Street Parties

View to the New Town
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A reasonable start today but I lost the advantage of a window seat and the fresh air - well humid breeze this offers.  It was today that was going to be our longest drive day of the trip, estimated at 14 hours.  The scenery was much of the same with forsest, small rivers and hills. Children often play and bathe in the rivers (complete with shampoo and soap) and it is also common here to do your washing as well and hang this up to dry either over the rocks or trees or small washing lines that have been erected. The day was hot and long and again not particular exciting, as many drive days aren´t.  Arrived at the ferry port at around 6ish and we were lucky to get on the 7:15 ferry and used this time to get food from one of the stalls - learning a whole vocabulary of new portuguese words in translating the menu.  The ferry took us directly to Salvador and from there it was only a short drive to the hotel around around 9ish that night.  The hotel owner was kind enough to give 4 of us girls a lift to the supermarket around the corner as he said it wasn´t safe for us to walk it alone.

Traditional Dress in Salvador
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Following day headed out to explore Salvador de Bahia.  The city is the 3rd largest city in Brazil and was once the capital before it moved to Rio and then Brazillia, and is known by both names of Salvador and Bahia.  Got lost trying to find Avenue de Chile, but came across Jen and Johnny who were also having the same problem.  Visited the Fransician Catherdal in the Plaça (Plaza) which is apparently the richest church in South America and certainly has a lot of gold inside to see that it might be.  Salvador apparently has 365 churches and there are two near the hotel, each of which was full with singing and praying, which is odd for a Tuesday.  Afterwards we walked around the cobbled streets of the old town and then headed down the elevator which joins the old and new towns.  Headed back up for lunch at a kilo bar, where we were warned by a local about the pickpocketers down the street and were warned that it was not safe.  Afterwards it was back down to visit the craft market.  Outside their were a number of dancers in costumes getting filmed.  The area influenced by african slaves and they developed a dance based on martial arts (the latter was banned at the time) that is still practiced widely in the area.  Headed back to the hotel and watched some football before getting ready and heading out to the old town.  Tuesday is suppose to be a big night in the town with lots of street performance which are free to watch, well donations are expected.  We first headed to an Irish bar which had no Irishness about it, not even the customary signposts, to meet everyone. Afterward we headed to a bar full of local where you order small shots of drink and although there is a selection listed you take what you are given.  One was nice, the other like cough medicine.  Afterwards headed around the streets and back to the main area to chill.  Later on a walk we came across some of the street performers and a large stage that had been erected for bands to perform on, which we arrived at a little later as the last song was being performed.

View by the Elevator connecting the Old & New Towns
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The following day, after a bit of a lie-in, I headed into town and the Plaça for phone calls back home and to the internet and then into the local shopping mall to enjoy the air conditioning.  Managed to get a 30 minute massage for just 20 reais (about 5UKP).  Afterwards did a little shopping and then later headed out for dinner at a chinese kilo bar.