brasil dreams: C-A-R-N-A-V-A-L-!-!-!

So today was officially the last day of Carnaval, which coincides with fat tuesday and precedes ash wednesday when the traditional religious observance of lent begins [i started this post tuesday]. My knowledge of the religious significance and meaning of this celebration is embarassingly low, an ignorance that a week in Salvador did not change. There were some small religious celebrations and convocations but they were easy to miss. Carnaval in Salvador is, ultimately, about the chance to let loose and enjoy the music and rhythms of Bahia.

But first, a bit about the setting. Salvador is arguably Brasil´s third most important city, after Rio and Sao Paolo. In the colonial period, Salvador was the economic center of Brasil, and where African slaves were brought when they arrived to their new continent. Today, Salvador´s cultural importance seems to outstrip its economic might. Many of the country´s most famous musical styles and musicians, such as gilberto gil, caetono veloso, and ivete sangalo, originated here. Many popular dances, such as samba, and capoeira, a dance/martial art, also developed in salvador.

Though the city is quite large, it offers only two main areas of interest for tourists--the old colonial center of Pelorinho, filled with plazas, churches, cobble-stoned streets, and the beachside area of Barra. Unfortunately, these two areas are not within walking distance of each other, which can lead to a feeling of claustrophobia.

Salvador is a dumpy and generally unattractive city. The nicer areas, such as downtown and the middle-class suburbs, offer very few attractions for the short-term tourist. The poverty in Salvador is probably more widespread and deeper than in éither RJ or SP. Homeless families and children dot the sidewalks at night and solicitation by beggars is a daily occurrence. The roads, sidewalks, and buildings appear old and generally in need of repair, and litter and the smell of urine are ubiquitous.

In front of this imperfect backdrop, Carnaval raged. Every day, a million plus people packed the streets, beginning around 3 pm and partying until about 3 or 4 a.m. There are three main "circuits" or concentrations of activity. There is Barra-Ondina, which is a 4km stretch along the ocean, and is generally known as the party circuit, where most of the middle-class youth and tourists congregate and where makeshift bars are erected every few feet to satisfy the thirsty and not-drunk-enough. Here also, trio-electricos, basically rock concerts on souped-up semi-trucks, roll down the circuit blaring music performed by many of brasil´s most famous singers and bands.

Part of the madness and expense of Carnaval is that each trio is roped off by a gang of uniformed guards. Inside, people with the same shirts or abadas, follow the trio down the circuit and can party within the relative safety of the ropes. The catch is that these abadas cost anywhere from 50 to 400 US dollars a piece. So these serve to keep the poor out and the middle to upper class in. Those who don´t buy the abada can either party outside of the ropes in the "pipoca" or popcorn, or buy tickets for camarotes along the circuit where you can witness the spectacle in the comfort and security of a dance club.

I spent most of my time just hanging in the pipoca and dancing in the streets, which aside from the occasional random melee that broke out in the crowd, was cool and safe. Seeing the way brasilians adore their music and are able to let loose together was instructive and i think reflects something fairly significant about the brasilian character. Another nice part for me was getting to visit all the different circuits and seeing the different styles of carnaval that take place here. There was the Campo Grande circuit, which also has trio-electricos but is a bit less touristy and more family oriented, and the Pelorinho circuit which is more of a traditional street festival, with families and tourists alike enjoying the rhythms and sounds of traditional drumming and dance troupes dressed up in costume.

I leave Salvador, sensitive to the many problems in the city, but also happy that I was able to spend Carnaval here. Salvador, and to some extent, the entire state of Bahia, has a way of being that attracts travelers to it. I was struck repeatedly by the friendliness and warmth of some of the locals i met, including a bus fare collector who told me that bahaianas love asian men (possibly true). People here also seem to excel at being able to relax and enjoy a slower pace of life, an ability that is reflected in the popular saying that an hour in bahia is actually ninety minutes. Bahia, it seems, means no worries and that everything in the end will work out. It´s an outlook that both attracts me and at the time one that I cannot fully embrace. It´s the chinese and the american in me.

Back to rio now for a few more days before heading home next week. I´m going to try to write one more post if i get a chance.

Here are some pics (i also added a few from my hike) to the previous post): This first was before Carnaval in the old colonial center of Pelorinho. Children drummers preparing for the festival.