Chapada Diamantina & Salvador

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Chapada Diamantina blew our minds in a swift two days. As the name suggests, Chapada Diamantina (Diamond Plateau) was, for a long time, the site of intensive diamond mining. Sixteen years ago, the Brazilian government chose to ban all mining in favour of preserving the natural beauty of the area. And rightly so. The place is absolutely spectacular. As it turns out, ecotourism is far better, economically, for the region than mining. Having said that, it's difficult to ignore the fact that you're hiking around on top of a huge deposit of the precious stones.

We didn't really even know about Chapada Diamantina until we had already arrived in Brazil and it was recommended to us by a guy from São Paulo, so it was never in our plans and we had to give up a few days in other places in order to fit it in, but it was totally worth it. Our one regret is that we didn't get to spend more time there to enjoy more of the wonders of that vast national park.

The town of Lençóis acts as the main launch pad for tours through the park. After Jeri, it might be the most charming town we've yet seen in Brazil. It's another UNESCO site, so new development is strictly regulated, and the result is a lovingly preserved and restored colonial town from when mining was first practiced in the area, some 150 years ago. The building our hostel was in was a hundred years old, the key to our room an antique brass one. The roads are all cobbled, the restaurants have tables that spill out onto the streets so you're literally eating your dinner on the road with cars rolling past. It's really really gorgeous.

There are a large number of tours available at an even larger number of agencies in Lençóis, lasting anywhere from a few hours to a week or more. We chose a couple of day trips to a few of the major highlights of the park. Mostly spectacular view points, blue-green swimming pools and a bunch of beautiful waterfalls. One waterfall, the highest in Brazil, was reached by a sweaty 6km hike up one of the plateaus and on arrival at the top, you have to lie down on a rock shelf that appears to be suspended out over a 450m deep canyon, inch yourself out to the edge with your guide hanging onto your feet to stop you from being sucked into the void. Once there, you can see the waterfall spewing out of the rock face beneath you. It's quite awe inspiring.

We spent the following nine days hanging out in Salvador, and seeing the city at our leisure. We had a beautiful studio apartment in the neighbourhood of Barra, 3 blocks from the beach and a gorgeous balcony overlooking the Atlantic.

Salvador was absolutely hopping with pre-carnaval parties and impromptu rehearsals in the streets. Our regular forays into the historic center generally ended up at some random drumming rehearsal or bloco. We took a day to go to Praia do Forte to see the TAMAR sea turtle project they have. While the beachside town is pleasant enough, it wasn't worth the effort of traveling 3 hours each way to get there.

There is a large population of Afro-Brazilians in Bahia, descended from the slaves imported during Portuguese colonization and they have their own religion called Candomble. The gods are called Orixas, and there are quite a few of them. One of which is Iemanja, Queen of the ocean. We went to the festival of Iemanja in a nearby neighbourhood where people make offerings and gifts to her and send them out in boats to the sea. Offerings that don't return to shore are considered accepted by her. I can't help thinking that those gifts have been swallowed by some poor humpback whale or wrapped around a dolphins neck.

Salvador was very relaxing for us, lounging on our balcony, going for swims and cooking good food (no more cake for breakfast!) it was a much needed time out, before we fly to the craziness that is Rio de Janeiro in the throes of Carnaval!

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Comments

[Caroline]

Lovely
I'm so happy that you are having the time of your life and all - but you have been away for aaaages and I'm starting to miss you. Come home. Love C

[TheDeMathers]

Soon.
Two weeks, my love. We will be home. ;)