Salvador Salsa

A fleeting glimpse of Salvador, the vibrant capital city of Bahia, the Brazilian state with a strong black cultural influence leaves Achal Dhruva reeling from a barrage of kaleidoscopic images and experiences...

Pic courtesy: Rentamar Turismo, Bahia View of the ferry wharf and Elevador Lacerda

Smile you are in Bahia," is a common greeting in Salvador, the capital city of the state of Bahia, the womb of black culture in Brazil. And the tourists can't help grinning from ear to ear as Salvador offers a varied and exotic bouquet of attractions. Scores of beaches, hundreds of magnificent baroque churches, tiny colonial alleyways teeming with folkloric crafts, fiery cuisine, exotic voodoo sessions, pulsating music and wild celebrations - just take your pick and indulge. What makes the city even more endearing is the `don't worry be happy,' philosophy and the warmth and friendliness of the people.

Unfortunately, I just had a glimpse of this vibrant city. The stop over in Salvador was just two days on the 10-day Caravana Brazil or FAM Trip organised by the ministry of tourism, Brazil and Embratur (Brazilian Tourist Board). But those two days were a barrage of kaleidoscopic images and experiences, some of which are firmly etched in my memory. The nightlife of Pelourinho, the historical neighbourhood and the restored old quarter in the heart of the city is unforgettable. The small winding cobblestone streets come alive each night with almost hysterical revelry. People overflow onto the streets from small hole-in-the-wall bars and restaurants, dancing with abandon around a band of drummers indulging in impromptu jam sessions.

Traditional instruments on sale in Pelourinho

However, it is the four squares of Pelourinho which are the main action zones. Each square has a live band rocking the crowd with different genres of music and what's even better most of these acts are free. The only performance on that night with an entry ticket of 10 R$ was the performance by an all woman samba group called Banda Feminina Dida. We first sighted the group as we emerged from the Teatro Miguel Santana after watching an enthralling show of traditional dance and capoeira performed by the troupe, Bale Folclorico da Bahia (ticket priced at 6R$). They were parading through the alleys `drumming' up an invitation to attend their show starting at 9.30 p.m. We could not afford to miss this performance, especially as it was probably the only window to witness a samba group in action. The `all woman' bit was a bonus. Right from the time I got the invite for Caravana Brazil, I had been ruing the fact that the trip was exactly one week after the Carnival.

Banda Feminina Dida kicked up some pulsating rhythm and electrifying is the only word, which comes close to describing the performance of the ten-member band. The beat was so captivating and infectious that even a guy like me with two left feet couldn't help cutting loose gyrating with wild abandon, albeit in a far corner at the back. Rhythm, I am convinced flows in greater quantities than alcohol through the veins of Brazilians, especially Bahianos. I was completely mesmerised by the grace and fluidity of the people on the dance floor including girls barely seven or eight years old. After the nearly three hour high-octane performance I was on a `high.' If a single samba band can pack such a punch I can only imagine the charged atmosphere during the carnival.

We moved to another square to cool off and downed a couple of Capirinhas, a wonderful concoction of local brew made from sugar cane called cashasha and ice and lime. Around 1.00 a.m. things began to wind up and we wanted more. A local asked us to come back on Tuesday night, as it's the biggest party night of Pelourinho. Called Benaco (or blessing) from an origin in the Igreja do Santo Antonio's custom of giving away bread to the poor on Tuesday evenings, the partying goes on all night. Bahia has a way of turning religious events into parties. Salvador is often billed as the city of mystics, magic and music - a sacred land where intoxication is often considered a prelude, or at least the postlude, to religious salvation. The same helpful local directed us towards the Aeroclube Plaza Show, the ocean front shopping centre housing a number of night-clubs, which play everything from house to Salsa.

Resort in Coconut Bay Pic courtesy: Rentamar Turismo, Bahia

Salvador sways to all beats and outside the night-clubs there was a huge crowd of fashionably dressed youngsters milling around. We walked around for a while observing the scene and decided against venturing inside. Instead we set out in search of a quiet watering hole and found ourselves at a fish market with a huge parking lot facing the ocean. It was packed with rancorous revellers even at 2.30 a.m. Music blared loudly from parked cars as people drank and danced. The entire parking lot is converted at night into one big open-air bar with tables, chairs and stalls providing an array of bites and dishes. Since it was Friday night people were still streaming in around 4.00 a.m. when we called it a day after raising a few toasts of Capirinha, to the wonderful party spirit of the city.

The next morning we were back in Pelourinho and it seemed like I was not the only one nursing a bit of a hangover. The small side alleys bore a deserted look and for a second I feared I had dreamt it all. A smattering of litter, paper cups, dishes, etc. fluttering in the wind were the only silent reminders of the wild time last night. It is the main squares and streets of Pelourinho, which rule roost during the day presenting a completely different picture, showcasing the magnificent historical and cultural heritage of the quarter.

Young members of Banda Feminina Dida

Pelourinho is part of the upper city and derives its name from pillory or whipping post where slaves were severely punished in front of their masters. Salvador's pillory last stood, at the top of the sloping Largo do Pelourinho after being shifted quite a few times since it was first erected in Praca da Fiera or today called as Praca Municipal, the city's first open market. The large square at the top of Elevador Lacerda is the best place to start your explorations. Elevador Lacerda (lift) is the fastest way to travel between the two levels, the Cidade Alta (high level/city) and Cidade Baxia (low level/city). Salvador, which ranks as the third largest city in Brazil after Sao Paulo and Rio is perched on a 200 foot bluff overlooking the glimmering All Saints Bay. In colonial times the cliff acted as the perfect natural fortress for the port and today it divides the city into two parts: the Cidade Alta, the heart of the historical center and Cidade Baxia, where the commercials districts and wharf's are located.

Dominating the Praca Municipal square is the Palacio do Rio Branco, the former governor's palace which has been destroyed by war and restored several times. It sports eclectic Greek columns, baroque windows and neoclassical eagles. Also facing the square is the Camara Municipal the 17th century city hall. This area designated as World Heritage site by UNESCO is generally bustling with activity. Young boys selling Lembrances do Bonfims (wish bands) of Nosso Senhor, Salvador's most popular Catholic Church. Locals firmly believe that if you make a wish when the band is tied around your wrist it comes true. But you have to wait till the band falls off on its own and the put it in water. You also cannot escape the friendly banter of Bahianos, native women dressed in traditional white hooped skirts, embroidered blouses and turbans either selling an assortment of handicrafts, sweets or posing for pictures for a price or the persistent trinket sellers, all offering you a fantastic discount. "Only for you," accompanied by a warm smile.

Even as I was assimilating the two disparate pictures of the old quarter it was time to move and this time head out of Salvador. And when I thought that city could not barrage my sense any more we were treated yet again to a blur of images as we drove past a series of beaches filled with people having a blast, on the way to the airport. I was convinced that city and its denizens were perpetually high, high on life.

One of the six swimming pools of Paria do Forte EcoResort

However, our first flavour of Salvador was that of a luxurious back to nature experience at the famous Paria do Forte EcoResort, a far cry from the riotous humdrum of the city. Located on the Coconut Coast, 80 kms from Salvador, the EcoResort is a tourist complex comprising of 247 spacious and well appointed rooms, with 12 kms. of practically virgin beaches, an enormous grove of coconut palms, natural sea pools and is close to ecological reserves, coral reefs, lagoons and observation areas for humpback whale watching. Activities also include a visit to Project Tamar (a sea turtle conservation project) in the charming seaside village, Paria do Forte and the ruins of the country's first medieval edifice, the Garcia d' Silva castle dating back to 1551.

Perched on top of Tauapara Hill, the ruins of the castle offer panoramic birds eye view of the ocean and the surrounding countryside. The highlight of the visit was watching a band of young performers exhibit the intricacies of the gravity defying martial art under a centuries old fig tree. Capoeira, a unique Brazilian art popular throughout Bahia whose origins are highly controversial has evolved from being a paramount fighting technique into a sensational visual spectacle.

Equally interesting was the visit to the Paria do Forte village that has conserved the rustic feel. Nestled here are guesthouses, restaurants, bars, craft shops and boutiques. As I wandered around the village agog with tourists I had an uncanny feeling of being back in Goa. A serene feeling sweeps over you while sitting on the dark deserted beach listening to the crashing waves and the howling dogs outside the village; a singular image and a different stroke on the canvas of wild frenetic strokes that are uniquely Salvador.