|
|
WELCOME TO SALVADOR Famous for its natural beauty, Salvador was the first Capital of Brazil. The city is rich in African culture as many of the descendents of the slaves who were brought here kept a lot of their culture and heritage so there is singing and music in the streets on a daily basis, brightly dressed women, beautiful paintings and yummy food, specially at the oldest part of the city, called Pelourinho. Pelourinho: It means whipping post in Portuguese, and this was the old slave auction location in the days when slavery was common. Slavery in Brazil ended in 1888, and over time, this portion of the city, though home to artists and musicians, fell into disrepair. In the 1990's, a major restoration effort resulted in making the area a highly desirable tourist attraction. Pelourinho has a place on the national historic register and named a world cultural centery by UNESCO. Did you know? The Carnival celebration in Salvador da Bahia has grown to be the world’s largest street party according to the Guinness Book of World Records. While the famous Carnival in Rio de Janeiro centers on the Samba Schools and the parades of extravagantly-dressed sambistas in the Sambòdromo, the party in Salvador takes place completely in the street. Hundreds of thousands of people follow the trio-elètricos, huge trucks outfitted with enormous speakers and live bands playing on top of them, and dance and sing in the streets. Different routes are planned throughout the city, highlighting the diverse music traditions of Bahia and Brazil. The biggest names in Brazilian music make appearances in Salvador’s Carnival and perform atop the trios as the crowd either follows the truck in a roped-off bloco, or watches from above in comfortable, custom-designed camarotes- full-service observation stands that often double as night-clubs, bars, and restaurants. The party lasts from dusk until dawn, with only a few hours of rest and recuperation before starting up again every day.
|
