Sunday, September 28, 2008
Top Five Things To Do In Salvador, Bahia
Salvador, Bahia grabs the heart of any visitor and never releases it. Even when I was in Rio, American tourists urged me to visit Salvador if I wanted to see the real Brazil. It's true, Salvador boasts charm and visual treats that you can't find in any other place in the world. I think it's all that history crammed into one place. Salvador was Brazil's first capitol and it boasts so many historical monuments, places and people that you can literally visit one every five minutes. Great destinations always seem to attract a fair share of tourist traps, however. I thought the famed Mercado Modelo was filled with vendors hustling a load of mostly overpriced junk. The picturesque Pelourinho Square brims with addicts and pick pockets. So my favorite Salvador memories focus on slightly less touristy activities:
1. Eating Mocqueca at Iemanja Restaurant.
Acraraje might be Salavador's quintessential snack food but Mocqueca is the ultimate of Bahian cuisine. A smooth, creamy stew of fish, coconut milk, tomatoes and spices, I slurped this dish down almost every day. The sea goddess Iemanja is Salvador's favorite orixa and Iemanja Restaurant pays elegant homage with an interior filled with turquoise blue walls and sea shells. The waitresses wear long white gowns with blue accents and serene smiles. It was a soothing and magical experience.
2. Viewing the Eight Orixa Sculptures on Lake Torroro.
Rising out of the middle of a small lake, eight life-sized, fiber glass statues demonstrate Salvador's spiritual heritage. The Candomble religion plays an important part in everyday Brazilian life and this stunning park sculpture shows just one of the ways. The main Candomble deities or orixas are portrayed with their symbolic effects, like Xango with his ax and Oxun with her mirror. They loom in brilliant color, almost blending in with the splashing waves, trees and fishing boats.
3. Strolling through Salvador Museums.
I'm an art freak. I can't fully enjoy a trip unless I visit at least one gallery or museum. Salvador actually has scads of them clustered in Pelourino and beyond. I loved the City Museum, which displays contemporary Brazilian art and Case de Benin, which showcases artifacts from Benin, West Africa. The culture of Benin has influenced a lot of Bahian culture through art and spiritual customs.
4. Visiting the Prentice Art Gallery.
Nestled in a dilapidated old house, this gallery highlights the ceramic work of the Bahian artist Prentice. The walls are lined with hand painted tiles that depict Baianas, bloco drummers other aspects of Salvador life. I thought Prentice's art reflected a lot of Bahian charm, with whimsical brush strokes and sunny colors.
5. Viewing the Zumbi des Palmares Statue.
Zumbi was a famous freedom fighter who represents Black resistance to many Brazilians. An imposing bronze monument was erected to honor his historical significance in Pelourinho Square in May 2008. He led rebellions at the end of the 17th century and 300 years after his death, Brazilians pay tribute with a national day of remembrance on November 20.
Labels: Bahia culture, Brazil culture, Brazil Travel, Salvador, tourist activities, Zumbi Des Palmares
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Washing The Steps With Miracles
Filled with cobblestone streets, colonial architecture and historic landmarks on about every block, Salvador reflects the true heart of Brazilian culture. When I stepped upon the sunny streets of Salvador for the first time, the difference between urbane Southern cities like Rio was palpable. The air is filled with the fragrance of guavas, mangoes and acaraje sold on the streets. Baianas navigate the winding avenues and squares with a more languorous pace. The cobalt blue water of the Bay of All Saints wraps around the city and blows a feeling of tranquility over everything.
Salvador is sometimes called the Black Rome and it's easy to figure out why. The city boasts 72 Catholic churches, there appears to be one on every block. But candomble, the practice of Catholicism mixed with African deities and rituals is the true focus. Figures of Imemanja, the popular goddess of the sea, pop up on restaurants and in a house dedicated to her along the Bay. T-shirts and figures in the markets display all the other orixas or deities with the regularity of U.S. Pepsi or Coke ads.
St. Bonfim Church, perched on a hill in the lower part of Salvador, seems to represent the essence of Brazilian faith. Built in 1745, it's the most important church in Brazil in terms of religious devotion. On the second January of every year, Lavagem do Bonfim is broadcast over the country. The dramatic ritual features candomble priestesses of Oxala, the deity associated with St. Bonfim, who dress all in white and wash the steps of the church. Inside the church, the sala dos milagres or miracle room, is equally famous. A surreal display of wax and wooden arms, legs, feet, hearts and hands hang from the ceiling. The walls are plastered with photos and
testimonies of people who have been cured. The figurines represent all of the people who have had corresponding body parts healed after praying to St. Bonfim. Faithful pilgrims trek from all over Brazil to St. Bonfim in hopes of being granted a miracle. Judging from the thousands of testimonies, many miracles happen in Brazil.
Labels: Black Rome, Brazil Travel, Brazilian Churches, Salvador
Friday, August 22, 2008
Hangin' With Jorge
Brazil is a country that brims with culture. Everything from the food (spicy and heavy), the lifestyles,(laid-back) the music (high- spirited) and fashion (full of sexy flair), reflects a uniquely Brazilian perspective. As a writer, one of the rituals I have before traveling to a new country is to read some of its classic literature. Well, me and Portuguese don't get along so I didn't get a chance to find any good Brazilian books before I left. But when I arrived in Salvador, I discovered that Brazil loves the writer Jorge Amado like they love soccer. And that's a whole lot of love.
Whenever I asked about Brazilian culture and customs, my guides kept telling me to read Jorge Amado. So I was excited to visit the Jorge Amado Foundation in Pelourinho. It's a museum dedicated to his 32 novels, memoirs and guidebooks. Jorge's books have been translated into 49 languages in 55 countries and all those translated books adorn the walls of the museum. His stories have also been made into plays, films and Brazilian soap operas. Judging from countless recommendations, Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon is probably the most popular. The exchange rate for American dollars in Brazil is about as thrilling as Paris Hilton's thought process so I declined to buy a $32 translation at the museum.
Instead, I immediately bought a copy online when I got home. I have been hangin' out with Jorge (george jay) ever since. His sensual , vivid, writing reminds me a lot of my favorite, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, though not quite as lyrical. The story takes place on the cacao plantations and growing towns of 50s era Bahia. The characters are lively and funny, especially the fly and sly Tonico Bastos. He manages to sleep with every woman in town right under the nose of the plus-sized wife that he's terrified of insulting. Gabriela is a free-spirited Bahian beauty who winds up stifled by marriage. She breaks free in the end; the feminist undertones are intriguing considering the era and Brazilian machismo. Various aspects of Bahian culture--local dishes, samba, candomble, capoeira, all play significant roles in this entertaining tale. I can see why Jorge's stories translate so easily to TV and film. He writes with a cinematographer's eye for detail and drama. I now feel like a have a much better grasp on Brazilian culture, thanks to Jorge. My next stop with Jorge is Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands.
Labels: Bahia culture, Brazil Travel, Brazilian books, Jorge Amado, Salvador
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