MARCH 07: Salvador da Bahia, Brazil

Salvador is the largest city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the Northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia.

Salvador is also known as Brazil's capital of happiness due to its countless popular outdoor parties, including its street carnival. The first colonial capital of Brazil, the city is one of the oldest in the Americas. For a long time, it was simply known as Bahia, and appears under that name (or as Salvador da Bahia, Salvador of Bahia so as to differentiate it from other Brazilian cities of the same name) on many maps and books from before the mid-20th century. Salvador is the third most populous Brazilian city, after São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The metropolitan area of the city, with 3.5 million of people, however, is the seventh most populous Brazilian urban agglomeration, and the third in Brazilian Northeast Region.

The city of Salvador is notable in Brazil for its cuisine, music and architecture, and its metropolitan area is the wealthiest in Brazil's Northeast. The African influence in many cultural aspects of the city makes it the centre of Afro-Brazilian culture. This reflects a situation in which African-associated cultural practices are celebrated. The historical centre of Salvador, frequently called the Pelourinho, is renowned for its Portuguese colonial architecture with historical monuments dating from the 17th to the 19th centuries and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985.

Salvador is located on a small, roughly triangular peninsula that separates Todos os Santos Bay from the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The bay, which gets its name from having been discovered on All Saints' Day forms a natural harbor. Salvador is a major export port, lying at the heart of the Recôncavo Baiano, a rich agricultural and industrial region encompassing the northern portion of coastal Bahia.

A particularly notable feature is the escarpment that divides Salvador into the Cidade Alta ("Upper Town" - rest of the city) and the Cidade Baixa ("Lower Town" - northwest region of the city), the former some 85 m (279 ft) above the latter,^[5] with the city's cathedral and most administrative buildings standing on the higher ground. An elevator (the first installed in Brazil), known as Elevador Lacerda, has connected the two sections since 1873, having since undergone several upgrades.  

[source: Wikipedia]

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The passage from Buzios was uneventful.  We docked at Salvadore de Bahia about 8:00 AM.  The weather was bright and sunny.

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TOUR #1 of 2: Salvador: A City of Contrasts

Description

Discover the many faces of Salvador da Bahia during your morning excursion. Catch a glimpse of the city’s intriguing cultural mix of African and European heritage. During the tour you will see the historic part of the city as well as the modern section, even the Bahian subway—a fascinating contrast of old and new. From the ship, transfer by coach directly to Municipal Square, where you will see the Lacerda's Elevator that links the upper and lower city. Take in the view of Baía de Todos los Santos (All Saints Bay). From there, this walking tour takes you through the Old Town to Terreiro de Jesus Square, where you will visit two of Salvador's most important churches. Step inside the Baroque cathedral—formerly the chapel of the largest Jesuit seminary outside of Rome. The plain exterior masks one of the most beautiful churches in the city. The stunning interior includes a paneled ceiling of carved and glided wood which gives the church a light airy feel, contrasting sharply to the overwrought Rococo altar and side chapels.

At far the end of the recently renovated square stands the Church of São Francisco, whose opulent interior features cedar woodcarvings, covered in gold leaf. These took 28 years to complete. Also notice the beautiful white and blue tiled walls and the spectacular painted ceiling. 

[source:  MAASDAM cruise website]

Experience

As we were getting ready to depart we noticed some dark clouds building.  Undaunted, we climbed about our bus and headed to the upper city to begin our walking tour. We disembarked at an overlook next to one of the massive elevators that move people back and forth from the lower city. 

We walked through one plaza into another.  There appeared to be major churches everywhere.  Our guide joked(?) that there were so many churches in SdB that you could go to a different one every day of the year.

We wandered down a few side streets still displaying signs of the recently concluded Carnaval holiday.  It was clear that we were in a protective 'bubble' with a heavy police presence visible.  From one overlook, we could see a less attractive part of the city just outside the perimeter.   

Back in the square with the numerous churches, we popped inside one to see the tile frescos and main altar just as the skies opened and huge raindrops began pummeling us.  It was perhaps Mother Nature’s way of getting me to go to church.

Mother Nature was not going to let me off completely, so when we came out it was still raining, albeit not quite as hard.  This forced me into a cruel conundrum.  In my back pocket was a disposal poncho.  No one else, including my bride, had one.  In the end, I opted to get wet.

Coming out of a shop in which we had taken shelter until the rain passed, we made our way down some quaint streets and through a small square to get to our bus. 

Once back on the bus, we discovered that was the end of the walking tour of Salvadore de Bahia.  It was also the end of the interesting part of our tour.  Our next stop was a not particularly impressive lighthouse we wasted time walking around followed by the inevitable stop at a crafts market. 

We returned to the ship to await our second tour of the day.  From the ship we could look back up at the upper city we had visited in the morning.

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TOUR # 2 of 2:  Bahian Folkloric Show & Brazillian BBQ

Description

For a firsthand glimpse of Salvador by night, don’t miss this dinner and show that offers a real Bahian experience. Savor a delicious all-you-can-eat barbecue dinner consisting of perfectly cooked meats, fresh salads and tasty Brazilian side dishes. During dinner, you will enjoy a Forro—a presentation of typical Bahian music that encapsulates the distinctive, local Afro-Brazilian culture.

[source:  MAASDAM cruise website]

Experience

Will we never learn?  Based on the criteria of food and performance, if we were to divide into quartiles all of these shows we attended around the world, 90% would be in the bottom quartile (and yes, I know a quartile is 25%).  Apparently the bottom quartile was still not full because this was another one to add to it. 

The food bore no resemblance to a BBQ.  Further, it may have been distinctive regional dishes when the ingredients arrived in the kitchen, but through amazing culinary dexterity it was all rendered into mostly tasteless, and in a few cases slightly suspicious looking fodder.  Maybe it was because the show was best viewed on an empty stomach although I will admit that the gymnasts where quite accomplished.  How gymnastics and African folkloric dance collided on the stage might be interesting to describe if I had liked the performance but I didn’t so I won’t. 

Arguably the best part of the evening was walking to the event.  We were back in the upper city and the churches were illuminated.

Unfortunately on the way back to our bus, one of our group who had forgotten or ignored the repeated caveat about displaying jewelry, had a gold chain and locket grabbed from her neck in the blink of an eye, the two thieves dashing off into the night.  Fortunately the locket fell off the chain and was recovered.  The robbery was particularly brazen since there were police officers in sight in two different locations less than a block away.    

We were back on board MAASDAM about 10:45.  The ship departed shortly before midnight.