Sandy in Salvador...
We had a great time hanging with Sandy in Salvador for ten days...it was nice to have such a long time to enjoy the city, so we did not feel rushed to do the maximum amount of things per day. Most afternoons we spent lounging on Sandy´s veranda looking out over the city, reading, eating sweets scrounged from breakfast and hanging in her hammock. :D
We did do some sight seeing and shopping though...Sandy was the all time best barganer too! If they said 20, she said 10 and she would not quit until she got the price she wanted. She was awe inspiring, and got us deals on lots of cool stuff!
Some of the highlights during the week she was with us...
Getting a private tour one day with this amazing local guy Dixon who took us to the Bonfim church, and Forte de Barra...then onto all these beautiful beaches up North...Hanging at one of those beaches to have fried fish and beers...Finding this wonderful Jewlery shop called Scala and getting some custom made pieces, even Andrew had a very cool ring made...wandering around Pelhourino listening to music...going to a Capoeira school and seeing a show of the best performers...Seeing a folkloric/dinner show at this old sugar plantation, and watching a group of asian tourists drink and entire bottle of Johnny Walker in 30 mins lol...Shopping at Mercado Modelo, where we ate the best shrimp moqueca (their local dish made from coconut milk and palm oil)...Eating sting ray at a restaurant entirely by accident and loving it...Finding this great local italian restaurant Al Carmo that had the best pasta and was just about the only place we could order a decent glass of wine...Going to a Candomble ceremnoy that was totally crazy.
Just another word about that, Candomble is the religion practiced by about 30% of the population of Salvador. It is a religion that goes back to the 1800s when the slave trade was still going on. It a mix of catholocism and the religion the afro-brasilians practiced when they were in Africa, before coming to Salvador. This way it would appear to the slave owners that they were practicing catholocism when they were really praying and worshiping their own dietes. Pretty smart actually...We soon found out though that it is a complicated religion to understand, Dixon our tour guide tried to explain it but we decided to go to a ceremony and see for ourselves. So one night we drove into the local neighborhood and to this particular house, and what we saw was fascinating. First of all this particular sect of Candomble only has ceremonies once a year...they last for an entire month (happening every Saturday night) since they are so rare they are PACKED with people. Not only the practicers but all the other neighborhood people who want to watch. We arrive at this house and this entire room is packed with people wearing white, dancing in a circle to drums and chanting. The women are wearing traditional outfits with full skirts and lace, even head scarves. Once in awhile you will notice a person stop dancing and put their head down, they have become possessed by the spirits Dixon tells us. That is what the ceremony is about, calling on the spirit saints who reside over us, who protect us and teach us...calling on them to show us they exist, and they do this by possessing certain practicers who are sensitive to such things. It was a trip to watch... and something I do not think any of us will forget.
It was hard to say goodbye to mom, we had such a fun time hanging out...but knowing we will see her in a month helped us get through! :D
We did do some sight seeing and shopping though...Sandy was the all time best barganer too! If they said 20, she said 10 and she would not quit until she got the price she wanted. She was awe inspiring, and got us deals on lots of cool stuff!
Some of the highlights during the week she was with us...
Getting a private tour one day with this amazing local guy Dixon who took us to the Bonfim church, and Forte de Barra...then onto all these beautiful beaches up North...Hanging at one of those beaches to have fried fish and beers...Finding this wonderful Jewlery shop called Scala and getting some custom made pieces, even Andrew had a very cool ring made...wandering around Pelhourino listening to music...going to a Capoeira school and seeing a show of the best performers...Seeing a folkloric/dinner show at this old sugar plantation, and watching a group of asian tourists drink and entire bottle of Johnny Walker in 30 mins lol...Shopping at Mercado Modelo, where we ate the best shrimp moqueca (their local dish made from coconut milk and palm oil)...Eating sting ray at a restaurant entirely by accident and loving it...Finding this great local italian restaurant Al Carmo that had the best pasta and was just about the only place we could order a decent glass of wine...Going to a Candomble ceremnoy that was totally crazy.
Just another word about that, Candomble is the religion practiced by about 30% of the population of Salvador. It is a religion that goes back to the 1800s when the slave trade was still going on. It a mix of catholocism and the religion the afro-brasilians practiced when they were in Africa, before coming to Salvador. This way it would appear to the slave owners that they were practicing catholocism when they were really praying and worshiping their own dietes. Pretty smart actually...We soon found out though that it is a complicated religion to understand, Dixon our tour guide tried to explain it but we decided to go to a ceremony and see for ourselves. So one night we drove into the local neighborhood and to this particular house, and what we saw was fascinating. First of all this particular sect of Candomble only has ceremonies once a year...they last for an entire month (happening every Saturday night) since they are so rare they are PACKED with people. Not only the practicers but all the other neighborhood people who want to watch. We arrive at this house and this entire room is packed with people wearing white, dancing in a circle to drums and chanting. The women are wearing traditional outfits with full skirts and lace, even head scarves. Once in awhile you will notice a person stop dancing and put their head down, they have become possessed by the spirits Dixon tells us. That is what the ceremony is about, calling on the spirit saints who reside over us, who protect us and teach us...calling on them to show us they exist, and they do this by possessing certain practicers who are sensitive to such things. It was a trip to watch... and something I do not think any of us will forget.
It was hard to say goodbye to mom, we had such a fun time hanging out...but knowing we will see her in a month helped us get through! :D
posted by Heather at
12:13 PM
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