Salvador: 8th - 16th February 2026
8th February – Sunday
Good lord yesterday was long. It all started of well, Manu left early for the bus station and I had a peaceful leisurely 3 hours to pack, shower and check out. I got an Uber to Soa Luis airport, which is actually called Marechal Cunha Machado International Airport, with plenty of time to spare so had some food, checked in and then drank a rather large and very expensive beer in the departure lounge while reading my book.
Right up until the last minute we were due to fly on time but there was no plane in sight! They moved us to a different gate and we waited and waited, eventually a flight came in and a famous couple got off. It was quite amusing to see all the guys begging for a photo with the woman. I have not got a clue who she was, but obviously she is loved by the Brazilians. Eventually we got onto that plane and left Sao Luis 40 minutes late. And guess what, we missed the connection flight at Recife for Salvador by about 10 minutes, if that. I think there were at least 4 of us that missed the connection and as you can imagine we were not amused. Azul, the flight company booked us onto the next available flight which was not until 10pm and gave a box of junk food for dinner. Not even a sandwich, pure junk. By the time we got all that sorted we still had a 3 hour wait until check in, so I found a burger bar next to a sports bar and stopped there for a couple of hours.
And guess what, the new flight left Recife late as well. I am not impressed with Azul. The only good thing was that I had a spare seat next to me and this rather young man came and sat next to me with his friend in the other spare seat across the aisle. Although they were engrossed in conversation he put a film on his screen which had English subtitles. I couldn’t resist watching it which gained his attention and we soon got chatting. His English was not brilliant but I’m not complaining as my Portuguese is non-existent. His name is Francisco, he is and engineer from Belo Horizonte but works in Manaus. Anyway by the end of the flight we had exchanged WhatsApp numbers and I am hoping he will message today and I can meet up with them for a drink later – it would be awesome to have some company.
I am surprised I actually made it to the apartment last night, the Uber driver almost crashed twice due to being so intent in breaking the speed limit while chewing on his finger nails. I was quite concerned because he had these two huge gas cylinders in the boot of his car and they would have been on top of me if we had crashed. Anyway, lady luck was on my side and I finally got to the apartment at 1am this morning, 6 hours late and totally exhausted.
I had a fab sleep and the best dream ever. Me and dad were setting up a restaurant in his loft flat in Amsterdam. Obviously there was a lot more to it than that but that was the main focus of it and it was the longest he has ever been one of my dreams, that I remember, and we were also talking which is very rare. I really didn’t want to wake up.
I am not impressed with the apartment considering what we paid for it, there is no balcony and no swimming pool, but there is a washing machine, so Manu will be happy once she gets here. However, Salvador looks amazing. The contrast of the old run down housing areas against the modern day tower blocks is stunning. I must admit I prefer the look of the old, it looks like a warren of treasures. I must research how safe it is as I’d love to go and explore. But first I must find a supermarket. I have spent far to much on this apartment and getting here that I need to save and cook as much as possible over the next 10 days. But I am sure it will be worth it, the carnival sounds amazing and that is what I am here for.
Later: There is a swimming pool and a gym but we are not allowed to use them, oh well, We had a pool at the last place and never actually got in it, so nothing gained and nothing lost. I had quite a nice afternoon. I completed a little bit of my website and then went to the store just
down the road. I was only expecting to buy beer but she had so many goodies tucked around the corner that I managed to get the ingredients to make a sausage spag bol tonight, as well as breakfast stuff for the next couple of days. So that saved a trip to the supermarket and the lady was very happy to have me spend my money in her little shop.
This evening I went for a walk and my timing was perfect for what turned out to be an awesome sunset. Even though I am in an expensive (I think prices are inflated due to the carnival) condominium it is actually quite a rough looking neighbourhood – I actually really love it. The first thing I did was find some stairs down the hill side, which saves the hairpin bend road journey. I then turned left and followed the road to the Obelisco da Chegada de D. Joao VI. The obelisco is in a square and it looked like they either had a market there this afternoon or were setting up for one for this evening. Fort de Pedro is on one side of the square and the Palacio da Aclamacao is on the other side. The three sites and some of the surrounding Portugese buildings must have looked stunning back in the day, but now everything is really run down and grey from car pollution. Plus the area is full of drug addicts and homeless characters. At one point I found myself walking down some steps where there was human excrement, it stank and the amount of flies that swarmed up from it was horrendous.
Anyway, I could see the start of the sunset ahead of me so I continued down to the water front and wow, how stunning. But again it is a shame it is so run down. I used a subway to cross the road, it went under a dual carriage way and there was a community set up under the road. I didn’t venture in as it all looked a bit dodgy, but later I read that it actually leads to a few bars that are on the river side and it is worth the walk, and is not as bad as it looks, although one girl advised not to do it on your own, she felt very scared and intimidated. I will go one day during the day, but as it was beginning to get dark watching the sunset was more than enough for me, and it was one of the better ones that I have seen for a long time.
I cooked tonight, I had almost talked myself out of doing so but decided that it would fill up some time. I made the sausage spg bol and it was actually rather delicious. I have a little bit left for lunch tomorrow. Talking of which I must research the carnival and makes some plans and then have a stroll down to the carnival area to see the beach before it becomes a party seen. Also it would be handy to know how to get down there and back before it all starts. I think I will have an early night and an early start tomorrow.
9th February – Monday
I’ve had such a lovely day, I’m loving Salvador. After breakfast, instead of faffing around, I showered and was on the road by 10:30. I did a little research first and found that an area called Morro do Gato is supposed to be nice with good views of the beach and a lively area for the carnival. I almost got there, but got sidetracked with all of the setting up for the carnival which was going on in the area just before my final destination. The walk there wasn’t really anything to write home about as most of it was along a main road and then up a hill. But seeing the setting up for the carnival was mind blowing. It is going to be a huge event, far bigger than I ever imagined. I am so excited.
I followed a road where they were finishing setting up the stands for people with tickets, this is the prime area for seeing the carnival pass by. I then found myself on the coast in an area called Barra. This is where the carnival starts and it parades down to Ondina. So at least I know where the free area is and where to make my way to on Thursday. I am a little upset as yesterday they had a pre-carnival parade which I did not know about – but such is life and I will not be missing the main event, that is for sure. Due to the pre-parade, the roadside all along the coast is lined with stalls selling drinks, hundreds of them, and some even over spilled onto the grass leading up to Morro do Cristo and the statue of Jesus Christ. I headed up there and was quite disgusted by the stench of urine and noticed a couple of stall holders using the bushes for their toilet. It looks like they will be camping out, literally, until the carnival is over which is on the 17th. I don’t think the air will be breathable by then.
From there I found a path leading down onto the beach. The path also stank of urine but it was worth the walk to get to the beach, which is stunning. It’s fairly rocky but not enough to stop you swimming. Unfortunately I did not have my costume so I sat on the sand and people watched for a good hour. At one point I did remove my trainers and socks and had a little paddle in the warm water. I think I may go back tomorrow and have a proper dip in the water. It was just so relaxing and I had my umbrella so I kept out of the baking sun. I think I may have looked like a mad woman to all of the sunbathers but I am beyond caring what other people think of me. All that matters is that I am happy and enjoying myself, which I certainly was.
At the far end of the coast there is a lighthouse, so after my beach session I headed that way, it was also my route back to my apartment. I also think it is also where the carnival parade starts, at least that is what it looked like, I could be very wrong. I need to do a lot more research before Thursday. The lighthouse, along with the Jesus statue had barriers around it, I expect to protect it over the next week. It was still open for visitors but I did not go in, Instead I bought a beer and did a bit more people watching before following the coast line as I headed back to my apartment. It is so stunning, even with too many sun parasols, the sea, the rocks the whole thing is just beautiful. Far more stunning than the long strip of unending sandy beach in Sao Luis. This beach has character, I could sit and watch it and the people on and around it all day.
Eventually my route back took me away from the coast line and up a hill. By now I was feeling exhausted from the heat and so much walking, which I haven’t done for well over a week now, so I called an Uber. I have spent this evening watching a film and just chilling. Tomorrow I have to stay in as a guy is coming to hang the washing line. It should be hanging from the ceiling in the service area but I found it in the service
area toilet. Yesterday I managed to prop it up over the sink but that was only good for hanging my undies and T-shirts from, I had to hang my larger laundry items over the chairs. After informing the management company of this they have arranged for it to be hung properly. Manu also arrives tomorrow. I hope she is more positive about Salvador than she has been about the rest of her Brazilian experience, but I’m not holding my breath. I have a strong feeling she is not going to like it here, it feels rougher than Sao Luis and there seems to be a lot more down and outs and I know she is going to find the urine stenches repulsive, but then so do I. Anyway, I could be wrong, fingers crossed, and she could return with a whole new demeanour and start to see Brazil for what it really is, a vibrant, beautiful and truly stunning country full of warm and welcoming people. I absolutely love it, I really do.
10th February – Tuesday
I slept so well last night, I only woke once for the loo and when I finally woke I could have slept some more. The guy came and had a look at the washing line at 10am, he couldn’t take his eyes of my boobs. He then went off to buy some bits and pieces and returned with another guy, together they hung the rack from the ceiling with a pulley cord to lower and raise it. It is a little crooked but I didn’t say anything. I spent the rest of the afternoon watching the film that I had started to watch on Fransico’s screen when I was flying here. It is a mad max film, I’ve never watched any of these before and I really enjoyed it, I may just find another to watch.
Manu arrived late, but with a little encouragement she got ready really quickly and we went to Gamboa da Baixo, which is where I almost went on my first walk the other evening. This time. With Manu in tow, I felt more confident and after we went under the road we did a right and walked down what turned out to be crack alley. It was actually a walkway under the road lined with peoples houses, but it was so poor and all the guys sitting out were really high. We had actually walked the wrong way and on our way back I saw a guy with a huge bag of rocks putting them into smaller bags.
Anyway we quickly made our way out of crack alley and headed along the path in the opposite direction, as advised by everyone we asked. We headed down lots of steps and along little alley ways lined with shacks until we finally found ourselves at the coast. It was rocky, not an ounce of sand to be seen, but lined with bars and restaurants which were full of bikini and speedo clad tourists. We settled on a bar towards the end of the row which seemed to have a lot of gay guys in. Well, me and Manu could not keep our eyes off the packages, gay or not gay there were some pretty big packages to be ogled, and ogle we did, whilst downing a large beer each. By now the sun was setting and it was just as beautiful as the other night when I was in this area. We ordered some fish to share, I had chips and Manu had rice. The fish was good but I found it a little too salty for my liking, but I ate it anyway.
I am actually becoming increasingly worried about my knees. The walk back up all of the stairs was crippling. At one point an old guy was passing us and joking I threw myself towards him saying carry me, to which he bent down slightly and offered me his shoulder – lol. Anyway, it was quite a relief to mount the last stairs and get back onto level ground. I have stopped doing my exercises and I must get back into them as I think they may strengthen my knees, at least I hope they will. At the end of the walk back we had one more flight to climb, from the road to the apartment block, again it was crippling, but as much as the first lot from the beach.
Anyway, overall it has been a lovely late afternoon and I am ready to get into bed under the air-con and read my book.
11th February – Wednesday
It takes a lot for me to fully loose my patients with someone and say enough is enough. Manu finally pushed that button today. All morning, from the moment she set eyes on me, all it I got was a bombardment of problems she is facing in booking a flight to Lima, most of which are problems she has manifested. She arrived yesterday and is here for 7 nights and is already stressing about her next move – FFS. I answered each and every one of her questions at least 3 times, across at least an hour, and even agreed to her coming with me on the 17th.. Eventually I asked her to stop going on about it all. That was it, she pulled a long face and sulked. Then later, when walking to the beach, via a shopping mall so she could get a SIM, she had the audacity to accuse me of shouting at her all morning and not being sympathetic to her needs. So I relayed each and every one of her issues back to her and the response I gave and then told her that she is not welcome with me on the 17th. I have truly had enough. I cannot do this any more and should not have to. In fact, I refuse to.
I hung around with her in the shopping mall while she sorted out her mobile data – as much as I have had enough I was not going to leave her without mobile data, but made it quite clear to her that I was leaving her to it once she was all sorted out. I could not leave her stranded, I could not do that to anyone, I am not that person, even though she is making me out be so. Once she got it she followed me to the beach and then fucked off. Good. Peace at last. I got myself a chair and umbrella and a beer, well 3 beers in total. I also had a couple of dips in the sea, it was delicious and so refreshing, but the waves were quite rough and I got pushed over a couple of times. In fact they were mini surfing waves and a couple of kids were having a ball with their mini surf boards. After a couple of hours I saw Manu at the water edge in front of me, hovering.
Obviously she had seen me and was waiting for me to see her, so I called her over. She had spent the afternoon in the shopping mall – and she is the one who insists on being at the beach all day! I had one last dip and then left her there with my chair and umbrella.
I had a lovely stroll around the Barra area of the carnival. My god, I thought it was bustling the other day, it is now so manic, even more stalls and so many people already in carnival clothes – it was fantastic, and this evening the police were out on force. And the amount of beer that was being delivered was gastronomical. It looked like several of the beach front bars and clubs were preparing for a riotous evening. It is a shame I don’t have someone to go out with, it would have been so much fun to spend the evening out getting wrecked at the beach front in preparation for the carnival. In fact it would be fucking awesome to have someone to enjoy the carnival with – such a shame I will doing it on my own, but watch this space – I know how to party solo 🙂
Anyway, I had a stroll past the lighthouse and found a place to eat. I ordered a chicken salad and a beer. I sat there forever, literally, then 3 guys came in and got served really quickly. I must have been waiting 45 minutes for my salad and had drank the beer in this time, not that I minded as I was engrossed in messaging Glen. But when I saw these guys get their food before me I kicked off. One of the guys spoke English, he lived in London, Kings Cross, for a year, for a romance that did not work out. He was lovely and hassled the waiter for me. The salad was so delicious, however, after I had eaten the waiter hung around for a tip. I used G translate to tell him he wasn’t getting anything due to diabolical service – lol – he was not happy but what could he say.
Anyway, it was quite fun sitting there people watching. I love the way gay men have no reserve, they were all walking around arm in arm in their speedos – what a gorgeous sight – so many lunch boxes, no wonder I was not so bothered about waiting for my food – lol. Tomorrow is going to be such a spectacle – I am so looking for to it and the next few days.
12th February – Thursday
Whoop Whoop carnival started today, and Manu, who said she had no interest in the carnival had a grin across her face all day, that was until it rained. We left the apartment at about 2:30, which I thought was a good time and as advised by the guys from last night we went to the hill area, but not much happening there, Don’t get me wrong it was very busy with everyone getting ready but that was it, we were too early. So we went down to the beach and sat on the rocks for a little while.
We were now on the Barra Ondina route and it was not long before we could hear music from a float coming down the road, so we left the beach and hit the parade. It wasn’t so packed at this point, which was nice, so we strolled down past the float and on to the next one, nearer the lighthouse. It was jammed and there was not much space to walk so we turned around and went and sat on the hill were Jesus Christ is. It was a good view and not packed so we stayed for ages drinking beer and eating heated cheese and peanuts. It was really nice and Manu was enjoying herself, which made a nice change.
From there we eventually headed down to the lighthouse again as Manu wanted a caipirinha, on route it started to rain, I thought Manu was in front of me but I was wrong. Anyway, we were heading in the opposite way to the crowds so I jumped behind a row of police officers who were going in the same direction and the crowds were parting for. By the time I came to open ground Manu was no where to be seen. We exchanged a couple of messages and she had managed to get a taxi back to the apartment, I decided to stay. I was soaking wet but so was everyone else. LoL Rather than head back into the maddening crowds I hung around by the Beat stage which was also where all of the music floats were waiting to go out on parade, I was gob smacked at how huge they were, with large screens, full crews and musicians / DJs. It really was something else and I hung around for quite a long time just watching and drinking beer. Eventually I decided I had enough and headed to an area to get an uber only to find I had no mobile data. Even though I knew route back, along the coast and slightly inward before turning a right, I got Manu to send me a map of the area. Well what an adventurous walk that was, I passed through two street parties, one of which was huge, Grande Combo (I think). There were more floats, people in carnival dress and a stage with some Brazilian superstar giving his all and the crowds
going mad for him. I found an American guy and checked my directions with him, I was on still course so off I went again. A bit later I checked with some officers and I still on course so I was very happy with myself. However, I bought a cigarette and smoked it – that I am not happy about. Anyway, it was quite a relief to find myself, a good hour later, back at the apartment.
22nd May – Friday
I don’t have any more diary entries for Salvador or the Carnival, only photos. However I am pleased to say, as far as I can remember, things got better with me and Manu, she booked her flight to Lima and I booked a bus to Itacare. For most of the remaining carnival I did my thing and Manu did hers, however, we met a guy called called Maurice and his mate, in fact every time we left the apartment we passed his apartment. One afternoon he invited us to his party, it was not a party, just an excuse to get hold of one of us. That evening he tried it on with Manu, the next day me! Me and Manu had a good giggle over this and we parted friends, which is the most important thing.
