While wandering through Salvador today we met a whistle blowing character, and eventually made our way to the Farol da Barra, a lighthouse built on an old pentagonal Portuguese fort. Walk the streets of Salvador at dusk in today’s gallery…
Despite looming clowds, we took a bus northward along the coast until we reached Pedra do Sal beach in the neighborhood of Itapuã. The ocean beaches to the north of the city have fewer people and bigger waves, which is exactly what we were looking for. We also found a stand selling a traditional Bahian delicacy. Come see Itapuã by clicking here…
Today we took a bus to the southern end of the city where we caught a tiny boat to out-of-the-way island of Ilha Maré. After a meal and a relaxing afternoon, we returned to our neighborhood only to find a huge beach concert already underway. Spend a day and a night on Bahia’s beaches in today’s photo gallery…
On Porto da Barra, Salvador’s main beach, a sea of people are dancing under the stars. There is a perfect beach party underway: a warm night, crowds of people of all ages, swimmers, and a floating stage just past the waves on which some of Brazil’s most famous and well respected singers are belting out hits. Waves lap at my ankles, music floods my ears.
The concert is free, goes all night, and is even staffed by life guards should a fan exit the carefully marked swimming zone in front of the enormous floating stage. At this very moment Gal Costa is on, next up is Tom Zé, and it is said that the Brazilian musician-gods Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso will take the stage eventually. This type of thing just never happens where I’m from. (more…)