Salvador

 

Facts

Area 324 Km2
Population 2.211.529 (1996)
Area Code 071
Time zone GMT -3 hours
Voltage 110 V

 

Average Temperatures

Months January April June September
ºC ºC ºC ºC
Highest 30,4 29,9 27,1 30,0
Average 26,9 26,8 24,6 26,3
Lowest 24,4 24,1 22,8 23,5

 

Much more than just the capital of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil, is synonymous with a state of mind. It is the Brazilian city which most evokes relaxation, spontaneity, feasts and religiousness. "Bahians aren't just born, they take the stage" said the composer Caetano Veloso, one of the great stars of Brazilian Popular Music, when speaking of the large number of his fellow countrymen, artists, all concentrated in Salvador. Caetano's joke can be explained by the fact that no other Brazilian capital or centre, in recent decades, can claim to have such artistic exuberance as this city.

Moreover, this capital has such a strong presence in all areas - economic, social, cultural and political - that its name is confused with that of Bahia. It is common for someone to say that they are going to "the city of Bahia", when in reality they are travelling to Salvador. In the words of its best-loved son, Jorge Amado, the writer frequently refers to the "city of Bahia" when he is really writing about Salvador.

 
 

This Salvador, so deeply imprinted on the hearts of the people of Bahia, is the main port of entry of foreign tourist to North-East Brazil, who are captivated by its charm, by its infrastructure of hotels and the combination of city and architecture, which finds its greatest expression at the Pelourinho. The Pelô, as it is affectionately called by the Bahians, is located in the historical centre of Salvador, the greatest collection of colonial architecture in Latin America, listed for conservation by Unesco as a World Heritage site. Its pavements, steep streets and public squares serve as permanent stages for musical presentations, and are the strongholds of Olodum, Ilê-Ayê and the Sons of Ghandhi, Afro groups (percussion bands based on African rhythms) which draw crowds the whole year round, particularly during the Carnival.

 

In Salvador, more than anywhere else in the country, the African influence in the makeup of Brazilian culture is readily visible, from the spicy dishes still called by their African names (caruru, vatapá, acarajé), to the ceremonies of candomblé which honour both African deities and Catholic holidays, to the capoeira schools where a unique African form of ritualistic fighting is taught.

 

 

Costa do Sauípe, a wonderful little corner of Bahia, just 47 miles from Salvador, features 4 miles of beaches, sand, dunes, coconut palm groves, lagoons, rivers and plenty of sun. Located in an Ecologically Protected Zone, Sauípe has carefully preserved flora and fascinating fauna.


Recife