Salvador, Brazil

Our last and final destination was Salvador, capitol of Bahia, Brazil's Afrobrazileiro region and major center of african culture. We were sad to leave Arraial d'Ajuda after amazing six days but so very excited at the opportunity to experience the spicier foods, intense rhythmic music and dance, and the beautiful people that result from many generations of african influence. We arrived by ferry, crossing an overcast bay at 5am after another overnight bus ride. Upon arrival we discovered that a famous Brazilian musician was going to be playing in a couple of nights, and quickly bought tickets to see Caetano Veloso, a halmark of Brazil's diverse & eclectic music scene. We danced under the stars, along with a few thousand other screaming fans at the outdoor ampitheater, and the show was unbelieveable. We also stumbled upon a Jazz night at the oceanside terrace of Salvador's main art museum. The Brazilian Jazz music was fantastic, the cool sea breaze felt so nice and the setting couldn't have been more perfect.

We took advantage of being on the seashore and ate amazing seafood dishes and went to churrascarias and traditional Brazilian buffets (per kilo). We took great strolls along the ocean overlooking beautiful lighthouses and packed beaches. One afternoon we found an intimate little beach and as the sun started to set a group of Brazilian guys came out and started doing Capoeira (a type of dance/martial art) and chanting along to music they were playing. Then they started doing amazing gymnastics and flips. We took a late night dip in the ocean and truly enjoyed our last stop in South America. A vast part of the world that will hold so many special memories, truly the experience of a lifetime, that we will forever cherish.