Salvador Streets

The city of Salvador in Brazil’s state of Bahia is a port town with steep hills. As a result there are two main sections to the city, the lower and the upper.

An easy way to get from the bay level to the upper level is to take a special elevator called Lacerda. Unfortunately, it was broken when we visited, so we took a cab. (I wasn’t too sad, however, since I’m claustrophobic!)

While it’s possible to walk between levels, it is not advised because, sadly, the crime rate is quite high in Salvador.

In fact, several cruise ship passengers were mugged during our visit. One woman had her cell phone swiped while using a selfie stick. Another had a necklace snatched off her neck. Yet another had her arm cut when a mugger sliced her purse strap. Scary stuff! (Reminds me of South Africa, crime wise.)

See the statues in the lake? They represent “Orishas” which are gods/saints in the Candomble religion.

At first glance, they look like a group of women wearing dresses, but they are actually male and female figures wearing holy robes.

Many Bahian’s ancestors were originally slaves brought over from Africa. A unique blend between their African traditions and Catholicism created a new religion called Candomble.

I don’t know much about it, but syncretic religions intrigue me and I plan to learn more.En savoir plus