My First Weekend in Salvador
October 20, 2006
After the first two weekends of exploring other parts of Bahia, it was
time to spend weekend in Salvador. On Friday night we met up in the
Barra neighborhood. Barra has a wide range of nightlife from mellow sit
down bars to energetic dance clubs. We sat down and had drinks at an
outdoor bar/restaurant while the area grew more and more lively. After
awhile, we went to a club next door called World Bar. I was happy to
hear that Friday was reggae night and there was a live band. They sang
a bunch of Bob Marley covers but I couldn't tell if they were singing
in English or Portuguese. I danced all night and had a great time and
had to be dragged off the dance floor by my roommates when it was time
to go home.
On Saturday, my roommate Sarah and I went to see Bale Folclorico da Bahia. Some of our other roommates had seen the show the weekend before when we were away in Lencois. Everyone said was something we had to see before we left Salvador. We took a cab to Pelourinho and purchased tickets at Teatro Miguel Santana before heading to dinner at Jardim das Delicias. Live entertainment is common at restaurants in Bahia and there was a guy singing and playing guitar. There was something very odd about his singing, he sounded strangely similar to a backwoods bluesman from Mississippi and I wasn't convinced that he could really sing like that. We eventually figured out that he was lipsynching to recorded music. Every once in awhile he would pick up his saxaphone and play a horrible solo with the recording. It definitely made dinner more entertaining. After dinner we went back to the theater and sat next to a couple from Germany. They were very interested in hearing about the U.S. and our volunteer work in Salvador and we chatted with them until the show began. The show was amazing- if you go to Salvador, you have to see it!
On Sunday, the sky was cloudy and rain was in the forecast, but that didn't stop us from going to a soccer game to support the Bahia team. We arrived at the stadium and purchased tickets. To interact with the ticket sellers, there is only a triangular hole a few inches wide that was about eye level for me (I'm 5'2"). I'm assuming it's for their safety and to avoid robberies. There were people selling cheap team jerseys in the parking lot, so some of us who didn't already have team gear bought hats and shirts. As we got closer to the entrance there were vendors selling kebabs, beer, and sugarcane juice. It's all very cheap but you can't bring inside any food or drink you purchase outside of the stadium. When we got to the entrance there was a lot of commotion and we were tangled up in a huge crowd. They kept telling people different things and we kept moving from gate to gate, not understanding what was going on but following the crowd. For some reason they wouldn't let us in and the crowd was getting really angry. We were packed in like sardines and trying to hold on to our purses and each other. Eventually we got in without getting trampled on.
The game had already begun so we made our way up to the seats. Inside the stadium you can purchase tickets for food and drinks that are almost as cheap as the things outside. If I remember correctly, $R5 gets you 3 beers. And I think cheap Brazilian beer is much more tolerable than cheap American beer. Just as we were beginning to enjoy the game, it started to rain heavily. We left the stands and joined people under the covered areas. Because a good chunk of the volunteers decided to go to the game, we clearly stood out as foreigners. Some people weren't happy we were there and shouted "Gringos go home!" at us. Another group of guys took a different approach and kept throwing peices of popcorn at us. I think that was their way of flirting. Another group of guys was nice enough to give up their seats to us. As we all know from the World Cup, Brazilians are passionate about soccer and it's no different with local teams. Our team won 4-1 and everyone was happy.
After the game we headed to Shopping Barra for dinner. We ran into Rodrigo, the guy who had helped translate for us in Lencois the weekend before. It seems that if you're in Bahia for at least a few weeks, you'll run into the same people all the time. We kept seeing people with Bahia team jerseys who had come from the game and they cheered when they saw us in our shirts because our team won. When we were eating at the food court, we ran into the CCS Brazil Program Director, Grace. She was on her way to see a movie and the next day she scolded us about eating junky American fast food while we were in Brazil. We thought it was a bit funny and embarassing but it was nice to have someone encouraging us to have a more Brazilian experience.
On Saturday, my roommate Sarah and I went to see Bale Folclorico da Bahia. Some of our other roommates had seen the show the weekend before when we were away in Lencois. Everyone said was something we had to see before we left Salvador. We took a cab to Pelourinho and purchased tickets at Teatro Miguel Santana before heading to dinner at Jardim das Delicias. Live entertainment is common at restaurants in Bahia and there was a guy singing and playing guitar. There was something very odd about his singing, he sounded strangely similar to a backwoods bluesman from Mississippi and I wasn't convinced that he could really sing like that. We eventually figured out that he was lipsynching to recorded music. Every once in awhile he would pick up his saxaphone and play a horrible solo with the recording. It definitely made dinner more entertaining. After dinner we went back to the theater and sat next to a couple from Germany. They were very interested in hearing about the U.S. and our volunteer work in Salvador and we chatted with them until the show began. The show was amazing- if you go to Salvador, you have to see it!
On Sunday, the sky was cloudy and rain was in the forecast, but that didn't stop us from going to a soccer game to support the Bahia team. We arrived at the stadium and purchased tickets. To interact with the ticket sellers, there is only a triangular hole a few inches wide that was about eye level for me (I'm 5'2"). I'm assuming it's for their safety and to avoid robberies. There were people selling cheap team jerseys in the parking lot, so some of us who didn't already have team gear bought hats and shirts. As we got closer to the entrance there were vendors selling kebabs, beer, and sugarcane juice. It's all very cheap but you can't bring inside any food or drink you purchase outside of the stadium. When we got to the entrance there was a lot of commotion and we were tangled up in a huge crowd. They kept telling people different things and we kept moving from gate to gate, not understanding what was going on but following the crowd. For some reason they wouldn't let us in and the crowd was getting really angry. We were packed in like sardines and trying to hold on to our purses and each other. Eventually we got in without getting trampled on.
The game had already begun so we made our way up to the seats. Inside the stadium you can purchase tickets for food and drinks that are almost as cheap as the things outside. If I remember correctly, $R5 gets you 3 beers. And I think cheap Brazilian beer is much more tolerable than cheap American beer. Just as we were beginning to enjoy the game, it started to rain heavily. We left the stands and joined people under the covered areas. Because a good chunk of the volunteers decided to go to the game, we clearly stood out as foreigners. Some people weren't happy we were there and shouted "Gringos go home!" at us. Another group of guys took a different approach and kept throwing peices of popcorn at us. I think that was their way of flirting. Another group of guys was nice enough to give up their seats to us. As we all know from the World Cup, Brazilians are passionate about soccer and it's no different with local teams. Our team won 4-1 and everyone was happy.
After the game we headed to Shopping Barra for dinner. We ran into Rodrigo, the guy who had helped translate for us in Lencois the weekend before. It seems that if you're in Bahia for at least a few weeks, you'll run into the same people all the time. We kept seeing people with Bahia team jerseys who had come from the game and they cheered when they saw us in our shirts because our team won. When we were eating at the food court, we ran into the CCS Brazil Program Director, Grace. She was on her way to see a movie and the next day she scolded us about eating junky American fast food while we were in Brazil. We thought it was a bit funny and embarassing but it was nice to have someone encouraging us to have a more Brazilian experience.
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World Bar is located in Barra in a cluster of bars and clubs. The way locals say it, it sounds like "whirl-gee bar"... this confused me so much at first! At this club they always have different bands performing different kinds of music on different days of the week. We always went for Friday night reggae. It started off with a live forro band and then moved onto a live reggae band. I never quite knew what was going on at this club but I remember that they give you a card when you enter and write your name on the list. I think you have to order a certain amount of drinks and have the bartenders mark it on your card. You pay for the drinks, plus a small cover I think when you leave. The mixed drinks weren't all that good, so you probably want to stick to beer there. If you want caipirinhas or some variation of that, go to the bar next door beforehand. The crowd is mostly young and local but we always seemed to meet students from the US who were studying abroad.
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An Introduction to the Music and Dance of Bahia
If you go to Salvador, Bale Folclorico da Bahia is a must. It is an excellent introduction to the culture, dance, and music of Bahia. The dance company has toured internationally and recieved much deserved rave reviews. The performances are Monday through Saturday at 8pm at Teatro Miguel Santana in Pelourinho. There are no shows on Tuesdays, probably because of Bencao- Pelourinho's Tuesday night celebration.
The simple theater is brought to life by the spectacular show. You will see and hear a wide variety of Bahian folk dance and music from all over the state- capoeira, candomble drumming and dancing, samba de roda and more. The repertory ranges from beautiful to exciting and sometimes requires audience involvement. It is never overdone and it is classy, authentic and polished.
The show was $R20 when I first saw it but when I was leaving, the price had been raised to $R25. There may be half-priced tickets available for students. Tickets can be purchased before the show at Teatro Miguel Santana starting at 2pm on weekdays and 4:30pm on Saturdays. Buy tickets in advance, eat dinner in Pelourinho and then enjoy the show!
The simple theater is brought to life by the spectacular show. You will see and hear a wide variety of Bahian folk dance and music from all over the state- capoeira, candomble drumming and dancing, samba de roda and more. The repertory ranges from beautiful to exciting and sometimes requires audience involvement. It is never overdone and it is classy, authentic and polished.
The show was $R20 when I first saw it but when I was leaving, the price had been raised to $R25. There may be half-priced tickets available for students. Tickets can be purchased before the show at Teatro Miguel Santana starting at 2pm on weekdays and 4:30pm on Saturdays. Buy tickets in advance, eat dinner in Pelourinho and then enjoy the show!
