Wondering what a trio elétrico is or why popcorn (pipoca) is an indispensable part of Salvador carnaval? Then read on below for a list of the most commonly used terms so you can navigate Salvador’s carnaval with confidence. Abadá — Originally a term used for capoeira uniforms, this term refers to the shirt that carnaval […]
I stayed in Pousada Estrela do Mar my very first trip to Salvador so it will always have a special place in my heart. It is this pousada where I roomed with the woman who, as a result of that trip, is now one of my closet confidants and dearest friends. It is also the pousada […]
The Hit Hotel in Barra, Salvador is located at the port of Barra, a fantastic location, right on the Orla across from the famous Porto da Barra beach. When you leave the hotel you literally cross the street and you are at the steps leading down to the beach. And I do mean “literally”, not […]
When life hands you lemons, you make lemonade — or, in our case, green papaya juice. Our (mis)adventure started when we had our apartment painted and the strong smell of fumes drove us out and we had to find a new place to sleep while the fumes dispersed. Since staying in a hotel or pousada […]
Interested in learning a bit of Portuguese while you are here in Salvador? Then Barra is the neighborhood for you — all three of the Portuguese schools in Salvador that are geared towards foreigners are located in Barra. The basic model for teaching Portuguese is almost identical across the three schools and they all have very […]
Even in 2020, there is no way to avoid using the ATM in Brazil. Salvador still relies heavily on cash. While most restaurants take credit cards, if you want to catch the bus, take a taxi, pay for a dance or percussion class, buy a coxinha, or get a beer on the beach, you will […]
Yes, the beaches really are like that. And, the caipirinhas really are delicious. A “utility beverage” indeed! The un-official national drink of Brazil, the caipirinha is, to me, most similar to the Cuban mojito. But, mostly it’s delicious. The Traditional Caipirinha The traditional caipirinha is made with cachaça (a white alcohol made from sugar cane), […]
I first found out that Uber was in Salvador back in early 2016 when a friend of mine came to dinner and was raving about this super-cheap taxi alternative he was using. “Oooohhh-bah” it was called. Since I hadn’t yet tuned my ear to the Brazilian accent, I couldn’t figure out that he was talking […]