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Carnaval and Resaca
We'd heard that Carnaval Rio and Carnaval Salvador style, are two very different things. In Rio it happens in a huge stadium, the Sambadrome, where you sit on the grandstands and watch floats full of feathered ladies go past. In Salvador, the parties all take place on the streets, with a choice of spending your time in a Bloco (a roped off parade, full of people who have bought an Abada - tshirt, in the centre of which are the Trios, the huge vans with a band and sound system that deafens everyone within 10 metres). You can also choose to pay to enter a Camarote (A Bar/Club that overlooks the parade and often includes free drinks), or you can choose to be Pipoca (popcorn), and spend the night on the outside of the ropes jumping with everyone else on the street. We had two nights to experience Carnaval, all we could afford (and probably handle) before we had to head to Boipeba. We'd heard all the horror stories about how dangerous it was, how likely to get mugged we were etc etc so we kept our fingers crossed to get out unscathed! 
There are three Carnaval Circuits in Salvador, and we were staying right next to the biggest one in Barra, the seaside area. Carnaval officially kicks off on the Thursday, and we only had a few nights to experience it. A large group of us from our hostel bought Abadas for a cheap Bloco and after a Caiprinha fuelled party we headed out to see what it was about. The streets were absolutely rammed, everyone was dressed up, covered in glitter, wearing masks, or in fancy dress and each of the trios seemed to be competing with each other over who could be the loudest. After a lot of waiting around drinking beer, the blocos in front of ours began to move, and at around 1am ours slowly edged forward, and the band began to play. We can't actually remember the name of the singer we were following, but it was a real mix of Samba and cheesy pop with a bit of rock thrown in. The whole Bloco started moving slowly up the street, with everyone jumping and singing. Occassionally there'd be a surge of people from behind as the ropes caught up with them, and you'd be squashed, it was all generally good natured but still a bit scary. When fights did break out it was a matter of getting yourself as far away as you could from the scramble, and it was slightly concerning to see that it was often the police causing the trouble with the rope carriers. 
We danced forward at snails pace, buying beer from the vendors in the bloco and ducking under the ropes when we needed a breather, until about 5am when we ducked out of the bloco and watched it carry on up the sea front. Our feet were throbbing, we were covered in beer spray, and we headed back down the road we'd just walked to find food and then collapse in bed. It was a fantastic introduction to Carnaval. The next day we headed into the Pelhourinho, the old centre of Salvador to get a bit more authentic taste, and it was beautiful. Music in the streets, people dressed up and dancing and bands playing. Another night of Caiprinhas in the hostel, and we headed out to be Pipoca on the streets. 
The next morning we left a sleeping Salvador and headed to Boipeba, a small island, off the Bahian coast, that is hard to get to, but an ideal paradise for us to spend our Resaca (the hangover days after carnaval). After a bus, a taxi, a fast speed boat and a tractor we arrived in Morere, a quiet, sandy collection of houses on the most beautiful side of the island. We'd arrived in paradise. We stayed in a small place called Pousada a Mangueira, owned by a lovely English couple, Tony and Sue. Our own pousada, complete with four poster bed, hamocks, luxury bathroom and the most amazingly huge and delicious breakfast everyday, just a few metres from the empty tropical beaches. It was the only place we'd booked ahead for our trip and it was so much more than we'd hoped for. Typical then that James and I both came down with a fever and flu, so poor Sue had to nurse us with hot lemon and honey! We spent our days trying to get better, and managed to wander the beaches, eat amazing fish stews called Mocecas, take photos and watch the hummingbirds that covered the flowers infront of our pousada.
It was a dream, only to be shattered at 3am one night when James and I were both awoken by the sound of someone jumping out of our bedroom window. Both in shock and half asleep we realised that James' bag, and Camera, had been taken. We weren't the only ones to have been targetted, another Pousada had had a lot of scuba gear taken, and they even swiped a pair of shorts from the washing line of our neighbours! The suppport from Tony and Sue was incredible, the police came in the morning and the whole village seemed to be out looking for clues. Alas we had to move onwards, and left Boipeba a little lighter, but both in one piece and glad that something like that happened when we had such helpful people nearby.
There are three Carnaval Circuits in Salvador, and we were staying right next to the biggest one in Barra, the seaside area. Carnaval officially kicks off on the Thursday, and we only had a few nights to experience it. A large group of us from our hostel bought Abadas for a cheap Bloco and after a Caiprinha fuelled party we headed out to see what it was about. The streets were absolutely rammed, everyone was dressed up, covered in glitter, wearing masks, or in fancy dress and each of the trios seemed to be competing with each other over who could be the loudest. After a lot of waiting around drinking beer, the blocos in front of ours began to move, and at around 1am ours slowly edged forward, and the band began to play. We can't actually remember the name of the singer we were following, but it was a real mix of Samba and cheesy pop with a bit of rock thrown in. The whole Bloco started moving slowly up the street, with everyone jumping and singing. Occassionally there'd be a surge of people from behind as the ropes caught up with them, and you'd be squashed, it was all generally good natured but still a bit scary. When fights did break out it was a matter of getting yourself as far away as you could from the scramble, and it was slightly concerning to see that it was often the police causing the trouble with the rope carriers. 
We danced forward at snails pace, buying beer from the vendors in the bloco and ducking under the ropes when we needed a breather, until about 5am when we ducked out of the bloco and watched it carry on up the sea front. Our feet were throbbing, we were covered in beer spray, and we headed back down the road we'd just walked to find food and then collapse in bed. It was a fantastic introduction to Carnaval. The next day we headed into the Pelhourinho, the old centre of Salvador to get a bit more authentic taste, and it was beautiful. Music in the streets, people dressed up and dancing and bands playing. Another night of Caiprinhas in the hostel, and we headed out to be Pipoca on the streets. 
The next morning we left a sleeping Salvador and headed to Boipeba, a small island, off the Bahian coast, that is hard to get to, but an ideal paradise for us to spend our Resaca (the hangover days after carnaval). After a bus, a taxi, a fast speed boat and a tractor we arrived in Morere, a quiet, sandy collection of houses on the most beautiful side of the island. We'd arrived in paradise. We stayed in a small place called Pousada a Mangueira, owned by a lovely English couple, Tony and Sue. Our own pousada, complete with four poster bed, hamocks, luxury bathroom and the most amazingly huge and delicious breakfast everyday, just a few metres from the empty tropical beaches. It was the only place we'd booked ahead for our trip and it was so much more than we'd hoped for. Typical then that James and I both came down with a fever and flu, so poor Sue had to nurse us with hot lemon and honey! We spent our days trying to get better, and managed to wander the beaches, eat amazing fish stews called Mocecas, take photos and watch the hummingbirds that covered the flowers infront of our pousada.
It was a dream, only to be shattered at 3am one night when James and I were both awoken by the sound of someone jumping out of our bedroom window. Both in shock and half asleep we realised that James' bag, and Camera, had been taken. We weren't the only ones to have been targetted, another Pousada had had a lot of scuba gear taken, and they even swiped a pair of shorts from the washing line of our neighbours! The suppport from Tony and Sue was incredible, the police came in the morning and the whole village seemed to be out looking for clues. Alas we had to move onwards, and left Boipeba a little lighter, but both in one piece and glad that something like that happened when we had such helpful people nearby. 
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