Submerged In Brazilian Culture

Each time I travel, whether it’s for an extended or short amount of time, I am always ready to get home. For me, there’s nothing like experiencing my natural elements, sleeping in my own bed, eating my usual food, etc. Brazil was the first trip I’d been on where I did not have any of those feelings. After being there for nine days, I was ready to stay and continue the journey. Sometimes when people hear the word “Brazil”, they have a sense of hesitancy. If you are one of them, this post will help you release those preconceived notions and have you ready to book a trip tomorrow! I was pleasantly surprised with the endless amount of fun I had. Continue reading to find out why this trip was my favorite experience to date!

I chose to go to Brazil for the first time with a group of strangers; arranged by Travel Noire Experiences. I’d been following them for quite some time and overly analyzing each itinerary before securing my spot for Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. To add to this first time, exciting adventure with strangers in a country I’d never been to, it was also over Thanksgiving week, which my mom was not too happy about (love you mom!) I knew if I was going to try something new, I had to do it now, no matter if it fell on a holiday week or not.

I AM SO GLAD I DID!!!

 There were so many great components to this trip that it’s hard to condense it into a blog post without making it more like a short story. I will highlight some of my favorites from this trip, but know that there was much more to it. This is one that will forever be engrained in my heart. To kick us off, let’s talk about the culture.

The Culture

Salvador is where we spent most of our stay and it was so full of life! It is the largest Afro-Brazilian part of the country. From the moment we landed, we were surrounded by so many people who looked just like us! And it was so full of life! I have never been to a place where there is music and dancing EVERYWHERE. This could be at seven in the morning or ten at night. There was always something to celebrate or sing about. Everywhere we went, they encouraged us to join in the fun by dancing along and/or getting our arms, legs, and face painted. Some would think it was because we were tourists, but there were many residents who were joining in and doing the same! This is what I appreciated most about my stay. Everyone was so proud to show off who they were. It was fun, but it also touched my soul and made me feel at home.

Another way we immersed ourselves in the culture was by taking an Afro Dance class led by Tatiana Campelo. This was such a cool part of the trip. We danced for 3 HOURS and it was literally as fun as it looks below!! We were drenched and exhausted at the end, but it was absolutely worth it! If you happen to be in the area, look her up. You can email her in advance at taty.campelo4@gmail.com. I promise you won’t regret it!

If you are looking for a tour guide to walk you through the culture and explain the history of Salvador along the way, contact Josuel Queiroz at Olafemi Tours. He speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian! 

http://www.olafemitours.com.br

The Vibrancy of Colors & Art

Another very noticeable consistency throughout Salvador was the art and bright colors. Although there was equally as much graffiti, the art was beautiful! It typically was associated with a story related to an important event or person in history. I appreciated being able to walk outside and see lovely flowers and let my mind wander on what they were trying to tell me through the beautifully painted brick along the street. You can easily get lost in the most pleasant way.

We also went to the former home of writers Jorge Amado and Zelia Gattai, featuring exhibits from their lives and work (a Casa do Rio Vermelho). The way each room was artistically transformed was next level. Everything was so creatively formed with many accompanying stories and videos. They also had a wonderful library. Some of these books you can purchase at the end of your tour (only con- most are not in English!)

The Beautiful Beaches!

Salvador is known to have some of the loveliest beaches in Brazil. I can absolutely see why now. As a group, we went to a private beach and had a private surf lesson. This was such a cool experience! After surfing (or simply lounging on the beach), we had plenty of free time to lay around in hammocks, read a nice book, or take a nap after they fed us a great lunch. We were also able to find another beach (Rio Vermelho) not far from the art museum we went to, which had many restaurants and bars overlooking the water. These are perfect for a nice date night (you’re welcome!). You can top it off with a small stroll across the beach! Be careful though! There are many rocks throughout, but once you get past this, the water feels great!

The group also spent a day sailing to two different islands about an hour away from Salvador. The ride itself was very cool, mainly because we had our own band onboard. This meant….you guessed it….more dancing! We were all on our feet, joining the band in their dance moves. Once we docked, the water was exactly what we needed to cool us off from the average 85 degree weather. Just look at how blue it was! Such an amazing site.

And last, but certainly not least: The Food

There were so many great dishes I had the entire time I was there. So much that I think it would be beneficial to discuss the “must trys” rather than listing everything:

1. Acai – The acai we know and love is actually originated from Brazil. They serve it in many different ways. My two favorites were in the form of a drink and/or bowl from Belo Horizonte
2. Caipirinha – This is the national Brazilian cocktail made with cachaca, sugar and lime. When the balance is done right, it is perfect! This (and wine) were pretty much all I drank the entire time!
3. Pao de Queijo- Brazilian cheese bread! I had this paired with a nice cup of coffee at a market in Belo Horizonte. I am not a coffee fan but they went so well together! It was fresh, warm, and just about melted in my mouth. Yummy!
4. Picanha with Farofa de ovo– I also had this in Belo Horizonte. This was a nice cut of beef with a thin layer of fat paired with a toasted cassava flour mixture with eggs. It came out on a sizzling skillet. A true Brazilian tradition!
5. Fresh Coconut Water– You cannot, I repeat…cannot, come to Brazilian and not have a fresh coconut with a straw placed right in the center. It is NOTHING like buying coconut water. You will feel immediately refreshed after drinking one. And it seems as if the liquid never ends! :)
6. Gelato– You can get good gelato from most places. However, I loved the unique flavors here. I ordered a strawberry and mangaba (Brazilian fruit) mix. It was perfectly sweet and tart!

In addition to the items mentioned above, my favorite restaurant was Pysco in Salvador. They had the best seafood I’ve had..hmmm probably ever! We ordered octopus carpaccio (those of you that know me know that it was a BIG deal for me to try this..and I liked it!), salmon with lemon risotto, seafood risotto, and an apple tart with ice cream for dessert. This was such a lovely restaurant with a great wine selection as well. If you have the ability to dine in, try your best to sit on the patio overlooking the water. It makes for quite the memorable experience.

Favorite Food Activity- Being a food and travel blogger, one of my favorite group activities we participated in was naturally the personal cooking class with a lovely Brazilian resident who was an awesome cook. We went to one of the local markets first and purchased everything fresh. It was so nice to know exactly what all of the ingredients were and prepare to get our hands dirty! We had a fully hands on experience making a seafood dish filled with veggies and potatoes. Everyone loved the experience and even more-so, loved the food! One thing I can say is, Brazilians love a lot of flavor! It makes every bite delicious! Now I’ll know exactly how to prepare an authentic Brazilian meal in America!

You all, there were so many other great memories I have from this trip. There were beautiful scenes, amazing events, great people, etc. I could literally go on an on. In a nutshell, if you are nervous about going on a trip with people you don’t know, GO! This was the last one Travel Noire is creating, but there are many other travel groups out there. They can be pricey, but the experience is second to none!

If you are nervous about going to a place you’ve never been, GO! Don’t be afraid to try something new and come out of your comfort zone. They almost always make for the best experiences. As I mentioned before, Brazil felt like my home away from home almost immediately. I can confidently say I will be back, and soon!

Until next time…

Tchau!