The locals say, “Sem pressa, olha para o céu, fala com Deus, você tá na Bahia.” This Portuguese saying translates to “Take your time, look at the sky, talk to God, you’re in Bahia. (Salvador)

I’m afraid however, while you’re looking at the sky a motorcycle driver and his passenger could zoom behind you and quickly snag your belongings. Sadly, crime is extremely common in Brazil with Salvador ranking at the top. We were cautious and looked out for each other.

Salvador’s population is well over two million. That sure is a lot of humans. My quaint little ship can accommodate almost 1,000. (+8 furry felines)

With Salvador being our first stop along our journey, we decided not to venture too far from our “home” base. We briefly explored the Mercado Modelo/Market. This building has 266 stores offering all sorts of Brazilian souvenirs. As my father would say, “It’s a tourist trap.” Just looking was sufficient today.

The iconic “Elevador Lacerda” connects the lower city ( Cidade Baixa) to the upper city (Cidade Alta). It has transported up to 33,000 people in a day. It normally cost 30 cents but happened to be free the day we were in port.

My total expenditures for the day totaled $2. I wanted a picture of this lady in her traditional “Bahian attire.” The blouse is called “blush” and the skirt “saia.” There was absolutely no haggling with this lady. I offered $1 in English, she insisted on $2 in Portuguese. Funny how we managed to communicate. We were told to try our hand at “haggling” but I really didn’t mind slipping her the $2 comparing my attire to hers on this toasty day. My friends Linda and Clay were not far away watching and being amused by the whole transaction.

Adeus Salvador

❤️ to you