Salvador DE Bahia, Brazil (1/20/2007)

From: Sherman Rootberg (BiggiRoot)
Date: Jan 20, 2007 7:16 PM
Subject: Saturday, January 20, 2007

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Salvador DE Bahia, Brazil

This was the first Capital of Brazil and was so for 200 years. The bay it is situated on is humongous. Some originally took it for another ocean. The city is on two levels. The commercial and industrial is on the lower level as are some of the poorest neighborhoods. The better homes, stores and businesses are on the upper level. Right at the entrance to the harbor are two ancient elevators. One is about 120 years old and the other about 80 years old. The older one was powered by African slaves and the second by electric. It costs about 25 cents US to use the electric one now.

We originally had planed to rent a private car to see the area but the other party craped out on us. Too cheap I’m sure. So the other option was a group tour by bus.

Didn’t cost much and wasn’t at all what I wanted. We had a terrific guide that spoke very good English. Problem was the tour itinerary. It was not as expected. Very little driving around and instead, walking for most of the time into nothing but one church after another.

If going to church assures you are going to heaven, then we are a shoe in. We have been in hundreds all over the world. These were some of the most hideous. They were mostly of what they call the baroque style. Walls, ceilings, everything potchkeyed with overdone ornate small silly designs. This all covered in hundreds of pounds of gold while the vast majority of poor people are uncared for. Same as almost all other religions do in other parts of the world. Something I could never understand.

The people can’t get enough food to eat. Health care is primitive if there is any at all. Education unaffordable. But always plenty of money for churches and temples to be extremely ornate.

The first Cardinal of this area made a huge mistake. He had no idea the local Indians ate Sardines. Problem was, his name was Sardine and they did eat him. There are statues and plaques depicting this. Made my day.

The city was something to see. So far different from anything in the States. Narrow winding streets like in Portugal or old Europe. The sidewalks and streets were all paved with uneven stone. In some places they were cut stone in the shape of octagons, some were like paver bricks, and others just non uniform rocks. Very interesting to see the buildings and houses one on top of another and always in different colors like a Mediterranean village. There were many really nice and large public parks.

While the people in the streets were all over you trying to sell you something, they were friendly and you never felt threatened. We were warned that these cities in South America and especially Brazil, were some of the worst in the world for theft and pick pocketing. We were even told stories of recent incidents. No one I heard of had any problem.

I do enjoy seeing these new and strange places. Too many people keep telling me that there is nothing worth seeing. I think that is because it so much different then where they live. Difference does not mean worse or better. It does mean you get to learn of something new. That’s what I came to see. Other wise I might as well go to Milwaukee or Peoria. Come to think of it, I have. I don’t recommend them as a place for a vacation tour. Salvador I do.