Work and Play in Salvador

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So much has happened since I first arrived on the last day of February. Classes at OPA, the Organization for Permaculture and Art, started later than planned, but are now at full swing. I have been volunteering here, co-teaching a photography class, documenting the theater class, and working on odd projects. OPA combines the arts and environmental education to kids from low-income communities. After a shaky first day, the classes are going really well and the kids seem to be really enjoying it.

Life in the city has its ups and downs. Living in the historic district of Santo Antônio, right next to Pelourinho, is a mixed bag of beautiful buildings from the 17th century, cobblestone streets, expensive hotels, squatters from Movimento Sem Tetas (people without roofs, or houses), derelicts, street cats and dogs that roam the streets, a fortress from back in the old days, and a beautiful view of the Bay of all Saints. There are lots of fun things to do, shows of all kinds, music in the streets, dance and music classes, good restaurants and bars.

Along with all the festivities, there is a heavy energy that hangs in the air of the days of slavery. Pelourinho, which means whipping post in portuguese, was once the place where slaves where sold and punished by European colonizers. Fast-forward to the 1990's, and the historic district started a restoration from the disrepair it had fallen into to attract a tourist economy. Many of the poorer residents were kicked out in an effort to clean up the streets in the unjust process of gentrification. Now, the beggars on the streets are mostly young boys, who roam the pathways popular to tourists. It is heartbreaking to see them.

Getting out of the city is a necessary reprieve, and my place of choice is a small beach village called Santo Antônio (yes, the same name of the place where I live in the Salvador). It's a quiet, simple place right next to the beach. This place is paradise. I spend my days here surfing, sitting on the dunes, reading, looking out at the crashing waves, drinking fresh coconuts (which I have learned to open by banging them on the trunk of a palm tree) loving life. There's great fish moqueca, a typical Baianan dish made with tomatoes, onions, fresh fish, coconut milk, and dende oil (made from palm trees), at Maria Moqueca, breakfasts that are an enourmous banquet, quiet days, amazing sunsets, live music, and a serenity that fills the soul and quiets the mind.

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Photos

Water Garden
In OPA's garden

Amaranth
The OPA garden.

Jaime Fegura
This guy, who has been wearing his art for 30 years, lives in the neighborhood and walks the street always wearing this.

Sunset over the Bay of All Saints
View from the back of where I stay.

Festival for Oshun
A celebration for Oshun, the goddess of sweet waters. A large boquet of flowers and perfume where offered to her in the Bay of All Saints.

Elder mother
Festival of Oshun.

Sweet Treats
After giving the offering to Oshun, we were offered food and drinks.

Street Drummers
Lê, Jâma, and Shelly enjoying the music

Street Graffiti
From the same guy who did the walls of the garden at OPA.

Street Graffiti 2
Same location as 1, across from the elevator that takes you to Cidade Baixa.

Yellow Crab
A bit blurry, but extremely difficult to get so close up of these shy creatures.

Looking toward the ocean from the dunes
Incredible sands dunes in between Santo Antônio and Diogo

The Village Dog
He is always in the same spot in the middle of the village in the mornings when I go back to the beach from breakfast.