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Wear red and white, they said. It'll be fun, they said.⁣ ⁣ And it was.⁣ ⁣ It was Festa de Santa Barbara on December 4, 2014 — our first major festival in Salvador. It's the unofficial official kick-off to the Carnaval season — the first of many shows, festivals, and festivities leading up to the big week.⁣ ⁣ The streets were filled with thousands of people dressed in red and white. Samba-reggae bands playing in the streets, the three main stages all with different music happening — and you could wander in and out for free. Street vendors everywhere selling food and drink (watered-down pilsner, FTW).⁣ ⁣ Santa Bárbara is an annual festival and is always highly-anticipated by residents. It tends not to attract a lot of visitors, which makes it that much more fun to attend.⁣ ⁣ In true Bahian fashion, the day starts with an 8 am religious ceremony, there is a mid-day pause, and then starting mid-afternoon it turns into a full-on party that goes until late in the night. The entire party takes place — morning until night — in the city's historic center, the Pelourinho.⁣ ⁣ And in true Solteropolitano fashion, it's a religiously synchronized festival (well, at least the morning is). Catholicism and the west-African Candomblé religion are synchronized together in this Afro-descendent city, so the Catholic deity Santa Bárbara and the Candomblé deity Iensã are celebrated together.⁣ ⁣ Is the party happening in 2021? ⁣ ⁣ There has been no official announcement. Currently, gatherings of more than 3,000 are still prohibited and as the morning ceremony typically draws thousands. So, my guess is there won't be any officially-sanctioned activities. However, I do expect but crowds to gather — they did last year.⁣ ⁣ You can learn more about the festival and how religious synchronism looks over on my blog.⁣ ⁣ 👉👉 Link in my bio 👈👈⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #salvadorbahia #igbahia #ig_brazil #bahiabrazil #bahiabrasil #santabarbara

I've broken down the five best neighborhoods for visitors to Salvador so you can choose the right neighborhood for you.⁣ ⁣ I break it down by:⁣ ✅ Price point⁣ ✅ Transportation options⁣ ✅ Grocerypharmacy⁣ ✅ Type of tourist⁣ ✅ Restaurants and nightlife⁣ ⁣ 👉👉 Link in bio 👈👈⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #explorebrazil #salvadorbahia #igbahia #ig_brazil #visitbrazil #travelbrazil #braziltravel #discoversouthamerica #travelsouthamerica #traveldestinations #doyourtravel #amazingplacestovisit #touristmode #slowtravel #touristythings #authentictravel #smallgrouptravel #tripgoals #worldtravels #touristing #vacationgoals

A little bit of the local artwork in Porto da Barra.⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #barra #lazyweekend ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣#selfcaresaturday #salvadorbahia #igbahia #ig_brazil #bahiabrazil #bahiabrasil #ig_brazil_ #graffart

It's been 20 months, but festivals are finally returning to Salvador. ⁣ ⁣ Next weekend, November 17-21 is Flipelô — Festa Literária Internacional do Pelourinho.⁣ ⁣ Sponsored by Casa de Jorge Amado (Bahia's favorite author son), this four-day festival will be both virtual AND on the streets of the Pelourinho this year. If you happen to be in town, be sure to check it out.⁣ ⁣ Activities include:⁣ ⭐ Live music and more live music (including an opening by uber-popular Jaú)⁣ ⭐ A giant street fair of food and local handicrafts⁣ ⭐ Talks by local, national, and international poets and authors (in Portuguese)⁣ ⭐ Gastronomy workshops⁣ ⭐ Children's activities⁣ ⁣ There are over 100 programmed activities over the five days.⁣ ⁣ Even if you don't speak Portuguese, I think it's worth a visit to check out the street fair. There should be lots and lots of tasty local food, plentiful cachaça and liquors, and an abundance of local handicrafts.⁣ ⁣ If you are looking for a couple of specific activities to anchor your visit to, here are a couple of options (no Portuguese required):⁣ ⁣ 💡 Thursday 7:00 pm - official opening with Jaü⁣ 💡 Saturday 5:00 pm - capoeira workshop (play and/or watch)⁣ 💡 Sunday 5:00 pm - roda de capoeira (watch)⁣ ⁣ I fully intend to stop by at least one and partake in the tasty street food and hunt for Christmas presents.⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #salvadorbahia #igbahia #ig_brazil #bahiabrazil #bahiabrasil #flipelo #pelourinho #pelourinhosalvador

Just passing through to wish you all a happy Saturday!⁣ ⁣ 📸: Farol da Barra, Barra, Salvador, 2021⁣ ⁣ #salvadorbahia #igbahia #ig_brazil #bahiabrazil #bahiabrasil #lazyweekend ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣#selfcaresaturday

Salvador Carnaval 2022. Yay or nay? 🎉⁣ ⁣ There is still no official word, believe it or not. But, just this morning the camarâ (like a city council) met at gave the governor and mayor until Monday to make a decision.⁣ ⁣ #salvadormeuamor #salvadorbahia #carnavalsalvador #bahiabrasil #touristythings #touristy #touristystuff

The national spirit of Brazil is cachaça, a spirit distilled from sugar cane. 🍸⁣ ⁣ If your knowledge of spirits is similar to mine — meaning it primarily consists of, "ooohhhhh, that's tasty" and little else — then you may also have thought, "but then why isn't it called rum?"⁣ ⁣ Two things set cachaça apart from rum:⁣ ⁣ 1️⃣ Cachaça is always made from fresh-pressed juice of sugarcane, known as garapa. Rum is typically made from molasses, which is cooked from sugarcane juice. There is one exception to this, which is the rum produced throughout much of the Caribbean. Known as Rhum Agricole, this type of rum IS made from freshly-squeezed sugar cane juice rather than molasses.⁣ ⁣ 2️⃣ Which then puts us right back to, "why is it not called rum?" Much like Bordeaux can only come from the Bordeaux region of France, by law cachaça can only come from Brazil.⁣ ⁣ Very little good cachaça gets out of Brazil (unlike coffee, where ALL of the good stuff seems to get exported), but if you can find a high-quality cachaça, it's worth checking out. ⁣ ⁣ When aged artisanally, it's one of the few spirits aged in something other than oak — artisanal producers tend to use dozens of indigenous woods to infuse a variety of flavors.⁣ ⁣ If you are in Salvador, there are two high-end cachaca shops where you can taste and purchase over a thousand different types: Quitandando Baianinho in Brotas and Companhia da Cachaça in Rio Vermelho.⁣ ⁣ #cachaca #cachacaria #cachaceiro #cachaçaartesanal #cachaceiros #salvadorbahia #riovermelho #salvadorba #caipirinha

The weekend may be over, but the weekend sunset vibes are not.⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #lazyweekend ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ #explorebrazil #salvadorbahia #igbahia #ig_brazil #visitbrazil #travelbrazil #braziltravel #discoversouthamerica #travelsouthamerica #traveldestinations #doyourtravel #amazingplacestovisit #touristmode #slowtravel #touristythings #authentictravel #smallgrouptravel #tripgoals #worldtravels #touristing #vacationgoals

Are flip-flops considered shoes? 👟⁣ ⁣ Strangely (for me), here in 🇧🇷, the answer is no.⁣ ⁣ The first time I heard of this distinction was a few years ago from my Brazilian Portuguese professor. He posted something on Facebook asking if you'd put on shoes to go to the store.⁣ ⁣ Since my thought was, "no shirt, no shoes, no service," as we're taught in the US, my first answer was, "of course."⁣ ⁣ The conversation continued, and eventually it came out that only closed shoes (not flip-flops) count as shoes here. If you are wearing sandals/flip-flops/Havianas, you are wearing sandals. Not shoes.⁣ ⁣ I find the distinction fascinating, and it speaks to me the care that I see most Brazilians take with their appearance. The culture here follows much of the Latin culture of dressing well, including makeup and earrings (if that is your norm) whenever leaving the house. My husband says Brazilians can always recognize foreigners, particularly Americans, because they (we) tend to show up disheveled — which is NOT the Brazilian way.⁣ ⁣ The other day I was reminded of this conversation as we were getting ready to go to the deli two doors down. My hubby looked at the pile of shoes by the door (which includes flip-flops) and said, "I don't want to wear shoes," and slipped into his flip-flops. One of the rare occasions I've seen him leave the house in flip-flops.⁣ ⁣ What do you think? Are flip-flops shoes?⁣ ⁣ 📸: Morro do Cristo, Barra, Salvador, Bahia 2021⁣ ⁣ #explorebrazil #salvadorbahia #igbahia #ig_brazil #visitbrazil #travelbrazil #braziltravel #discoversouthamerica #touristmode #slowtravel #authentictravel #worldtravels #touristing #vacationgoals #differentcultures #differentculture #funfact #trivia

Today is the 47th anniversary of Ilê Aiyê, the first all-black bloco in Brazil. Located in the Liberdade neighborhood of Salvador, the bloco was created out of a Candomblé house and their music is now know as Afro Samba. It is a combination of Candomblê rhythms and a modified samba/samba-reggae beat.⁣ ⁣ 📹: March 2020 (pretty much THE last social event in the city before the pandemic)⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #explorebrazil #salvadorbahia #igbahia #ig_brazil #visitbrazil #travelbrazil #braziltravel #amazingplacestovisit #touristmode #slowtravel #authentictravel #worldtravels #touristing #vacationgoals #samba #sambareggae #musicabrasileira

Post-pandemic getaway planning

From world-class beaches to gorgeous colonial architecture to sultry dance rhythms, discover the 40 reasons why publications from The Guardian to the New York Times are saying that Salvador is a must-visit destination.

Your no-cost inspiration piece comes as a 16-page PDF -- great for printing and sharing with future traveling companions.

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About this site

This is the site I wish I would have had when I first started visiting Salvador. As a friend of mine says, “this is your love letter to Salvador.” It’s true.

This is an amazing place, filled with completely unique culture and warm, friendly people. But, it’s also somewhat inaccessible for non-Portuguese speakers. That’s where I come in.

I still remember what it was like to be new here, and am here to here to help you make the most of your time in Salvador. Learn about my Salvador Concierge service.

Seja bem-vindo/a a Salvador!

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