We arrived in Salvador, Brazil on the seventh of September, Independence Day. Most of the stores were closed, save for a few bars and restaurants off the main street. I ventured on for the rest of the day, rode the elevator to Pelhourinho, wandered through alleys and side streets, getting a feel for the city and anticipating the adventures to come.
The second day I cruised around with Benson and Darren. The three of us walked a few miles outside of Pelhourinho together, played guitars in a music-shop, strolled into an open church, and found an alternate discovered back to the ship on a cable car system no one else had found. I met a man named Eduardo while I was waiting for Darren to finish at an internet café. Eduardo was from Chile and was making bracelets from copper wire and had them laid out on a red carpet on the street. We made as much small talk as we could manage, exchanged a few laughs and a couple smiles. I bought a bracelet, asked to take his picture and we said our goodbyes. Benson, Darren and I then found an antique store and some appetizers at a hotel on a cliff with a killer view of the port. After getting back to the ship, we met up with some friends, and took an overstuffed cab down to a restaurant on the beach to conclude the night.
The follow day we returned to that beach for some body surfing and another day of exploration. Benson had the great idea of building a replica of the MV Explorer in the sand. We walked from the beach a few miles and found some grass huts with coconuts for sale on the beach. Later that night we rode the elevator back to the upper city to find it buzzing with life. A stage had been set up for local musical talent and people were dancing in the street.
For our last full day in Brazil our only goal was to find a Churrascaria, which is an all you can eat barbecue. During the day though, Benson and I decided to go to a mall on the other side of town. After seeing this area and the kinds of people who could afford living and shopping there and comparing them to the people of Pelhourinho, it was easy to see the disparity that exists in Brazil. We returned to ship and completed our quest to find the barbecue. We enjoyed unlimited steak, seafood and pasta for our victory night in Brazil.
My final day in port was spent showing friends that went to Rio around Pelhourinho. We came upon another street jeweler and perfected our negotiation skills, and later found a man name Bernardo painting crmic tiles with only his fingers and three colors. I took them down the familiar streets and as we turned a corner, there was Eduardo with his red carpet and copper bracelets, just where he was before. He remembered me from the beginning of the week and I got to introduce him to my friends. We talked for about twenty minutes. He shared about his family and I told him about our trip and where we were off to next. You know, though his bracelets were simple and our words in common were few, there was an incredible exchange of friendship, understanding and love. I can only hope that the next stops along this journey hold as much mystery, adventure, and joy.
-mason
