Salvador Things to Do

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Cheap eats comes with a price at times. It's usually the cheap cocktail drinks out on the streets made in some cart that will have you running for the bathroom every 10 minutes... BEWARE of those seriously.

Salvador is filled with endless options for ones tastes bud. Vegetarians and meateaters alike will not be spared the unwanted "outcome" that everyone experiences upon their arrival. Its unavoidable, at one point or another it will happen, soooo TRY THE CHEAP EATS, use your judgements on the obvious visible details, hygine, fairly clean cooking paraphanilias, are they propted up against a garbage dump, has anyone bought anything in the past 30 minutes you've been contemplating on approaching the stand, you know the basic common sense stuff.
Once you get past that you'll need to worry about signing up with a weightloss program upon your return but , hey come on you're on vacation right now so ... live a little. And make sure you send me an update on what became your favorite.

Here's mines (my post vegetarian stage now),
Capiroska, acaraje with shrimp, sururu soup (oysters broth with spices) and a cocada for the bus ride home.
Head to the beach and select a Barraca with music and vibe that suits your budget and taste. Beer can be purchased from 2,00 r to 2,50, a bottle. Capirihnas and roskas from 2,50r to 3. Acaraje w. and without dried shrimp (a typical bahiano dish, consisting of flour, tomato salada, okra mush, hot pepper, and dried shrimp) from 2,00r to 3, 50. Along with the usuals fish, soups, oysters, meats, and treats. Fruit drinks, juices, and the million and one things can be purchased on the beach. I had a teen try to sell me a restaurant deep fryer on the beach no joke.

Everyday except Tuesdays from 8:00pm to 9:00pm the San Miguel Theatre holds a performance for $R 25 (more than worth it). This an amazing show by really enthusiastic and athletically gifted performers and I highly recommend it.

A small intimate crowd can see 6 dances that are specific to the Bahian culture:

Orixas Pantheon
Fire Dance
Fisherman Dance
Macuelle
Capoiera
Samba de Roda

You can find amateur dancers all over Pelourinho performing Caporiera but seeing things young men perform was just incredible...mesmerizing. I never heard of Caporiera until I started researching about Salvador and I'm now hooked on it.

Go the theatre in advance to buy tickets...about an hour before at least, earlier during peak season.

In February the transvestites of Brazil hold their National carnival here in the city that has been Brasils capital for longer than any other city. Rio de JANERO HYPE IS TOURIST TRAP LAND.This is the original and much copied.
Also apart from being the cultural capital the city was strongly influenced by black people brought from Africa as slaves in colonial times.Salvador is considered the most African city in South America, so there is a magnificent mix here.
Why it makes such a great carnival is a mystery to me but its atmosphere is much more for the locals than rio who seems to pander to the tourists a tad too much.

This 18th century church is located in the Cidade Baixa to the north of the centre of the city. If you have been wondering what the ribbons are all about you will be delighted to have the mystery solved because this is where they come from and they are souvenirs of this church. Nosso Senhor do Bonfim (Jesus) is closely related to the Orixa Oxalá Candomblé’s highest deity so this church is closely associated with Candomblé. Make sure to see the Sala de Promesas (or Milagres) where the faithful place photographs, personal objects or wax casts of limbs and heads as representations of their prayers. The view back to the city and across the bay is beautiful as the church is on a height. Bomfim means good arrival and this is where people came/come to, to pray for successful journeys and to give thanks for safe arrival.

The real name of the lighthouse is Forte Santo Antônio da Barra but it is universally know as Farol da Barra or Barra Lighthouse. It was originally built in 1598 and was the first fort in Brazil put up to defend settlers against indigenous tribes and later the Dutch (who were in possession of it a one point). Inside there is a nautical museum with displays of model ships, archaeological finds from recovered shipwrecks in Todos os Santos, old lighthouse paraphernalia and some ancient looking maps (which all turned out to be reproductions unfortunately). There is a great view of the bay and down along the coast to the statue of Christ from the restaurant.

Olodum is a wonderful Samba-reggae band that you'll probably find in Pelourinho on a Tuesday night! Pelorinho is packed full of fun on Tuesday nights. There's food, music, and lots of people.

If the entertainment isn't free it's very cheap!

**This concert cost us $5US

Pelourinho is a a part of Salvador that has a great history. Colonial buildings still stand and there a several museums to visit.

Among the deep cultural history that is embedded in this part of town you'll also find restaurants, shops, and capoeira.

Some say that Rio's got the most amazing carnival. If you consider the customes, then I'd agree. But the party is DEFINATELY in Salvador.
I could write pages and pages of my experience for the Carnival in Salvador. I just want to say that it's great. It's the best party you'll ever have.
There are 3 ways to "live" Salvador's carnival. These are my recommendations.
1. BLOCO (the safest and most wild): a bloco consists of 2 trucks and a whole bunch of people. In the first truck there will be a band playing. In the second truck, a bar and bathrooms. And the people, all around the trucks. The thing is that they travel all around town, dancing. You've got to pay the fee (usually a 3-day fee or a 6-day fee) and you can wear their uniform. This is the safest way to experience the Carnival.
2. CAMAROTES: These are parties overlooking the streets where the blocos pass on. They're more expensive, and boring. They have this cocktail first, then they'll spend hours wathching the blocos pass by, dancing at their rhytm, and then there will be a private party. Quite safe, and more expensive than blocos. Recommended for people that don't want to party a lot, and for the ones that get tired easily. Not for me.
3. STREET: You can always watch the blocos go by behind the cordeiros. It's quite crowded and quite dangerous. Most of the poor people don't have access to pay the bloco fee, so they party outside. If they see that you're a tourist, they'll probably try to steal something from you.
Anyway, after the whole walk, the bloco leaves, and you'll end up in the street. But everyone else will do the same, so it'll be safer. By the time the bloco gets to the end, you'll be wasted, so all you want will be a bed.