Some time before Carnival, Salvador travel blog

I went to Pelourinho this morning (well middayish), waiting over half an hour in the scorching hot sun before finally catching an omnibus to Praça de Se, one of Pelourinho´s main squares. It was a relief to reach the cool shade thrown by the tall colonial style buildings. The afternoon sun cast golden hues on the warm honeysuckle and pastel tones of the buildings the delicate ornate carvings set into the stone creating intricate shadows. Gazing round the square there was an interesting mix of Brasileros and foreigners (otherwise known as gringos). Hordes of white middle aged tourists trotted neatly after their brightly smiling tour guide like obedient sheep. Dusty beggars and small children skirted the edge of the group looking for small change. They, in turn, rather resembled sheepdogs in that they caused the group to press tightly together and move more quickly in the direction of their Sheppard – sorry :p I mean tour guide.

A few heavily armed camo suited military police stand guard in front of the ´Elevador´ that takes anyone who wishes the 100m down to the port far below. The police look thoroughly bored as if surely there could be a far better use of their time than babysitting silly tourists who keep flashing their valuables around. Not to mention very hot.

Having drunk my fill for the moment, I round a corner, duck through and archway to find myself gazing upon the old Gothic Cathedral. It has a very curiously flat unassuming façade done up in various shades of vaguely decaying grey. I didn't venture inside as I'm saving the many churches, museums and galleries that the historic centre (Pelourinho) has to offer for a rainy day – i.e. supposedly later in the month.

I wonder amicably down a side street, just because I fancy it. The delicious smell of frying !!!! reaches my nostrils, my stomach rumbles appreciatively and I promise myself I'll come back for some later. Further down the street a bright creamy sunflower yellow building catches my eye. From the outside it looks like a grand old colonial house, bedecked with dark wood balconies protruding in from of the many painted shuttered windows. I slip round the side of the building to find an open doorway. My mouth drops open in surprise as I step inside. I have walked into the most beautifully decorated ornate Catholic style church I have seen in a long time, white marble cloaks the floors and elongated up into far-reaching elegant pillars at regular intervals throughout the church. The pews are spacious and made of dark rich mahogany. The altar and front wall of the church are resplendent in a mix of fine paintings, gold ornate carvings and of course a large statue of Christ, crucified. Mass is obviously about to start, the church is about half full and a tiny little wrinkled old woman begins to hand out prayer books. I sit near the back for a good ten minutes allowing the cool peaceful silence wash over me, and then slip out quietly the way I came.

I meander my way back to the square that houses the Cathedral, blinking in the bright sunshine. Capoeira rhythms catch my ears and I speed up slightly. Sure enough, a roda has started up in front of the Cathedral steps. I buy an iced Maracuja drink (passionfruit) from a nearby stand and sit down in the shade of a large palm tree to watch the gracefully whirling limbs. The juice feels deliciously cold and sharp against my tongue.

The sun is sinking lower and I feel a sudden desire to go the beach to watch the sunset breaking over the horizon. After locating the right bus, I sit in the surprisingly comfy padded seat with my face pressed against the glass watching the world go by, feeling sated and happy.

An hour later…. There is a really really high today. There was hardly any beach left so I sought some sunbathing space on the cliff top in front of the black and white candy striped lighthouse. All I can see is ocean and sky. Great big thunderhead waves crash below me sending their spray high into the air, turning the rippled facade of the ocean buttery seafoam white. The hissing roar of the breakers as they roll under, collapsing in on themselves, takes me back to sitting on my two favourite beaches in the world. The first being Coldingham bay just south of the eastern coast of Scotland where I spent many happy summers growing up, and the second, Manuel Antonio Beach, Costa Rica. They may not be the most spectacular or visually stunning beaches I've seen but they both hold some of the best beach memories I have to date.

Both these, my favourite two beaches, have several things in common; fine golden sand (I'm not such a massive fan of white sand, it doesn´t feel real enough, too superficial), creamy turquoise to deep clear blue waters, dark brown black jagged sea-carved rocks that protrude at both ends of the beach providing rock pools captured at low tide and places to watch the waves crash and spray. Or simply a place to sit on and watch the sunset. What I love most about these beaches is the absolute feeling of peace I get even after sitting there for only a few minutes. I always feel grounded and at one with the world when I'm by the ocean, and today is no different. In my opinion, if everyone tool just 10 minutes out of their day to sit and simply contemplate the ocean, or failing that the sunset, the world would be a much better place.

I can feel the salt tasting my skin, the freshness that is only brought by a sea breeze lifting my hair as it swirls round my face. The sun is directly ahead of me, changing the ocean into a shimmering liquid mass that almost seems alive as each wavelet catches the sun’s rays reflecting a thousand glistening shards back to the forget me not blue brilliance. Mmmm.