Day 99 - Salvador, Brazil

We have a proper lazy Sunday today. Our pousada has a lovely little courtyard which our room steps out into so we spend literally the whole morning chilling out, sorting various bits of admin.

Now, I have been dying for a decent cup of tea for about a month now. Brazilians, Colombians or Ecuadorians do not have normal black tea and this morning I managed to find an old tea bag I had stolen from another hotel in my bag so am very pleased at the prospect of a cuppa. Then to my absolute shock I find a huge basket full of Fortnum and Mason royal blend and traditional English tea next to the kettle. Crazy I know! I have no idea where they got them from out here. Needless to say I tea leafed the lot! ;-) 

 

Sunday loafing. 

Nat's concentration face as she writes her next two special reports. 

Salvador has to be one of the noisiest places I have ever been. We are constantly bombarded by ridiculously loud music that wouldn't be out of place at the Ministry of Sound on a Saturday night. If it's not groups of people banging drums it's trucks driven around the streets with huge speakers on the back blasting out music. 

This group were dressed up like one of our stags dos - all the men dressed on tight and bright gear. 

We finally leave the hotel at about 2pm to see what Salvador has to offer as it turns out beyond hundreds of churches and a very picturesque old town, not that much. 

First stop is the Mercado Municipal which turned out to be closed on Sunday and didn't look much anyway. We had to get there via a huge lift down the side of a cliff as it is not advised that you walk down the road. 

 

We then jump in a cab to head to Barra which is on the southern tip of Salvador and is the main beach in the city. It's not the nicest of beaches, just one of those typical city beaches that is a bit grubby around the edges. It's pleasant enough though and a nice atmosphere. 

We stop for ice cream and people watching and continue to be amazed how diverse looking Brazillian people are. It is impossible to define what a 'Brazillian' looks like which is why Brazillian passports are the most sought after passports on the black market in the world. 

The whole place is getting geared up for the carnival with huge fronts and staging area being added to pretty much every building along the route. They really go to town on the preparations. 

After a wander around and an attempt to play cards in a bar and being told we were not allowed (?) we decide to head back to Pelourinho where I find a new friend. 

The most famous church here that I can't remember the name of. 

 

The world famous Olodum dance school - these were the dancers and drummers that Michael Jackson used in his video 'they don't really care about us'. 

We go for an early bird special at a great little Italian restaurant that randomly didn't serve pizza or lasagne to my disgust. Great homemade pasta though. 

We are back in for about 7.30pm to complete our very lazy and chilled day. Quite handy having an early night as we have a very early start in the morning. Salvador has been nice and it does have a very nice old town but I think it is one of those places where we won't be in a rush to return to. Definitely worth the trip up to Bahia though for Lencois.