Afternoons in Salvador
October 18, 2006
Wooden carvings of the Orixas at the Afro-Brazilian Museum
There were guys who worked on the beach, setting up chairs and umbrellas and selling beverages. We had our "spot" and Tico was our guy. The fact that he spent his days in the sun definitely showed on his tan leathery skin. There were speculations that he actually lived on the beach and slept there at night. He greeted us with firm handshakes and he usually had a cigarette hanging out of the side of his mouth. I requested an umbrella from him often because the sun was very hot there and I don't really need a tan. He would periodically fill a watering can in the ocean and come around to pour cold water on his customers' feet. Something about this weirded me out and it was a bit shocking when you didn't see him coming.
I typically stay away crowded touristy beaches, but there was something loveable about Porto da Barra.
Largo do Pelourinho
My roommate Romy and I agreed that we would take time to visit the museums in Salvador. The first one we went to was the Museo Afro-Brasiliero in Pelourinho. I don't remember how much it cost, but it was pretty inexpensive and cheaper if you have a Student ID. The descriptions on the exhibits were all in Portuguese, but at the entrance they ask you what language you speak and give you a book with translations.
Capoeira in Pelourinho
In Salvador you won't find huge modern museums like the ones you'll find in major US and European cities. There are several smaller museums with some interesting exhibits that explain the history and culture of Salvador. Here is some information about some of the ones I went to:
MUSEU AFRO-BRASILEIRO
The Afro-Brazilian Museum is located in Pelourinho in Terreiro de Jesus. The exhibit starts in West Africa and follows the timeline to present day Brazil. The displays are in Portuguese, but when you enter, the person working asks you what language and gives you a book of translations to guide you through the museum. My favorite part of this museum was the room at the end. In that room, the walls are covered with wood panels that depict the Candomble Orixas. These were carved by the Brazilian artist Carybe. Below the Afro-Brazilian Museum is the small Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia (Archaeology and Ethnography) which is included in the price of admission.
website: http://www.ceao.ufba.br/mafro/welcome.htm
MUSEU CARLOS COSTA PINTO
This museum is nicely set up in a colonial house and it has a permanent collection of jewelery, paintings, furniture and other housewares as well as visiting exhibitions. Some rooms are set up to recreate the orginal house of Carlos Costa Pinto. Costa Pinto was an art collector who wanted to start a museum and his wife carried out his dream after he died. There is a nice courtyard in front, a small gift shop and a cute cafe in the back.
website: http://www.museucostapinto.com.br/
MUSEU ARTE MODERNA DA BAHIA
This is located in the Solar do Unhao which has a variety of things to do and great scenery. The main museum has exhibits that change every few months so check ahead of time to see what's on display. It is a small but very nice museum with a cool large wooden staircase in the middle. There is also a smaller separate room that had an exhibit of humorous paintings the Mona Lisa in interesting situations when we went. Outside there is a modern art sculpture garden which starts at the top of a hill and goes down towards the bay.
MUSEU NAUTICO DA BAHIA
This museum is located inside the Farol da Barra fort/lighthouse. It gives a bit of history about the different European settlers of Salvador as well as the Native Americans and the Africans who were brought over. throughout the museum there are maps, small ships and other navigational items. I'm not exactly sure what everything was because some signs had English translations, and many didn't! It's good to take a visit just to go inside the lighthouse and the views are great from there.
MUSEU AFRO-BRASILEIRO
The Afro-Brazilian Museum is located in Pelourinho in Terreiro de Jesus. The exhibit starts in West Africa and follows the timeline to present day Brazil. The displays are in Portuguese, but when you enter, the person working asks you what language and gives you a book of translations to guide you through the museum. My favorite part of this museum was the room at the end. In that room, the walls are covered with wood panels that depict the Candomble Orixas. These were carved by the Brazilian artist Carybe. Below the Afro-Brazilian Museum is the small Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia (Archaeology and Ethnography) which is included in the price of admission.
website: http://www.ceao.ufba.br/mafro/welcome.htm
MUSEU CARLOS COSTA PINTO
This museum is nicely set up in a colonial house and it has a permanent collection of jewelery, paintings, furniture and other housewares as well as visiting exhibitions. Some rooms are set up to recreate the orginal house of Carlos Costa Pinto. Costa Pinto was an art collector who wanted to start a museum and his wife carried out his dream after he died. There is a nice courtyard in front, a small gift shop and a cute cafe in the back.
website: http://www.museucostapinto.com.br/
MUSEU ARTE MODERNA DA BAHIA
This is located in the Solar do Unhao which has a variety of things to do and great scenery. The main museum has exhibits that change every few months so check ahead of time to see what's on display. It is a small but very nice museum with a cool large wooden staircase in the middle. There is also a smaller separate room that had an exhibit of humorous paintings the Mona Lisa in interesting situations when we went. Outside there is a modern art sculpture garden which starts at the top of a hill and goes down towards the bay.
MUSEU NAUTICO DA BAHIA
This museum is located inside the Farol da Barra fort/lighthouse. It gives a bit of history about the different European settlers of Salvador as well as the Native Americans and the Africans who were brought over. throughout the museum there are maps, small ships and other navigational items. I'm not exactly sure what everything was because some signs had English translations, and many didn't! It's good to take a visit just to go inside the lighthouse and the views are great from there.
