Salvador: Lost in the Heat & the Hum of 3465624 & 1076845191
okay, so salvador. whew. where do i even start? i landed here with just a vague sense of wanderlust and a really questionable grasp of portuguese. the numbers 3465624 and 1076845191 popped into my head right before i boarded the plane - no idea why. maybe it was the airport chaos? either way, salvador immediately smacked me in the face with humidity. the weather report said 19.98°C, feels like 20.33°C. i just checked and it's…well, it's a thick blanket of air clinging to everything. hope you like that kind of thing. the pressure is 1018, humidity is a solid 88%, and the groundwater level is surprisingly high for a city like this.
this whole trip feels like a chaotic collage. one minute i’m haggling for a ridiculously ornate trinket with a vendor in the Pelourinho, the next i’m hopelessly lost in a maze of colorful alleys. i’m a Freelance Photographer, so naturally, i am trying to capture it all - the crumbling colonial architecture, the impossibly cheerful faces, the sheer energy of the place. my camera’s been working overtime.
my accommodation is… rustic. let’s just say the charming guesthouse i found through TripAdvisor is very authentic. someone told me that the best food isn’t in the fancy restaurants, but in the little hole-in-the-wall places. i’m taking that advice to heart. so far, the moqueca has been a revelation - seriously, it’s like seafood hugged by coconut milk and dendê oil. i heard that you should always be wary of street vendors offering “authentic” souvenirs - apparently, a lot of them are mass-produced.
The neighbors are a vibrant mix of locals, students, and other travelers - you really get the sense that everyone’s just trying to live their best life in this humid, humming city. if you get bored, Recife is just a short drive away. I'm leaning towards exploring some of the historical sites more deeply; there is this incredible history behind every block, and I’ve been reading up on it on the Salvador history website.
pro-tip: learn a few basic Portuguese phrases. it goes a long way. also, bring bug spray. seriously. even with the humidity, the mosquitoes are relentless. i'm also trying to find an indie film scout, because the stories here... they just beg to be made into something. i’m spending my evenings wandering around Largo da Sé, just soaking it all in. it's a sensory overload in the best possible way. it's wild, it's chaotic, it's…exactly what i needed.
and the coffee? forget about it. i’ve found a little place that brews some seriously strong, bitter stuff. if you're a Coffee Snob like me, you'll be in heaven. i'm exploring local tours too - you can check out GetYourGuide for tours in Salvador.
i'm also trying to avoid getting ripped off by taxi drivers. apparently, it's a common occurrence, and a local warned me about it. so, i’m sticking to Uber. also, don't be afraid to get lost. that’s where the real magic happens. i’m thinking about checking out a workshop on Brazilian textiles.
so, yeah. salvador. it’s…a lot. but i’m loving it.
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