Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Salvador, Bahia, Brazil trip - day 6
[ Friday, 28 Jan 2005 ]
Left for Salvador from LAX. It took a good 1.5 hours once we boarded to get airborne. Way back in the 43rd row, next to the kitchen and the lavatories (joy) onVarig, my row-mate and I could hear dogs barking in the storage below. Turns out that the dogs had been loaded into a compartment that was not temperature controlled. They needed to be relocated else they would die from the freezing temperature during the 12 hour flight to Sao Paulo, which now extended to 13.5 hours. A short hop to Rio de Janeiro, where I had the pleasure to witness 4 cute girls pulled out of the passport line and escorted straight passed the customs agents. I knew this could happen at a club, but a whole country?!
On to Salvador, with Robert waiting for me as I came (again) through customs (it seems the plane I picked up was coming from Buenos Aires). It's now Saturday afternoon, and after I get settled into Bob's apartment we head to the Pelourinho. Lots of Carnaval preparations, and an Olodum drumming school concert too. Rain crashed the party and we headed to Olivier's. We were hoping for some jazz, but live music was cancelled due to the weather. Enjoyed my first moqueca nonetheless.
[ Sunday, 30 Jan 2005 ]
Bob and I rent a car with the intention of getting out of town. We head north along the coast to a beautiful beach, the name of which is lost to me now. Beach combing, sunning, and a fish-less moqueca (much better, but still heavy with palm oil). Back to the Pelourinho for the evening. Not only are you asked to pay for parking on the street (or rather: sidewalk) by the nearest con artist, but you will also be asked to pay for having had your car washed while you were away (they have this highly advanced technique of replacing all the dirt they clean exactly as it was when you left ;).
[ Monday, 31 Jan 2005 ]
Bob and I escape further north to Praia do Forte, despite the rental car spontaneously shutting down after getting to hot (which it does without the warning light, and any time the engine comes down off of high revs -- makes for interesting traffic situations). Praia do Forte has been called the Carmel-by-the-Sea of (northern) Brazil. Gorgeous beaches, expensive shops, quaint beach-side town. There's a sea turtle conservation effort here, partially funded by tourists (like us) paying to view fish in aquaria and especially turtles of varying (and enormous) sizes lazing about open pools.
We adjourn to a bar on the beach and commence with the caipirinhas. Some great swimming, lots of bikini watching, and some more caipirinhas. Some shopping, including a nice time in CocoBrazil with Adreanna fawning over Bob's green eyes. Italians and Germans seem to frequent this place, and Italian pizzarias and German beer gardens can easily be found. A nice Italian wine with a questionable, yet acceptable, 2002 Brazilian Cabernet Sauvignon at "Skipper's". More caipirinhas. We get a room at a local pousada, Sabrado da Vila.
I was hoping for a change to check out the southern hemisphere's night sky. Happily the sky was clear. I look up and the first thing I see is the constellation Orion! I was hoping for something much more exotic. Only about half the sky was new to me, which should have been expected if I had only known that we were at about 12 degrees south latitude.
More caipirinhas and general barfly activity. The live music consists of karaoke or a solo guitar player. We opt for the guitar. And more caipirinhas.
[ Tuesday, 1 Feb 2005 ]
Laziness is complete. So is relaxation for that matter. We stroll to a beach on the northern side of Praia do Forte. Lots more bikini watching and sunning. The beach here looks like about a hundred yards of shallow coral, with natural pools. The water is bath-warm and a "soak in the tub" is definitely required.
More bikini watching.
Toward sunset we head back to return the car before Wednesday. We grab a quick, nice dinner and acai with strawberries at Ramma (a natural foods restaurant that might put the Whole Foods buffet to shame).
Collapsing.
[ Wednesday, 2 Feb 2005 ]
Excess sun and general heat make for a sleepless night, and we get up at 6:30 to make it to Bob's Portugese language school by 8am. A bunch of the students, and friends thereof, grab a bus to Rio Vermelho. It´s 9am at 85 degrees. There, we watch and participate in Iemanjá. Everyone in white, making offerings (usually of flowers and/or perfume) into the sea. This is, of course, and undue oversimplification.
We shuffle around Rio Vermelho, sitting in the shade, watching the gambling (bingo is oddly popular), watching the girls and the recyclables collectors, watching Bob get propositioned (complete with supposedly enticing dance and unsanitary caresses).
Bob and I hoof it back to Avenida Princes Isabel in Barra (a good 5 km) for rest and, for me, anyway, a relaxing Internet session at a local Internet cafe (http://www.intcafe.com.br/).
We hike most of the way back to Rio Vermelho, only to discover most places are out of cachaça so we get started on caipiroshkas (made with only the finest Orloff vodka :/) instead. There wasn´t really any live music so we catch a taxi to a local samba club called Beco de Gal. Great live bands, lots of real samba dancing, and a blessing from Lady Gal herself! At 1am (77 degrees now) we head out to get some food at Pão do Porto, a late night Brazilian equivalent of a White Castle. Where else can you see the guard with the nightstick bus your table?
More collapsing.
