Salvador de Bahia

Published on by jdmaruska

Nautical Term ~ of the day ~ Touch and Go

This referred to the moment when a ship’s keel touched the bottom and deflected off again.

The first capital of Brazil, from 1549-1763, Salvador de Bahia celebrates its rich Afro-Brazilian heritage. It is one of the oldest colonial cities in the Americas and from 1558 the first slave market in the New World, with slaves arriving to work on the sugar plantations. 39% of all slave trade came to Brazil, more than any other country in the world outside of Africa with the exception of Barbados and a few Caribbean islands. With respect to numbers, there are more people of African descent in Brazil than any other country except Nigeria.

Again, these pictures were all taken in 2006. John went ashore without me this year and it was too difficult a walk for him, so only one or two new pictures. But we loved the beautiful and colorful city when we were there last.

  • 2006
  • 2019

The lower city on the water was for the forts, docks and warehouses. Upper city for government and housing. For 3 centuries this was the busiest port in South America with sugar & gold. Picture on left is from 2006 and the same picture on the right is from 2019. Not much difference except in the quality of the camera!

  • African culture and music is prevalent in this city.
  • Left; Lecerda elevator connecting upper and lower city.
  • Our walk thru the Pelourinho area 2006.
The sunset in the west was over water not land and I thought the only water here was the Atlantic in the East. It was the huge bay, 2nd largest next to Hudson Bay. We were on the eastern peninsula facing the bay, west, not the Atlantic!

The above is the Barra Lighthouse at the San Antonio Fortress. Built to protect the Portuguese from Dutch attackers!

Sao Francisco church and convent with centuries of history.
This convent courtyard has the largest collection of blue tile murals for that era, 1750’s.
  • Colonial dress.
  • Statues of goddesses of their Candomble religion.
  • Uniquely carved sandstone facade built in 1750’s, covered up until the 1930’s.
  • Sea Turtle Reserve…
  • and…
  • Park

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Last Modified on November 18, 2019
this article Salvador de Bahia