First night´s view from an upper window of a gallery.
Linnea checking into Laranjeras- our hostel. The lobby was a lot more impressive than the rooms, but we lucked out getting an 8 person dorm all to ourselves.
Wall of a junk shop that made me wish I had more time, money and a bigger bag.
I think these guys were into having their picture taken, i like the backdrop.
view from our window...
I hung out in this barbershop for some time one afternoon, made some new friends and decided to skip out on getting my bangs trimmed here.
Hakeem- this photo is for you! That´s Afro-Brazilian record heaven in there.
art studio in Pelourinho.
some of my most favorite people: the lovely Jude and Rob Gerrity
Salvador was our first stop on what was suppose to be a 10 day, but turned into a two week jaunt to the Bahia region of Brazil. There is an unmistakable rhythm to the city- drums can be heard keeping a beat somewhere at all hours of the day and capoiera demonstrations are visible at the turn of every corner. They say there´s no other place in the world where African slaves have preserved their heritage as well as in Salvador- the food, music, martial arts and religion all boast an Afro influence. Pelourinho- the historic old town is perched atop a hill- it´s ridden with cobblesone streets, live music and colorful, stately, old buildings.
- By far the biggest highlight of the whole trip was meeting up with Rob and Jude Gerrity- family friends that go way back to my mom´s childhood days. They epitomize the perfect balance of wise, knowledgable adults with the vibrant, adventurous spirit of a young person. Their stories, insights and good humor made for a more than enjoyable trip together.
- My failed attempt to attend an Afro-Brazilian dance class (which didn´t commence till the following week) ended up in my good fortune in meeting a lovely girl from France, Vanessa, who was living in Salvador. She took us to an incredible outdoor reggae concert that happens in Pelourinho every Tuesday - Terça de Beñcao. We also got the chance to work on our samba moves that night at some small, corner bar with a great live band.
- Pretty much everyone who comes to Salvador gets a fita (colored ribbon) tied around their wrist. It is a souvenir of Igreja de Bonfim and each of the three knots symbolizes one wish that should come true once the knot comes undone in a few months time. I had the great misfortune of getting mine tangled in my hair elastic while swimming and having to rip it off- that can´t be good luck.
