Salvador de Bahia
The old town – with its lemon and duck egg blue colours - rises above the city, peppered with gold-leaf flourishes and carved historical churches. Pelourinho street is one of the town's most dazzling - a picturesque gathering of bright hues and uneven cobbled streets. Bahia’s capital and largest city was Brazil's first capital, built on the backs of slaves imported from Africa. Since then the cultures have fused to create a vibrant Afro-Brazilian cocktail. Moqueca is the local flavour here, a slow-cooked stew of coconut milk, seafood and bell peppers, its a creamy and delicious indulgence with a chili kick
The ship was birthed and we went ashore for the seven hour cultiral tour of the city of three million people. 33 of us in the bus, plus six expedition staff. Wasted a couple of hours seemingly driving around in circles, stopping at a lighthouse, the 'Cathedral for good health ' ( with its coloured paper bangles for wishes) and the oldest ice cream parlour,1931, in town, where we sampled their nut and their coconut flavours. We were then dropped off by the top of the elevator and had a two hour walking tour of the UNESCO city centre. The Negian guide was not good and rambled on for 15 minutes nonstop in places where there was nowhere to sit, so I became very tired. I had the same problem in a costume museum and in a triangular square where the noise of drummers eclipsed his voice. We went into a church covered in gold, a bit over the top!.-, saw a display of traditional women's dresses and just wandered the colourful streets of the town.
Click on any thumbnail photo and get a larger photo
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Then to lunch at the bistro, Cuco, meant to be one of the best in town. Quite hilarious - as we had to keep putting our hands up for what we wanted. But our shrimp risotto with mango chutney and cheese was delicious and we enjoyed the conversation with Sherry and Jack.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The lunch took two hours, so, even with no free time, we were half an hour late getting back to the ship by the time we had seen the requisite dance show. a Capoeira demonstration. This art form is a cross between a dance and a martial art. The history of Capoeira shows that it was a way for slaves and their descendants to assert their identity and culture in a prejudiced society. This newest Brazilian Cultural Heritage is practiced in the streets of the Historic Centre of Salvador, where there are several academies, as well as in the traditional capoeira circle in Model market and throughout the rest of the city there is an academy or a capoeira group waiting with open arms for new and old adepts.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
.
Recap and briefing, cocktails, then dinner in Hot Rocks. We chatted to Utta for an hour or so in the Panorama lounge, even though dead tired
.
.
.