By Rudi Kimmie
The perfect antidote to vertigo caused by the plummeting rand is to throw caution to the wind, call up your free spirit and head for a spot where your soul can syncopate to elemental rhythms. For this, I recently chose Brazil’s balmy Salvador de Bahia.
It is easy to be seduced by Rio de Janeiro, with its lure of sun, sea, samba and the “girl from Ipanema”. Before hitting this wild city, many tourists hone their “six packs”, aiming to strut their stuff on Copacabana beach.
However, after tearing myself away from Rio and heading to Bahia, I was amply rewarded - in this vast country, Salvador de Bahia is an undervalued gem.
Salvador is situated at the mouth of the magnificent Todos os Santos Bay on the northeast coast of Brazil. While the city, which was once Brazil’s capital, might have lost some of its glamour, it is lively and fun. As a friend remarked: “If there were a competition for a city not looking for an excuse to party, Salvador would take the crown.”
The waving palm leaves and the rolling surf on endless stretches of beach are a tranquil backdrop to the groups of musicians who roll out their spontaneous rhythms on the streets.
On Tuesday nights, the city centre is crammed with jiving revellers at sponsored outdoor music concerts. Those seeking more traditional musical fare head to the Casa de Olodum.
Groups of musicians … roll out their spontaneous rhythms on the streets
However, Salvador also has a dark past. Once one of Brazil’s main slave ports, the city is imprinted with the memories of African cousins who survived the torturous journey across the seas. Much of the culture in the city, including food, music, dance and religious practices, has an African flavour.
However, like most Brazilian cities, Salvador is also a rich tapestry of cultural fusion. Its former unwelcome visitors - the Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese colonists - have all left their “calling cards” scattered around the city - particularly in the architecture.
Much of this can be seen in the restored section of the historical city, in Largo do Pelourinho. It is also on these cobbled streets where the bulk of tourists gather to gape at the passing parade, or visit the myriad coffee shops, bars and eateries.
Food, particularly the West African fare, is cheap and flavoursome. Taste-bud titillators include acaraje (schwarma stuffed with salad and pepper), spicy moqueca de camar%26atilde;o (shrimp dish) and moqueca de peixe (fish dish). When the spice bites, soothe your palate with the traditional guarana drink (Brazil’s answer to Coca Cola).
As one of the economic powerhouses in South America, Brazil is a magnet for traditional craft workers from the continent to ply their wares. Salvador does the intrepid shopper justice through its many craft markets, such as the Mercado Modelo, where exquisite and colourful crafts can be purchased at bargain prices.
The sinuous twang of the berimbau
Of course, one cannot return from Salvador without sporting the “I’ve-been-lying-half-naked-on-the-beach” look. Besides the beautiful bodies Brazil is renowned for, the beaches in Salvador are also exhibition spots for capoeira, the martial-art-turned dance that originated in Africa.
To the sinuous twang of the berimbau (bow-like musical instrument), the capoeistas (practitioners) engage in graceful acrobatics which aim at unbalancing their opponents.
For unfortunate visitors who have to succumb to sleep, Salvador is not a budget-buster. Affordable accommodation averaging approximately $40 (about R480) per room can be found in the Barra and Pelourinho districts.
Getting to Salvador is easy as no visas are required for South African visitors.
South African Airways has regular flights to Sao Paolo and excellent internal travel options make access to most parts of Brazil possible.
amp,calling card
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