Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/10149
SITE REVIEW# 1 BAHIA: HOTTERTHAN EVER SO THIS IS BAHIA. Story and Photos By DARLENE C. DONLOE Its reputation precedes it. I’ve heard Salvador de Bahia, Brazil is a happening place. I’ve heard there is no other city like it in the world. I’ve heard it can’t be missed. Since my ears were burning, I decided to go see for myself whether this cultural mecca could live up to the hype. Now that I’ve been there, only two words come to mind. Oh, My! Oh, My, what a beautiful, black city! Oh, My, what a unique culture! Oh, My, aren’t the people stunning and friendly! Oh, My, the food is mouthwatering! Oh, My, why didn’t I come here sooner? Not only are these good and accurate declarations, they are all excellent reasons to visit Bahia. And, here’s another one – Bahia is hot in every sense of the word! Whether you’re talking about the people, the culture, or the temperature – it all sizzles! The city, located near the equator, is visually stunning and culturally appealing. It’s an exot- ic, tropical locale with a spicy disposition and a saucy persona. Whether your mission is food, museums, music, nightlife – or just to relax, Bahia, the third largest city in Brazil, is a metropolis with plenty to do and see. And, to get you there, American Airlines has made it as easy as one, two, three. Now, more than ever, there is no excuse not to make your way to Bahia. With an edict to increase visitors to the region, American Airlines has not only made it faster and more economical, the company also added daily, nonstop flights from Miami to Salvador de Bahia and to Recife, located in the northeast region of Brazil. To that end, Bahia’s hospitality begins at the airport when a “Baina do Acarage,” (one of the women who still practices “Candomble,” the ancient African religion of her enslaved ances- tors) donned in a large, circular, white dress with colorful adorn- ments, greets you with rainbow blushed ribbons of Senhor do Bonfim, signifying loyalty and belief to the inhabitants of Bahia. 16 tour and record- ings. The group, which has its own venue, the Casa do Olodum, has served as a back- bone for the Black community of Salvador. Music is big in Bahia. There is a rhythm swirling in the air that is infectious and powerful. One couldn’t stand still if they wanted to. The Escola Olodum school for kids, launched by the Olodum Cultural Group, is a remarkable facility that caters to children having problems. Part of the Black Meetings & Tourism March/April 2010: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com If you’re not fluent in Portuguese, and you plan to take a tour of the city, you may want to hire a guide as much of the signage is in that language and not every- one speaks English. Of course, if you know some Spanish, you more than likely won’t be lost in transla- tion. Now, it’s time to start your tour of an amazing city that boasts everything from rain forests to deserts. The identity of most cities is housed in their museums and their small towns. Bahia is no different. The culture and its significance are on view at the Afro-Brazilian Museum, located in the Central Historical section of the city. Here are just some of the highlights: Praça Municipal, Santa Casa de Misericórdia, Cruz Caída – Charriôt, Terreiro de Jesus – (the history of benedic- tion), Laranjeira Street, Boutique Ilê, Project Axé, Jorge Amado’s House and Church Rosário dos Pretos – Carmo’s Church and Oludum Creative School. In Bahia, the percussive impulse of Olodum has become an internationally known musical and cultur- al phenomenon. Olodum is the music of the culture, the music of the streets, the music of the heart. Olodum, Salvador’s best-known drumming group, gained internation- al fame when it participat- ed in Paul Simon’s “Rhythm of the Saints”