DAY FOURTEEN: SALVADOR
Today we began the last leg of our Brazilian journey. We really are incredibly lucky to have these last few days in Salvador. It is another coastal town, but has a totally different feel than Natal. Natal was quiet and "vacationy" while Salvador is bright, energetic and much more diverse. With about 3 1/2 million inhabitants it is the third largest city in the country (after Rio and Sao Paulo), and was the original capital of Brazil. It has incredible colonial architecture, and has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After our day of touring, it's easy for me to see why.
Salvador was founded in 1502 and was a center of the Portuguese slave trade and for this reason, Salvador has a strong African influence. Candomble, is practiced here, and is a mixture of traditional Yoruba (African) and Catholic beliefs. The food, fashion, music, art and language all have what is referred to as Afro-Brazilian influence. This is the home of the bossa nova (a mixture of jazz and samba), which we heard while walking in Old Town
Salvador was founded in 1502 and was a center of the Portuguese slave trade and for this reason, Salvador has a strong African influence. Candomble, is practiced here, and is a mixture of traditional Yoruba (African) and Catholic beliefs. The food, fashion, music, art and language all have what is referred to as Afro-Brazilian influence. This is the home of the bossa nova (a mixture of jazz and samba), which we heard while walking in Old Town
The church of San Francisco was one of the first constructions in the city. It was finished in 1723, and is an incredible example of devotion, although all the work was done by African slaves, who did not necessarily share the beliefs of their masters.
We were so lucky to be here for this city's June Festival week (remember that we saw Bea's school version in Natal?). This version is no children's dance--this is one big outdoor party that lasts for an entire week. It's beautiful to see during the day, and wild at night. You can see some shots of that on tomorrow's post (I'm a little behind on my posts, but I'll catch up soon).
We were so lucky to be here for this city's June Festival week (remember that we saw Bea's school version in Natal?). This version is no children's dance--this is one big outdoor party that lasts for an entire week. It's beautiful to see during the day, and wild at night. You can see some shots of that on tomorrow's post (I'm a little behind on my posts, but I'll catch up soon).