Travel Review: Salvador, Bahia

I've talked about all of the other places that I have been along the way, and now its time to address the big attraction, my base for my fantastic vacation, Salvador. It was an incredibly interesting city, and one of the things that I loved about it is that it positively stinks of promise.

Salvador and indeed the entire North East of Brazil tends to be looked down upon by the rest of the country. As Italians like to put it, Salvador is the "Naples of Brazil". Undoubtedly the southern cities like Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paolo have a much stronger economy, more infrastructure and a generally more "advanced" quality of life. Also, 85% of the people living in Salvador are of African descent, which definitely sculpted the Bahian culture into a fusion of the two continents. I'm not going to lie, the city streets are pretty dirty, and being a tropical country get ready for a few cockroaches here and there, but if you are the kind of person that does not get too hung up on that sort of thing there are other things that Salvador and all of Bahia have to offer that the South just doesn't get. 

Everyone in Bahia is so incredibly laid back that sometimes it seems that stress to them is some common yet fictitious meme on tv shows, like alien abduction or never-ending soap opera comas. The tranquility and optimism is contagious and an amazing break from what Europe has become: a never ending bitter sob-story about our inevitable impending doom. Everyone in Salvador smiles, they know how to have a good time and they just don't sweat the small stuff no matter what, making it impossible for you not to follow their example, and nothing can be better for a person on vacation. This way of doing things even translates over to the restaurants, where the waiters will take their sweet-ass time bringing you your food. Don't bother getting pissy with them, nothing you can do will phase them into anxiously hurrying out your order. Some people can get very annoyed by this and stress over how long they have to wait, but I submit to you this: you're on a beach, drinking a beer in the sun with a wonderful view, what the fuck are you in such a rush for? Just relax and enjoy yourself. 

That is not to say that the people in Salvador don't know how to work, despite the disparaging stereotypes they carry with them a la "lazy Mexican". One thing that I noticed is that they never seem to freaking sleep. At 6 AM I woke up every morning to the sight of people already going to work or jogging along the beach. The gyms open at 5.30AM and by 6 they are packed. Fast forward to the night and everyone is in town having a beer and chatting away. Every excuse is good for a party and trust me, they know how to party. I have no idea when they sleep, but maybe when you're used to doing things at your own pace and never rush you don't need to sleep as much.


I could write an entirely separate post about the food, but although I will be making one about the fruit, I will try to contain myself. It is no secret that I love food, and I did manage to put on a significant amount of weight when I was there, and I can tell you I tasted everything I could get my hands on from the street food to the fancy Japanese restaurant Take', and I loved it all. If I were to pick the one most typical dish of the region it would have to be the moqueca de peixe, a delicious fish stew made with onions, peppers, coriander, tomatoes and coconut oil and served with rice and cassava polenta-esque puree. Thanks to my jet lag I was also able to adopt the typical Bahian rhythm: big breakfast, fairly big lunch, almost no dinner. In fact in Bahia there is no such thing as a dinner party or a dinner invitation because no one really eats dinner, they have lunch invitations that go on for hours and where the beer flows freely. The classic saying says it all (roughly translated): "Eat breakfast yourself, share your lunch with a friend, give your dinner to your enemy". It's actually a very healthy way to live, but all the coconut milk and palm oil still did a number on my crappy metabolism and delicate Italian liver.

All in all there is very little I could say that I didn't like about the place. Despite the problems that it has, such as the dirty streets, the crack problem that is unfortunately starting to take hold in some communities, the half-abandoned buildings in others, Salvador feels like a place I could stick around because of the fact that it is improving, and this sense of potential and optimism is not something that I have ever felt in a community before. Regardless of the fact that where it is now it is of course "behind" in many respects to European cities, there is still the fact that it is on an upward trend, there are great investments pouring into the city both from private and government sources, and you really feel like there's nowhere to go but up, and fast. It puts an older generation in mind of countries like Italy in the 70s, and this communal sense of positive things to come is one that they miss and I have never had the pleasure of growing up in the middle of. It is only after going to a place like that that I honestly realized how depressing Europe and especially Italy (Ireland you're a close second) has become where everyone seems to love an excuse to cry on each others' shoulders and play whose-got-the-worst-politicians. It was allowing myself to ease into the Bahian state of mind that I really had the most relaxing vacation I possibly could have, despite running around the area and visiting a load of things because I wasn't there to rest my body, but my mind. That anxiety that was forever lurking in the back of my brain, under control enough to not be a regular nuisance but never going away, actually left me while I was there. I had a wonderful time, and I most certainly will be back.

Travel Review: Imbassai and Praia do Forte

After getting back from the islands, we spent another couple of days in Salvador before heading about an hour up the coast to Imbassaí. It is a gorgeous place, no doubt about it, but of course with a very different feel from the islands.

In this situation, Imbassaí is to Boipeba as Praia do Forte is to Morro de Sao Paolo. Imbassaí has more pousadas than Boipeba, to be sure, but it is still very behind its neighbor when it comes to construction and things to do. On the beach there are a few shacks lined up with things to eat and at night you need a flashlight to see your feet, which can be a little eerie unless total relaxation in nature is exactly what you're going for. Get ready for a few more lizards, mosquitos and ants than you would meet on the islands, but that is what comes with the stunning tropical nature along with the troops of little primates occasionally flying past.

Unlike Boipeba, I had a freaking blast in the ocean of Imbassaí for one simple reason: there are always waves, the fun kind. Surfers take note this is a great place to practice. Of course it is not a place I would advise to those who are not strong swimmers. We are talking open ocean here and there are no lifeguards around to keep an eye out for you (at least not off-season), but if you know what you're doing and you stay on the shore-side of the point break you'll be fine.

A little lesson in tropical currents just in case: they are very fucking scary, but you have to stay calm. If you do go out to far and one grabs a hold of you and you can't cut out of it, stop trying. It may seem like they're taking you far out, but the currents there are not a straight shot to Africa. They're weird and they swerve in and out, if you lie on your back and let it take you along eventually it will spit you back towards the shore. You may be a good way away from where you got in, which is tiring and inconvenient, but at least you'll be alive. Anyway if you are ever unsure and you don't see people in the water, ask a local, they know all about the currents in their waters. If you see a bunch of people in the water one beach down from you and none on your beach there is most likely a reason.

Luckily, for those less inclined to swim in potentially dangerous waters there is an excellent alternative in Imbassaí. Running parallel to the ocean and then swerving right into it is the calmest, safest little river you'll ever hope to find. Families with children go there so that their kids can have a swim in the bathtub-warm water without having to worry about anything dangerous.

Also, while having lunch in one of the little shacks along the beach we met this little guy. and how cute is he

Praia do Forte, on the other hand, is an entirely different place. It is far more expensive, but even in the off season you're still going to find some people, some music and a place to hang out after dinner. It is more lively and there is not an inch left to build on.

I had far less fun swimming in Praia do Forte because of the fact that the coral reef protects the shore from the waves that I find to be so much fun. Also the tides there vary drastically, and when the tide is in there are many places where there is barely any sand left at all. However, there is one thing that Praia do Forte has that Imbassaí does not, and that is Projeto Tamar.

TURTLES!!

I got to hang out at the beach with some amazing creatures, far more impressive in real life than they are on film I can assure you. I also managed to talk to a researcher there, weighing my options for a potential post-PhD project. For me this was the absolute highlight of Praia do Forte, along with getting to see the hatching and the release of a whole lot of little baby turtles (the zoologist in me melts)

What else can I say? I loved it, I loved it all. One last travel review of Salvador coming up, then sadly I have completed my recount of my first (but definitely not last) trip to Bahia.

Travel Review: Boipeba

Although we were based in Morro de Sao Paulo, we were able to take a quick day trip to the nearby island of Boipeba. While Morro de Sao Paulo seems to finally be getting a little attention from Brazilian tourists, Bahians especially tend to opt for Boipeba instead.

While the Bahian locals scorn Morro for being too touristy, Boipeba has been built on far less, but with water that is no less clear and food that is no less gorgeous. So, which do I prefer? It’s hard to say.

Whatchu looking at? Hm?

While Morro de Sao Paulo might have a more beautiful shoreline, Boipeba has some amazing nature paths. For a very small fee, a local will bring you on a little tour around the island (only in Portuguese though), through the jungle, past the blue land crabs, ending on the gorgeous beaches near the town. 

Here’s a fun fact: It is in fact an Italian man that owns 40% of Morro de Sao Paulo and 30% of Boipeba, and that is of the whole island, including the parts that are uninhabitable (which makes his effective ownership a far larger portion). However, it turns out that for once the European didn’t fuck over the locals, and to their delight he has not destroyed the island to build big eyesore hotels. He has preserved the beautiful nature, began harvesting coconuts and stimulated the island economy through tourism enough that there is even a University (don’t get too excited, I wanted to look into it too, but it turns out they only offer two courses: tourism and pedagogy).

There is no question about it: Boipeba is more authentic, more natural. Consequently, there are fewer “activities” available for you to do. Of course this makes sense for the Bahian people that only live a couple hours away: they’re not going to the islands to zip line or snorkel, they’re going to relax in a gorgeous location, the fewer loud tourists the better. When it comes to us furiners though, it depends on what it is we are looking for. Do you want to cram as many sports, activities and parties into your vacation as possible, or do you want to hang out on the beach, take a stroll through nature, away from all that noise? Me, I love it all, so island hopping was definitely the best way to go.

Book Review: Before I Go To Sleep

I am thoroughly embarrassed that I actually have so few books that I've finished after such a long vacation, especially considering the number of books I carted around the world with me to begin with. Turns out I did much less lounging by the seaside and far more sleeping on the plane than I expected, and after finishing reading Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson, I'm sorry that this rare book review is going to have to be lukewarm.

The premise is one that has been visited before in movies from the superficial rom-com (50 First Dates), the much more interesting thriller (Memento) and even a slapstick Italian comedy (La Legenda di Al John e Jack). In case you live under a rock and have not heard of any of those movies, the premise is that a person suffers brain damage and thus wakes up every morning not remembering anything that happened since a period of time before the accident. They are incapable of converting short term memories into long term ones in their sleep, and thus every morning they wake up not knowing where they are or what has happened to them since. It is a decent premise with which to work, but unfortunately I don't think this book took full advantage of it.

It was certainly evident that this was the writer's first novel. The tone of the book felt very much like an idea was there but extra pages were needed to make it a real novel, so the entire middle portion of the book is, in my opinion, quite bland. It was clear that the idea was there and the end was written first, but when it came to develop on that idea, throwing clues in the narrative and weaving a story that brings you to the "thrilling" end, the author had a little trouble. The only thing I was really surprised to discover is that the author was a man, as I did find the first person tone of a woman very convincing. Unfortunately, I also thought the author was a woman due to the superficiality of some of the elements of the plot which I found to be in common with other blah British thrillers that I've read before.

I guess I'd say good first effort to the author, but it didn't quite do it for me.

Travel Review: Morro de Sao Paulo

I'm finally finally back, and ready to blog along about the wonderfully fantastic trip that I've had until I'm blue in the face. In case any of you forgot or are new arrivals, I just got back from an amazing 2-week holiday in Bahia, Brazil. We used Salvador as a base, but were able to visit a couple of places around the area. The first place we went was Morro de Sao Paulo, a two and a half hour catamaran ride from Salvador. As you can infer from the picture, it was absolutely beautiful.

I'm not going to lie, it's a little touristy. When you step off the boat and walk through the little town it definitely has the tourist-village feel. However, in this case the tourists were definitely not stupid, and there is a very good reason why so many of them flock to this place. I was there very much off-season, and yet it was still full of life. Why not? It was the dead of autumn staring at winter, and it was 30+ degrees.

What I really loved about it was that there was something for everyone. Are you the type of person that likes the fancy tropical paradise hotels, lounging on the beach during the day and parties at night, head on down to the second beach, more expensive but perfect for those tastes. Want to get away from the tourist village, see real beaches and hang out at a local islander's shack for a piece of fish and a coconut? Take a long walk down the fourth beach, where a horse-and-cart will bring you back if you don't feel like walking anymore. Are you more of an adventurous type? Jump off a zip line over the gorgeous water, go banana boating around the island, scuba diving or kayak out to the little rocky tide-islands for some amazing snorkeling. Love fish? Take a boat ride around the islands and stop at the little shacks literally floating on the sea, one that serves clams and the other oysters, where when they run out they just dive off the side and go get more. Feel like an all-natural spa day? Take a walk across the island to the other side, where there is a natural clay right under the sand. Cover your body with it, dry out in the sun and then dive into the cool water for the best free body mask you'll ever hope to have. Shopaholic? Walk through the town especially in the evening where there are local artists making everything from jewelery to hammocks to coconut bongs, and many of the shops are very decently priced. There is something for everyone so I cannot possibly see how anyone can get bored.

Sure if you are one of those people that are patently allergic to anything touristy, first impressions will not be very good. However, looking past the feel of the center of town you realize that the place actually has an amazing amount to offer, and most of the island has been remarkably well preserved. This is no Club Med trying to trick you into thinking that you're having a better time than you should be in an average location, this one of the most beautiful places I have ever laid eyes on, which is exactly why so many people want to go.

Travel Review: Lisbon Aquarium

Greetings greetings from the summery paradise of Salvador Bahia. I have a bunch of material for quite a few travel reviews already, but lets take things one step at a time and start from the beginning.
On Easter Sunday my boyfriend and I took the red eye flight to Lisbon, where we had an eight and a half layover before getting on a flight to Salvador, Brazil. The Lisbon airport is a little small and doesn't have much to offer, my boyfriend's brother only lives an hour away from it and he just had a new baby, so why not have him come over and visit a little bit to pass the time? He arrived with a gorgeous two month old darling and his Spanish girlfriend, which made for an interesting language conundrum: I spoke to my boyfriend in Italian, he translated for his brother in Romanian, he translated to his girlfriend in Spanish. Phew! Anyway once we said hi all around my boyfriend's brother suggests: why not go to the Lisbon Aquarium to pass some time before your flight? Boy I love you already. Best layover idea ever!

We get the full ticket to see both the "temporary" exhibit and the "permanent" one, and I am extremely excited. There are TURTLES! We go straight up to the temporary exhibit which is the one that was supposed to be all about turtles. I saw one turtle. It was cool, it swam under my feet, but all in all the temporary exhibit was mostly information and very few actual animals to see. I was a little disappointed, so we moved on to the permanent portion of the aquarium.

This part was far, far better. It is very cleverly designed, revolving around one gigantic tank with a manta ray and some huge sharks, but I cannot say that you don't get some pretty awesome value for money. They have puffins! and OTTERS! having (relatively) recently been to the aquarium in Barcellona, it was fun to see some completely different animals from the ones that were chilling over there. Not to mention the funniest spaz of a puffin I've ever seen.

All in all I can't say that the aquarium in Lisbon is better than the one in Barcellona, I still think the latter wins out certain levels, but it definitely comes close to it. Also it is not too far away from the airport and right on the sea, so it makes for a lovely little walk and, as I said before, the best layover I have ever had in my life!

Happy Easter Everyone! Bubye

Well tomorrow morning at the crack of dawn I am taking two weeks off, going to be on a plane to Brazil. Booyah.

Of course that means that my presence on this blog will be patchy at best. I have no idea how much internet access I will be having and either way the next few posts will most likely be book and travel reviews.

So with that I'll be off, hope you all have a fun and chocolate-filled Easter after a Lent I'm sure none of you actually took part in, and I'll see you when I get back :)