Todo bam!
So Carnaval was one of the best experiences I have ever had. It’s so hard to try and figure out the best way to describe it because it was insane, and you really have to be there to grasp it. I have a feeling most of this trip will be like that but yeah…
We docked in Salvador at 6 am. As soon as we could get off the ship (around 10) a big group of us went to Old Town. Old Town sits above the part of the city where the dock is. In order to get up you have to take an elevator which is funny because it is literally just an elevator shaft up the side of a hill. Everything was decorated for Carnaval- some vendors just sleep in the square as to not miss any business. We grabbed a popular Brazilian dish for lunch (fejuada- the spelling for that is probably incorrect). It was pretty good. We walked around, shopped then headed back to the ship. Around 6, a group of about eight of us started out for Carnaval. At first we went to Old Town. In the square, small bands were marching around with giant masks and costumes. Everyone sort of jumped right into the parade, and we were all just dancing and getting sprayed with this foamy stuff people kept spraying into the air. We were in a dance circle and a conga line for awhile… it was pretty mellow and comfortable. But we wanted to see more than that so we walked down into a bigger part of town. At one point, you walked over a little hill of the road and as far as you could see it was just PACKED with people. (By packed I mean this is the biggest party in the WORLD with more than a million people. Google it if you want I don’t have time to find an accurate number, but I’ve heard up to 3 million.) We got right in there and walked in the parade which, in this area, was huge trucks blasting music. While we were dancing in this parade is where I can see it getting out of control. There were two guys and seven girls in my group… the guys definitely had to be aware of all of us because you were just being pulled on and slobbered on. That being said, I never felt threatened at all, and I didn’t get anything stolen. (SAS had been warning us constantly about wearing the right clothing and hiding your money because of rampant thievery during Carnaval.) One of my friends did get mugged, but nothing of hers was stolen. Other people weren’t so lucky. But, my group and I didn’t stay out very late just because it is a different crowd there later at night. But I had an amazing time.
Early the next morning a lot of my friends left for trips in other parts of Brazil (Rio, Lencois, the Amazon). The rest of us went to the market and went shopping. It was a pretty low key day. Then I had the best meal of my life. We went a restaurant called Boi Preto (I think). It’s a Brazilian steakhouse. When you sit down, they give you a small coaster. One side is green and says “Sim, por favor! Yes, please!” The other side is red and so “Nao obrigado! No thank you!” When the green side is up, all of these waiters come by with (seriously) huge chunks of steak, chicken, sausage, bread, cheese, drinks, desserts, and fish and if you say yes they give it to you. There was also a huge buffet of sushi and other seafoody things. It was SO good. The food was delicious, and it was just so much fun because it’s unlike anything I’d ever been to for a meal!
Thursday, my friend and I met up with a small group we had run into the night before. In a sort of complicated manner, they had access to a private boat and driver for the day. We were in the water for about thirty-five minutes and ended up on a small island. The beach was beautiful, and there were no people or buildings. It was just a beach surrounded by palm trees. It was breathtaking. Eventually we got back in the boat and went to a different part of the island that had a few beachside restaurants. There was no dock or anything, so you just had to jump off the boat and swim to shore for the food. As we ate, the tide kept rising. By the end, the water was up to our knees. I don’t know how it could possibly have gotten any better than that. It was an absolutely amazing, beautiful afternoon. After getting back from that wonderful excursion, I went to a futbol game. Bahia won against a really bad team, but it still was a fun experience with everyone cheering and chanting and jumping up and down. It was a lot of fun.
Other than that, I’ve just been hanging out, exploring Salvador. It was a very relaxing five days. The people were friendly and very affectionate haha. I was surprised by the favelas and how dilapidated almost all the homes seemed to be. In the other two ports, right where the cruise ships dock is super touristy, like trying to make it look good. But in Salvador, you walk off the ship and, literally, you step over puddles of urine. It smells, and it’s gross. Not until you get to Old Town did it start to have a quaint feel to it. If I were to come back to Brazil, I don’t think I would come back to Salvador, but I would definitely love to see both the Amazon and Rio.
So! I loved Brazil. Now it’s off to Cape Town, South Africa! I believe we’re at sea for eight days this time. Hopefully I don’t go crazy or get seasick. I’ve only felt nauseas once, took ginger and I was fine. But the Atlantic will be a lot rougher than the Caribbean so we’ll see! Hope all is well!
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