Salvador is so cool!

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This is a crazy city! first, let me tell you that Maryland or Korean drivers got NOTHING on Salvadorians... After 10pm you can go thru red lights as long as no one is coming....and some do it even when there is. THe city itself has a rich African and South American blend. it's great! There's a cool light house right down the street from my hotel, the historic downtown is great, and I don't have digital pix of that because my camera died, but I will have pix in a few days I will have pix when they are developed.

There is a square that has a church on each end. St. Francis of Assisi and a huge cathedral on the other side. St. Francis church was bathed in gold! I couldnt take pix in there anyway. But I did get some postcards! This city was the original capital of Brazil for about 200 years. Its architecture is traditional Portuguese, with color found only in South America and liveliness found in African cities. Its wild! I love it. Its dirtier that Rio was, but in some ways that added to the ambiance. I have a cool guide but he was in a hurry to go to his next appointment, so after he showed me around the historic spots, I asked him to drop me at the market so I can shop and walk around and then find lunch. I then let myself get in a cab with the craziest drive Ive ever known. But I made it back to my hotel safe. I spend the rest of the day walking around the area around my hotel and then getting ready for my dinner tonight. I was to be picked up and taken to another dinner and dance show. This time showcasing Bahia dances and Capoeira. These were more African dances, showing some of their Gods and Goddesses. The Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art that looks more like dance to me. Its too cool. And these guys can move and contort so much! I had a couple drinks (capihirina) and at the end I was pulled on stage by one of the guys and he tried to show me how to attempt a samba-reggae. I had liquid courage coursing through my veins so it wasnt a big deal. Plus there were others on stage acting as silly as me! It was a great end to an awesome day. Tomorrow I get to go to an island to sunbathe and visit the historic town of Itaparica. Yay!

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