Salvador, Bahia: pure joy

We set off, eight of us, and I only knew one of them. Destination Salvador: we arrived at night at an airport with not even a policeman and with a very strange stagnant smell, perhaps from the heat and humidity. We take 2 taxis and head for the most touristy area of the city (Porto da Barra), stay 2 nights in a hotel and then look for an apartment to rent, and we manage it, paying 15 dollars a day each (an almost livable apartment), but we adapted.

A day at the beach with a deck chair and umbrella (chair 1 real and umbrella 2 reais, no more) with the chance to have various fish cooked right on the beach or to taste the acarajé made by a typical BAHIAN woman.

MONDAY: the most popular spot is Casquinha de Siri with its pagode music; you can get there by bus (90 cents, that is half a dollar, or taxi 20 reais, that is 10 dollars. I should point out that buses run until midnight).

TUESDAY: Pelourinho, the old town, Afro reggae and the music of Olodum that reigns in this neighbourhood (Olodum concert only on Tuesdays at 25 reais, starting at 8 pm) with all pastel-coloured houses and free live concerts in various little alleys. Wednesday is the night of Manathé, about 20 minutes away by taxi, and if it's not to your taste there are various venues nearby, all with live music: pagode, forró, samba, European, etc.

After 15 days of wild nightlife we were supposed to leave, but on that same day I decided to stay, because there was only a week to go until the legendary and intoxicating CARNIVAL and I couldn't go home without seeing it. All my friends were amazed at my choice. I met a Brazilian woman who showed me a few nearby beaches like PRAIA DO FORTE (the turtle beach), the island of Itaparica (reachable by ferry) and Morro de São Paulo (reachable by fast boat).

When carnival arrived, with the scaffolding already being set up a month in advance, I was astonished to see so many people dancing, drinking, kissing and making love on the beach without even knowing each other. Imagine the rest: 7 days of partying, never stopping, day and night.

When carnival was over the city began to be cleaned up and everyone worked to bring Salvador back as it was. It was time to go home, BUT I PROMISED MYSELF I'd come back, and here I am. I came back and stayed to live here, working (apartment rental agency, tour guide and translator). I'M HERE NOW ALL YEAR ROUND, MARRIED WITH A NEWBORN SON. SALVADOR BAHIA IS SUN, SEA, PARTY, WOMEN AND JOY, TRY IT TO BELIEVE IT

(FOR ANY USEFUL INFORMATION WRITE TO ME AND I'LL TRY TO HELP YOU. BYE FROM MASSIMO) P.S. FROM THAT TIME TO NOW, AS TIME HAS PASSED, PRICES HAVE RISEN, NOT BY MUCH, ALSO BECAUSE WE HAVE THE EURO WHICH EXCHANGES WELL, THAT IS, ONE EURO AT THE MOMENT EXCHANGES AT 1 EURO = 3.50 REAIS bus costs: 45 euro cents a 600ml beer costs: 80 cents a good meat dinner in the best restaurant (churrascaria) costs: 15 euros a fish dinner in the best restaurant costs: 18 euros. SO IT'S ALWAYS GOOD FOR THOSE COMING FROM EUROPE. NOW THERE ARE NEW VENUES AND ON MY SITE YOU CAN SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO IN SALVADOR, JUST CLICK THE BUTTON --THE NIGHTS OF SALVADOR-- THAT WAY YOU'LL UNDERSTAND THE CITY A BIT; YOU'LL GET OTHER INFO ON SITE IF YOU'RE OUR CUSTOMERS. FOR MORE INFO DON'T HESITATE TO SEND ME AN EMAIL. mizzuria@tiscali.it and visit the site