maybe they are just checking for sales for their share of the profits!!

Bonfim one of the suburbs a few miles from the centre of Salvador.

Listed as one of Salvadors must visit churches - Igreja do Nosso Senhor do Bonfim - make your a prayer/wish here as it is believed to lead to miracles......the body parts (man made) were accompanied by tragic photo´s of the sick and disabled and are the offerings of the hopeful and thankful who come here looking for their miracle.

Fita´s - coloured ribbons with ´Lembraca do Senhor do Bonfim da Bahia´ (Rememberence of Our Lord of a Good End´ are handed (or tied to your wrist) as a gift and tied in three knots for each of which you make a wish - the catch is that the wish only comes true when the ribbon breaks of it´s own accord (that can take months). The other catch that the street sellers tie it to you as a gift then persuade(!!) you to buy another 10 to give your friends and family - it only costs pennies - I gave one to Chom Poo Moo and tied the rest to the fence (as the locals do) and made some wishes for you guys back home :-)

Fort Santa Marie at one end of Barra Beach.

Salvador has miles and miles of long beaches the one´s in the main city are very popular with tourists and locals - Urban beaches are not my favourite for relaxing but they are always interesting to people watch......weather was rubbish the day I went anyway so no sunbathing for me and the water too rough in most parts to swim and I wouldn´t leave my stuff sitting about here to go in the water as it´s not likely to be there when you come back!!

This pidgeon enjoys the left overs of someone´s cocunut milk....

Fort Santa Antonio da Barra - the first Fort and Lighthouse built in Salvador though the original wooden lighthouse was replaced in the 18th century.

The Fort now houses the Maritime museum where there was some interesting things that have been recovered from Ship Wrecks in the area - like these old navigator tools and jars.

I liked the display of ships in a bottle - especially the one with the miniture fort in it - takes some patience and steady hand to make these.

I´m glad diving equipment has become more lightweight over the years......

To escape the downpour of rain I took a walk to one of the many shopping malls around here - different world to the old town and could be a shopping complex in any city anywhere!!

And just opposite the shopping mall a couple of streets back from the beach is the local housing estate!

The rain passed in time to go back to the beach and get some nice photo´s of the sunset.

Then I headed back to the Port area of the old town.

The views over Salvadors docks and the area around about it - plenty of cargo ships coming and going from here.

My hostel here was very good - nice breakfast (most hostels in Brazil include breakfast) and as it is run by travellers they have the best check out policy ever - they let you use all the facilities free till 10;30pm the day you check out - not bad especially as I had a late flight when I moved on.

A view over the port area from one of the museums.

The Military base and port area.

I liked the telephone shelters disguised as cocunut drinks - they even had straws!!

Some interesting art work in the old town......

The T shaped building is Carlos Lacerda Elevator which takes you from the cliff top of the old town down to the port and bus terminal. You are warned to use it and not the windy empty roads where robbers are known to hang around - but at night the advise is to avoid the elevator and as well (even though they are staffed) and get a taxi - better still I just avoided being in this area after dark.......

Though I did make the mistake of heading back to the old town at the start of siesta when lots of locals were heading home to get their afternoon nap!! This is the queue but thankfully as there were 4 elevators it didn´t take that long - though you do have to pay for each ride - less than a penny....

A old church......

Igreja de Sao Francisco - a church/musuem complex dedicated to Saint Francis - I know for a non religous person I spend a lot of time in religous buildings but I love the art and archetecture and though not a believer I do find other people´s faith interesting. The really detailed facade in the 2nd photo was only discovered after the plaster that had been hidding it for over 150 years was accidentally damaged!!! No one knows why.....whilst the tiled walls tell of the story of the marriage of a prince of Portugal!!

I don´t know why but a lot of the churches statues of Jesus and other religous figures have really crazy wigs on them.....

Some more views over Salvador.

Though sad to see the less fortunate of Salvador´s population, especailly the kids I have to say I was surprised at how few beggars there are here given the high level of poverty that exists in the Ghetto areas - though from what I can gather in those areas it is pretty bad as is the crime rates and drug problems. Though these areas are not that far away from the commericial and tourist areas these are very well policed especiallyd during the day so the trick is to make sure you don´t accidentally wander a street or two to far along.....

Me and Romina who is from Chile but living at the hostel in Salvador whilst she studies dance nearby.

I jumped on a local bus and headed outside of the main city to a small town called Arembepie. The journey was interesting as it let me see how big Salvador is (took 11/2 hours to cross part of the city) and to see the different districts on the way. This was a quaint little beach town with such a different feel than the city itself.

Whilst out here I visited Project Tamar which is a Turtle conservation project - they rescuse injured turtles and also retrieve turtle eggs from places on the beach where they would be in danger and keep them till they hatch before releasing the babies back onto the beach - the turtles have to be released onto the beach as the one´s who survive to breeding age will return to the same beach to lay their own eggs.

Just outside the town itself is Aldeie Hippy Village - pretty much a bunch of easy going and friendly hippies sitting around playing music/singing and making jewellery etc to sell. It was very hot here for sitting on the beach so I was happy they also had a little cafe where I had a massive lunch for a couple of pounds and then chilled and read my book till it cooled down.

Everyone told me how beautiful the beaches in Brazil were but the only one´s I´d seen up to this point were urban beaches which although nice enough weren´t as spectacular as they had been described - this one at Arembepe though was beautiful - the water was too strong to swim in but it was so peaceful I enjoyed a long walk.

Back to Arembepe and a walk through here showed the people to be pretty laid back as well (not as laid back as the stoned hippies though!!). Was a shame I had a flight booked for the next day as I think this would have been a nice place to come back and stay for a few days.

Then it was the long bus journey home through peak traffic......

Well think that about covers what I have been up to....now off to spend a few days exploring Rio D Janeiro.......

Jack xx