Sailing with the Sun: Salvador de Bahia Brazil...Land Ho

It was already almost 80 degrees at 5AM when we docked at Salvador, ready for land after five days at sea, and excited to tour Brazil's first capital city, now 3.4 million people, and known for its Carnival, Portuguese colonial architecture, and proud Afro-Brazilian culture.

We were Welcomed with Colorful Wristbands

The City is Known for its Carnival

Five hundred years before, Portuguese explorer Amerigo Vespucci, whose name was given to the Americas, first spotted its bay and in 1549 it was settled by the Portuguese making it one of the oldest cities in the Americas, and its first slave trading center.

Five million African slaves were brought to Brazil to work in the sugar, gold and diamond industries until slavery was finally abolished in 1888. Already around for millennia, it all began in the Americas when Christopher Columbus brought back 30 natives from the New World (only eight survived the voyage) to show Queen Isabella that even though he did not find gold he found something valuable, people who could be enslaved.

Brazil was controlled by the Portuguese, Dutch, and British before gaining its independence in 1823 and it became a melting pot for all these nationalities. Our guide said North Americans will say Brazilians are 80% black, they say 80% mixed race.

A Slave could earn freedom by earning charms

The old city is divided into two parts, the lower portion, which of course includes the piers, was mainly land claimed from the sea and used for commerce. The major area was up on a steep escarpment.

Elevator to the Old City

To get to the old city, one has to take the elevator. Each of its four shafts can bring 20 people at a time up the 280 feet for just a nickel. The doors open up to the first of many squares, this one in front of the Rio Branco Palace.

Rio Branco Palace, Former Seat of Government

Here people were selling maps, art, street food, and drinks. Women wearing Bahiana dresses, often white to represent an African deity walked around enticing people to pose with them for a picture and then asking for $1 for the opportunity.

Capoeira Dance

The Capoeira Dance, invented by the slaves in the 1600s is a combination of dance and martial arts...with drums and a traditional single wired stick with a gourd to resonate the sound.

The Sao Franciscan Cathedral was at the end of a very busy square. The cross was about 30 paces from the church to signify Christ's age.

Sao Francisco Church with its Gilded Interior

Inside Sao Fransisco

One Panel, with its Proverb by Roman Poet Horace

Courtyard of the cloister,
with Blue Tiled Walls

Cobblestone streets with colorful art and artists...

Wet Towels Made into Turbans to Cool the Head

Street vendors were everywhere, selling food and drink, clothing, and many colorful pieces of art. Drummers of all types were common.

Pelourinho Square

We wandered the streets until we came to Pelourinho (pillary) Square named for the whipping post used for slaves. In 1985 it became a UNESCO site which sadly led to the removal of 4000 Afro-Bahian residents to create this "tourist attraction".

It took decades for slaves to build a church they could attend in Pelourinho...
beautiful "Rosary of the Blacks".

Michael Jackson filmed a video in this square... dancing to the drumbeat of hundreds of native drummers. He stood looking out of the balcony of the blue building. Salvadorians are still very proud of this.

There was a big police presence in this city
known for petty theft

The residential areas...colorful with unique architecture

After a busy/steamy day of walking Salvador, we were glad to get back to the comforts of the cool ship. As we departed, one could see the multitude of high rises that grew up on all three sides of the old city. Some poorer people were allowed to build on government land on the banks of the bay.