It was a very early morning for sail in pictures and the lighting was not so good, so I tried again at sail away with much better success… . Ann, Cathy and I were met by our tour guide Dirk at the port and we started our Salvador adventure. Dirk had to adjust his tour plan for us because of street blockages due to the final hours of Carnival. Salvador is the fourth largest city in Brazil and is situated on a peninsula which shields the Bay of All Saints from the Atlantic Ocean. The city is divided in two sectors, the lower and upper city are separated by an 85-meter escarpment. Starting in the lower city we passed the world’s first outdoor elevator called Lacerda then onto the Ribeira district, the city’s bohemian area. We stop at a fishing area and a small fish market and then a drive through the neighborhoods of Bonfim and Boa Viagem. Next, we parked across from the Fonte Nova Soccer Arena and walked back along the Dique Tororo Lagoon to see the Orixas sculptures (African religious statues). Our next stop was the Sao Joaquim market, a grid of narrow alleys stuffed full of everything you might ever need...from live animals, fruits, meats, herbs, fish, tobacco, clothing, religious ritual items, to dried foods...great stop! Next, we drove along the harbor and the Port areas through Favelas otherwise known as lower income areas with its scattered colonial architecture and wall art. We made a quick stop at the studio of well-known ceramic tile artist Prentice. From here we continued along the beach area to the Ribeira ice cream shop the oldest and best in Salvador...the ice cream was delicious and hit the spot on a very hot day! We made a stop at Colina Sagrada (Sacred Hill) and visited the spectacular Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim, the most famous church in Salvador...It has come to represent the co-existence of the two predominant religions in the area: Catholicism and Candomblé, which originated in West Africa. The church is also known as a pilgrimage church... thousands come here looking for miracles. A short distance from the church we visited the Itapagipe Penninsula to see the Monte Serrat Fort and Monte Serrat Church. We made our way to the upper city leaving the car below and climbing to the Holy Rosary Church. Walking on the winding steep old stone streets of Salvador’s historic center is a real journey back in time. Their impressive European architecture has survived the centuries, and the resulting streets, squares and churches of the historical center are now a UNESCO World Heritage site, known as Pelourinho. We visited the church of Sao Francisco and Convent with its gold-leafed Baroque interior. The church borders one end of the Pelourinho Square in the heart of the old town...this area is a bustling area that packs in historical sites, colonial architecture such as; the home of Author Jorge Amado, museums, restaurants, bars and shops. We returned to the port in lower town by the funicular. This was our first visit to Salvador, we certainly did see a lot and thoroughly enjoyed the day…. Great day!!!
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