Brazil (part dois): Festas & Carnaval

January 29, 2024 - Pelourinho neighborhood in Salvador, Bahia.

We left off in the previous blog after our time in the National Park, Chapata Diamontina, heading to Salvador, Bahia. I somehow forgot to mention in the previous blog that our 7+ hour bus ride that would take us from the National Park back to the coast hit a little snafu on the way. We've been lucky (knock on wood) with travel logistics for the most part, and even this seems pretty minor in comparison to the sort of things that can go wrong, but dealing with it at the moment and even looking back on it now makes me laugh. 

At one point during the journey, we were temporarily left with nothing but Google Translate and the kindness of strangers to explain why our bus was not able to continue after our lunch stop. With all of us just sitting on the bus waiting, the heat was starting to become unbearable so folks began piling off. People were standing around talking but we, unable to speak Portuguese, were just sort of standing near the group, ready to take our cues from the masses as to when we should board again. 

After another 30 or 40 minutes of having no idea what was happening, someone came around and asked us a direct question. Another passenger nearby heard our desperate "Sorry... nOa FaL0 PoRTugUEse" in our very American accent and came to our rescue with some English translation. Apparently, they were asking if anyone had connecting flights. It was then we learned that the AC system was out on the bus and they were estimating about 2 additional hours until a replacement bus could get there. There was lots of chatter among everyone then, after another 30 minutes or so, everyone started to board again. I found our English-speaking angel and she was able to explain that the group took a vote and the majority decided to carry on without air conditioning. The ceiling emergency exit hatches were opened for what little airflow we could get and we were back on our way. This whole situation was made even more comical by the fact that it started pouring rain at some point, drenching everyone seated near the exit hatches.

A very sweaty and sticky version of ourselves finally rolled into Salvador a couple hours late and made our way to our hotel for the next few days near the historic Pelourinho neighborhood. A very magical neighborhood to walk around in, with cobblestone streets lined with the brightest colored colonial-style buildings. We kept ourselves busy: made a new friend at a bar who invited us to a reggae concert for his birthday, did a walking tour, attended a (very crowded) free Olodum concert, and found a bar with herbal-infused cachaça that we visited a couple times. We hit up the handicraft market, saw Caporiera play, and rode the oldest urban elevator in the world to move between parts of the city. All the while, we saw street signs and other preparations for the upcoming carnival, and there was a buzz of energy around the coming festivities. 

After 5 days in Pelourinho, we changed to a neighborhood near Rio Vermelho to see another part of the city and situate ourselves for the upcoming festival. Located right on the water, the hotel had great views for Johnny to sit and work in the lobby while I explored around and got in my beach time. We were also able to catch a local fútbol match with Esporte Clube Bahia. 

The Dia de Iemanjá / Day of Yemanjá festival falls on February 2nd and, although it is not part of Carnival, it was a great opener for us for the festivities we had ahead. Dressed in white, we joined the crowds to listen to the live music parading in the streets. We even took a row boat out to participate in the tradition of throwing white roses into the sea as an offering. That weekend I was also able to walk around the Barra Beach neighborhood to see all the Trios Electricos, trucks carrying huge speakers and/or live bands that parade about. After our 11 days in Salvador, it was time for our first flight in Brazil to head  North to the cities of Recife and Olinda.

It was tough trying to decide where to celebrate Carnaval, there are so many options and in many ways, you can't go wrong. Many of them have their own specialty or particular traditions that they are known for. Rio is most famous for the Sambadome and the Samba school competitions. Salvador is known for the Trios Electricos (music trucks) and Blocos (street parties), Paraty for its mud festival...the options are endless and it seems like a party no matter where you land. We opted for the combined experience of Olinda and Recife, two cities only 25 minutes apart, it would give us a chance to experience two different types of Carnaval. Olinda is more known for its cultural experience and informal pop-up street parties and parades, with different bands and dance groups winding through the historic streets. Recife on the other side is set up with stages for everyone to enjoy free music, as well as hosting the world's largest Carnaval block party, the "Galo da Madrugada" or Dawn Rooster. Both are all about their frevo dance, something unique to the region and involves little umbrellas and lots of jumping around.

Having dreamed of experiencing Carnaval in Brazil since I played Capoeira in college with Brazilians, I had pretty high expectations. We were breaking the budget a bit for hotel stays to be near enough to the action, and extending our time in Brazil to be there for it. With that said, it blew my expectations out of the water. It was incredible to see and it was everything I had hoped for and more. I wasn't sure if this 40-year-old lady would be able to handle it, but by hitting a lot during the day and not pushing for (too many) late nights, it felt surprisingly manageable. And of course, I loved dressing up. I was able to pull off some Carnaval-ish looks with some scrounging, DIY, and mix-and-match from my suitcase, but it was nothing compared to some of the costumes and outfits we saw. 

We started in Olinda for the first few days and saw it progressively ramp up. Our first night was a Monday, an entire week before the "actual" carnival week, and when we set out for dinner the streets were relatively quiet. We stopped at a corner street bar for a drink, and in that short amount of time, the party went from zero to 60. By the time we finished our second round, the streets were packed with spectators, brass bands, and dancers in elaborate traditional costumes (no samba outfits here). The following days were much the same, but each day the party started a bit earlier. We loved Olinda and wish we could've stayed there for all of our time, but we were lucky to even get an affordable room for the few days we did, so that Thursday it was a short Uber ride to the larger city of Recife nearby. 

The main action in Reciefe takes place at Praça do Marco Zero, where large stages are set up for live performances scheduled throughout the day and into the night. In the evening, it was manageable, but by midnight the crowds really started rolling in and it got difficult to walk around some of the more popular areas. That Friday, we actually took a moto taxi back to Olinda for the day party there, then it was back to our hotel in Receife to rest up a bit before the Galo da Madrugada party. Right when we got to the main parade route to see the large music trucks, it started pouring rain. And I mean POURING. It was all said and done within 30 minutes, but it was a soggy mess afterward, with soaked costumes, running makeup, and very questionable puddles that were best avoided. The rain pretty much put an end to the parade, so at that point, we were just walking around and enjoying the break in the crowd. We managed to last all day and all night by Johnny's strategy of posting up at a street-side table to take in all the action midday, sitting down in the shade, and trying to stay hydrated in the heat that followed the storm. 

We actually left Carnaval a couple days before it wrapped up for a myriad of reasons including cheaper flights, trying to save on hotel costs, and getting to our next stop before the crowds. So with the faint remains of my blue glitter all over, well, everything, we set off for Iguazu Falls with a Superbowl stop along the way. But that's a story for another day.