Salvador de Bahia - travel blog February 2011

Salvador. A city where the streets pound with endless intermingling rhythms. Where dance is a way of life, not just a pastime. Where everything seems to have its own in built movement to it. What I love so far about this city (despite the endless overflowing music) is how multicultural it is. And I mean multicultural ignoring the hundreds of tourists that flock to the city every year, especially around the time of carnival. (apparently there are over 12,000 people on the streets every single day of carnival – n that’s just an estimate!!) There are literally every skin type under the sun here. I´ve been walking behind people thinking oh well they’re blatantly a tourist, and then snatches of very Brazilian Portuguese float over to my absorbing eardrums. Tho on the plus side, this means I can blend in much more easily (which of course is always advisable if you´re traveling on your own, especially if you´re a woman) I never understand why some tourist make themselves stand out so painfully. A typical example has just walked past me, a couple in their early thirties both with the Lonely Planet Guide to Brazil clearly on show, bling camera round their necks, walking trainers, what I like to call ´gringo pants´(those walking trousers with lots of pockets you can turn into shorts) and baseball caps. I mean you might as well stick a big sing on their back saying I´M A GRINGO PLEASE ROB ME!! (Tho as a side note, the name gringo in Brazil refers to any foreigner not just people from the States and supposedly isn´t offensive...)

So…onto the Brazilians themselves. The men strutting, lounging and jogging up and down the sea front and nearly all blocks of glistening toned muscle – most of them with pecs big enough to fill a C cup. Ahem. The women on the other hand, are much softer looking, even the very thin Brazilians I’ve seen have the appearance of curves about them, and quite often lil pot bellies. I would say its nice to know that the mad diet fads of the states haven’t yet reached Brazillian soil but that initial thought was quickly squashed when I first visited a supermarkets – which has its own AISLE of diet aids. There are also about 5 or 6 magazines I´ve seen so far, entirely devoted to dieting. Anyhoo, its still good to know that apparently Brazilians like their women looking like women – whatever the media might say.

The supermarkets were somewhat of a pleasant (! well pleasant after Cuba at any rate) surprise. I mean, I am staying in one of the wealthiest areas of the city, but you can literally buy anything – Redbull, Dove soap, apples, cakes and pastries to fill any small childs wildest fantasies, Nestle cereal, Sure deodorant, Loreal Shampoo – the list goes on. The downside is that products aren´t much cheaper than englsih supermarkets. A twin set of Dove Shampoo costs 20reals – about 7squids. So I am going to haver to watch my pennies a little closer than I thought, but thankfully the family i´m staying with are providing me with 3 effective meals a day even tho dinner is usually just some bread and a small bowl of soup. I´m only really having to buy apples, fruit juice and water.

I´m trying to be a good little traveler and try all the local delights. I can now officially say that I´m not a massive fan of caju juice (the orange fruit that grows above cashew nut pods), although it is growing on me but I do really like fresh crab – even if eating it is rather laborious!

I have to say that I thought about you all yesterday, the mum, Maria and youngest daughter, Jamilly (aged 30), took me out for am fresh seafood Sunday lunch at a beach side restaurant. I couldn´t help thinking that the cold grey drizzle of English skies felt a long way away whole I broke open my whole crabs with a little white hammer, occasionally drinking from quite possibly the most scrumptious pineapple (virgin) cocktail I´ve ever tasted in my life and allowing the ocean breeze to waft tantalizingly past my face.