Salvador, the most African city in Brazil! (April 21)

I've never seen so many coconut trees in my life!!!


Still feeling the a bit hang over from the night before, I got on a bus to Salvador at 7am. I slept most of the trip, but when I woke up the scenario was this: tons of coconut trees along the road, on the Linha Verde, or Green Line, between the two capitals.


From the bus station, I got a bus to the historic centre of the city, called Pelourinho.

There are lots of poverty in downtown Salvador.

It is a bit shocking at first, but when you start meeting people you kind of relax a bit.

Baianos are probably the most friendly people in Brazil, always smiling.

FROM WIKIPEDIA: Salvador da Bahia is a 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 easygoing population and countless popular outdoor parties, including its street carnival. The first colonial capital of Brazil, the city is one of the oldest in the country and in the New World. 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, and it is the ninth most populous city in Latin America.
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, its poorest region. Over 80% of the population of metropolitan region of Salvador has Black African ancestry, the African influence in many cultural aspects of the city makes it the center of Afro-Brazilian culture and this reflects in turn a curious situation in which African-associated cultural practices are celebrated, but Black Bahians due to their low income are apart from most of the city life options. The historical center of Salvador, frequently called the Pelourinho, is renowned for its Portuguese colonial architecture with historical monuments dating from the 17th through the 19th centuries and has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985.

View from my Pousada (hotel).

It was a very simple room, with ceiling fan and a small washroom for CAN$ 30 a night, right at the historic centre.

Pousada Hilma, right at Direita Santo Antonio.

Do Carmo Church.

Famous Pelourinho.

FROM http://gosouthamerica.about.com/cs/southamerica/a/BraPelourinho.htm

You can't go to Salvador, a major city located on a pensinsula on Bahia's coast, without spending time in the old city of colorful colonial buildings, cobblestoned streets and a sense of history clustered around the Largo do Pelourinho, also known as Praça José de Alencar. This part of Salvador is known as Pelourinho, the city within a city. (Read more about Salvador, Bahia in Exploring Brazil's Northeas.
Nicknamed Pelo by residents this area is in the older part of the upper city, or Cidade Alta, of Salvador. It ecompasses several blocks around the triangular Largo, and it is the location for music, dining and nightlife.
Pelourinho means whipping post in Portuguese, and this was the old slave auction location in the days when slavery was common. Slavery was outlawed in 1835, and over time, this portion of the city, though home to artists and musicians, fell into disrepair. In the 1990's, a major restoration effort resulted in making the area a highly desirable tourist attraction. Pelourinho has a place on the national historic register and named a world cultural centery by UNESCO.
Easily walkable, Pelo has something to see along every street, including churches, cafes, restaurants, shops and the pastel-hued buildings. Police patrol the area to ensure safety.

Today they were shooting a video clip with the "Trio Eletrico" singer Jamil and Salvador's most popular drumming group: Olodum.

The song is very catchy and will be released just before the World Cup.

FACES OF BAHIA

The video's shooting

attracted many curious tourists like me.

In the middle of the day I enjoyed a typical Bahia meal at SENAC restaurant. For 32 reias (CAN$20), you can eat as much as you want from a very complete buffet prepared by students. You can lunch for way cheaper somewhere else, but this is a perfect place if you want to try everything. Really, you pay for the experience.

Typical Bahia deserts: Manjar Branco (coconut pudim), Cocada (with coconut as well) and Ambrosia.

Endless buffet.

Back to the video shooting in the afternoon.

It was a extremely hot day, but rain falls every hour would give us a break.

This is one of the stars: Jamil. I had no idea who he was, but apparently he is a very well-known carnival singer in the city.

The group Olodum is known internationally.

We had the pleasure to watch them playing in Toronto, at the Harbourfront Centre, a few years ago.

Amazing coincidence! I met Jonas, a friend from Toronto who lives now in Rio state but was in Salvador in a conference. Small world! Cheers!

A walk on the historic centre. Salvador is famous for its churches. Apparently there are 365 churches here, one for each day.

First Medical School in Brazil, from 1808.

Statue honoring Zumbi, the last of the leaders of the Quilombo dos Palmares, in the present-day state of Alagoas.

Quilombos were fugitive slave settlements or slave refugee settlements. Quilombos represented slave resistance.

Behing me the "Baia de Todos os Santos" (All Saints Bay).

Elevador Lacerda (Lacerda Elevador), connecting the low and high part of the city since 1873.

The ticket costs 15 cents of reais (CAN$ 5 cents).

"O tabuleiro da baiana tem... Vatapa, o, cairuru..."

The brazilian song talks about the "baiana" table and I finally had a chance to eat an "Acaraje", served everywhere by the baiana.

I really can't explain here what kind of food it is. Maybe my friend Gabi Passos, an authentic baiana can tell us.

The long day ended at "Quincas Berro D'agua", a cultural space outdoor with a Brazilian jazz concert with band "Raizes Brasileiras" (Brazilian Roots).

Wonderful way to finish this colorful day!

Aracaju, I can't believe I am finally here! (April 20)

Here I am!

My first day in the capital of Sergipe State was super busy. I visited lots of places and interviewed many people. Everyone is extremely nice and there is no formality. Before I came here I was trying to do some production by phone and e-mail, with no success. I was actually getting frustrated. But now I understand why. There is no need for pre-production, because people here just don't work like that. You show up and if they are there, they talk to you. I have to say that I also have a wonderful contact here who has made my life much easier. Simone is the director of the MOPS (a movement for popular health) and has been an angel taking me to the right places and people.
FROM WIKIPEDIA: Aracaju is the capital of the State of Sergipe, Brazil, located in the northeastern part of the country, about 350 km (217 mi) north of Salvado. It has a population of circa 505,286 inhabitants, which represents approximately 33% of the state population. The coast of Aracaju has many unspoiled beaches, such as the ones in Santa Luzia Island, and urban beaches, such as the Atalaia. These coastal neighborhoods include playgrounds, squares, football, volleyball, and basketball fields, residential buildings, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, banks and hotels.
Aracaju, one of the first cities to be planned in Brazil, was built with the intention of becoming the state capital. Founded in 1855, the capital of Sergipe.

The MOPS has a little store at the main marked downtown. They sell products made during their courses about how to manipulate natural plants. The Albano Franco market has a whole section with stores selling herbs and natural products.

This is one of the poorest areas in Brazil, as you can see in this market.

Many stores sell used shoes, and display them like they are new.

A boy (perhaps a 12 year old) sews a broken soccer ball. In a place where money is always short and it is not even enough to buy basic food, fixing things is a way to go. From electronics to clothes, they fix everything. Nothing is wasted.

Seafood is the main dish here.

Crabs are the most popular seafood in Aracaju.

Fruits and vegetables are also in abundance here.

Local farmers sell their products at this market. The quality is amazing!

This part sells meat, displayed here on tables, not refrigerated. Outside the temperature is over 30 degrees Celsius and makes you think how fresh this food is. But that doesn't seem to be a problem to locals.

Back to the fruits... Yummy... they are always fresh and tasty!
You can find dozens of fruits that you've never heard of!

Simone, my hostess show me the cheese from the sertao, a dry area, a starting a couple of hours away from the coast, to the interior. For those who are interested to see what kind of life this people have there, I recommend two great Brazilian movies: the Oscar nominated Central Station (available in any Blockbuster store) and Me You Then (also not too hard to find).

On the other side of the market a large area is dedicated to the medicinal plants and herbs. There isn't an official number about the use of this alternative medicine in the state, but health workers estimate that over 90% of the population use some kind of natural products regularly against illnesses.

There is a herb for pretty much every decease.

A very much needed stop for lunch.

Simone took me to a restaurant in the market and suggested their Moqueca de Peixe (fish stew).

It was absolutely fabulous. the best part is to know that it is cooked with all natural ingredients. All fresh!

Fruit juices are also extremely popular here. I finally tried the mangaba (a fruit) juice. I have no idea what mangaba looks like, but the juice is very good! A jar of it costs about CAN$ 2.

I met a few people who sells natural products. They work like a pharmacist, suggesting plants to many different problems. While I was talking to Reizinho, the president of the market shop owners, we were interrupted every couple of minutes with people looking for many kinds of plants for different kinds of illnesses.

In the end of the day I was invited to be part of a very popular radio show at Radio Cultura. They heard I was from Canada and was here to collect material for a story. Its funny to see this exchange. They think I am as interesting to them with my "international experience" as they are to me. I did the interview, but I felt a bit strange. I really don't think I have anything interesting to say, compared to what they have to offer to me.

When I thought I was ready to go to bed after this exciting and exhausting day, Rita and Carlos took me out to eat Crab at the Passarela do Carangueijo (Crab Path), a fancy road along the beach with packed restaurants and bars.

Apparently locals eat crab before they hit the nightclubs. Cashew nuts sellers are everywhere here.

And since tomorrow is a holiday here, the place was super busy!

My lovely hosts Carlos and Rita.

And my lovely dinner: Crabs!

The meat is good, but I am not sure if it is worth the work.

You need to bang it with a wood hammer, break the poor thing in many pieces, get dirty for a tiny little piece of meat. But, oh well, when in Rome...

I also tried "Lambreta", a kind of mussel.... and raw oysters.

It was a lot of fun!
We got home at 2am!
I am heading to Salvador tomorrow.