Salvador
Salvador, Elevador Lacerca
Salvador (in full, São Salvador da Baía de Todos os Santos, or in literal translation: "Holy Savior of All Saints' Bay") is a city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. The city was for a long time also known as Bahia, and appears under that name (or as Salvador da Bahia, Salvador of Bahia so as to differentiate it from other Brazilian cities of the same name) on many maps and books from before the mid 20th century, including Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (1719) and Jorge Amado's Gabriela, Cravo e Canela. Salvador is the 3rd biggest brazilian city, after São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and it is the biggest city in Northeastern Brazil, being a cultural and architectural center, not only for Brazil, but also for Latin America. The Pelourinho, as its historical district is known, is the biggest baroque architectural center of the Americas. Its metropolitan area is the richest of Nordeste. Salvador is the epicenter of negro culture in Brazil and, at 80% of the population, has the highest percentage of African origin of any city over one million residents outside of Africa.
Geography
Salvador is located on a small, roughly triangular peninsula that separates Todos os Santos Bay from the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The bay, which gets its name from having been discovered on All Saints' Day forms a superb natural harbor, and Salvador is a major export port, lying at the heart of the Recôncavo Baiano, a rich agricultural and industrial region encompassing the northern portion of coastal Bahia. The local terrain is diverse ranging from flat to rolling to hills and low mountains. A particularly notable feature is the escarpment that divides Salvador into the Cidade Alta ("Upper Town") and the Cidade Baixa ("Lower Town"), the former some 85m (275ft) above the latter, with the city's famous cathedral and most administrative buildings standing on the higher ground. A gigantic elevator (the first installed in Brazil), known as Elevador Lacerda has connected the two sections since 1873, having since undergone several upgrades.
The coastline is equally diverse, featuring sandy beaches, sea cliffs, mangrove swamps, and a number of islands, the largest of which, Itaparica, includes a famous resort area.
Climate
Salvador has a typical tropical climate, with warm to hot temperatures and high relative humidity all throughout the year. However, these conditions are relieved by a near absence of extreme temperatures and pleasant trade winds blowing from the ocean. March is the warmest month, with mean maximum of 30°C (86°F) and minimum of 24°C (75°F); July experiences the coolest temperatures, with means of 26°C (79°F) and 21°C (70°F). The absolute maximum and minimum are respectively 38°C (100°F) and 12°C (54°F). Unlike in the area further inland (known as the Sertão), rainfall in Salvador is quite abundant, with a total yearly average of 201cm (83"), being heaviest in May at 33cm (12.8") and generally tapering off until reaching a nadir of 11cm (4.4") in January. Tropical cyclones and tornadoes are unknown in the area.
Vegetation
Salvador has a Tropical forest. Rainforests are characterized by high rainfall, with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 2,000 mm (about 78 inches or 2 meters) and 1700 mm (about 67 inches). The soil can be poor because high rainfall tends to leach out soluble nutrients. There are several common characteristics of tropical rainforest trees. Tropical rainforest species frequently possess one or more attributes not commonly seen in trees of higher latitudes or trees in drier conditions on the same latitude.
Places to see
Salvador, Itapua beach
- At the center of the Cidade Alta, the two large squares of Praça da Sé and the Terreiro de Jesus are connected at the corner by the cathedral. The latter is probably the most lively part of town, with food carts and stalls through the day and revelers in the evening hours.
- The Museu Afro-Brasileiro documents the slave trade and subsequent development of the city.
- Largo do Pelourinho, a fairly small triangular plaza, is among the oldest parts of town. You can guess from its name meaning "plaza of the pillory" what went on around here.
- Mercado Modelo in the lower town is the city's main market, and a good place for crafts and other souvenirs. In the adjacent square you can often see young men performing capoeira, the famous martial arts dance which originates from the area.
- Igreja do Nosso Senhor do Bonfim, a small church located in a neighborhood to the north, is one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in all of Brazil. The colorful votive ribbons or fitas of Bonfim are an easily recognizable item throughout Brazil and even beyond. Children outside the church will (for a small fee) tie them around your wrist and tell you to make a wish for each one. If the ribbon wears off naturally, the wish will come true; if you cut it off before then, it won't. You can get to Bonfim by city bus in about fifteen minutes.
- Abaeté Park, a protected state park around the lake with same name. The lake is famous because its dark water in contrast with the very white sand dunes. There is a entertainment area with a lot of bars with live music.
- Solar do Unhão, place of the most beautiful sunset of Salvador. It is an old style house located at the Baía de Todos os Santos. Inside there is a small museum with local art pieces. Sometimes it happens jam sassions at saturday afternoon.
Places to visit near Salvador
Interesting places to visit near Salvador include
- the island of Itaparica - can be visited either by a car-ferry, or a smaller foot-passenger ferry which leaves from near the Mercado Modelo near the Lacerda Elevator.
- Linha Verde, or "green line" of towns and cities, with exquisite beaches, north of Salvador heading towards Sergipe state
- Cachoeira - 2 hours by bus: a great centre of Candomblé with a Pousada (hotel) in the convent
- Lençóis and the Chapada Diamantina National Park - 7 hours by bus or 45' by plane.
- Morro de São Paulo - an exotic island which can be reached by ferry from Salvador (1 hr), by plane, or by bus to Valença and then by 'Rapido' ('fast') speedboat or smaller ferry.
- Bom Jesus da Lapa - 12 hours by bus or 2hours by plane: a great centre of Catholic pilgrins.