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Destination Salvador, capital of the state of Bahia.
The final day in Salvador: the shoe market, the slave cellars, and a final dive in Barra.

>> Click here for more information about SALVADOR (with videos) <<

>> click here for all episodes of ‘SALVADOR’ , part 2  / (part 1) <<

Saturday 29 July, 10 am.

Shoes

Less than ninety minutes after my arrival in the pousada, I opened my eyes, and started to dress myself. I was about to join Igor and Léo on their trip to Mercado Modelo and Pelourinho. For me, it was an excellent opportunity to explore this interesting region another time. Igor and Leo visited a shoe market, where shoes and sandals were offered for very low prices. I was already aware that the selection of the shoes and sandals would take considerable time, I left them at the market, while I was wandering around. I came at a square, which had a statue of a famous local poet. A prominent location in Salvador, with a good view of the Marina and the fortress in the All Saint’s Bay. A location that was suitable for taking many interesting pictures.

Slave cellars

It took about thirty minutes before Igor and Leo had selected their shoes and sandals. We lacked time to enter Pelourinho, we only had some time left for a quick visit to Mercado Modelo. Igor still had to buy some souvenirs for his family, while Leo and I followed Igor’s advice to descend a staircase, to the catacombs of Mercado Modelo.  There was a lugubrious atmosphere. Faint yellowish green light shone on certain strategic locations in this enormous cellar. About some centuries ago, new shiploads of slaves arrived here. They left the ship and had to stay in the cellar until it was time for the slave market. The cellar was filled with water, that came from the bay. It was humid, the walls were covered with fungus. Concrete tiles allowed us to walk through the cellar, a cellar with arcs, and low walls. Slaves had lived here like rats, most probably between hungry rats. You don’t need much fantasy to imagine the harsh circumstances of slaves in this cellar….  

Inhumane

This cellar left a deep impression on me, showing me the ruthless and inhumane behavior of slave traders who considered slaves as animals. At that time, black people were considered as heathens; according to the Catholic doctrine,  heathens were no more than animals. Therefore, black slaves lacked humane circumstances, slave traders didn’t care too much about black people dying in this cellar. Horrible!.

Imagination

I hadn’t spent too much time in this cellar. the lugubrious atmosphere and the knowledge of the sad history didn’t make me feel comfortable there. Leo was also not feeling very comfortable. However, I stayed there long enough to take some pictures of the cellar. I returned there with Igor, and he told me more about the history of the cellar, about the circumstances of slaves living there. Igor had heard enough stories about this subject to retell them, with much emotion. In Portuguese.

Ipanema of Salvador

We left Mercado Modelo, it was about time to return to the pousada in Barra. I quickly returned to the monument for more pictures, before Igor and Leo approached me by taxi. I joined them. The taxi driver drove fast, in little time we were back in Barra. Most fellow travelers already had packed their belongings, they were organizing their bags. Leo and Igor still wanted to return to the nearby beach for a short while, and I joined them. I already had my bags packed, and was ready to enter the bus. We walked to the beach. We enjoyed the sun, it was still warm. We walked on the beach and had another fresh dive in the water. Igor wanted a beer and ordered some cans. Suddenly, another fellow traveler joined us. She also preferred to enjoy the final moments of the day on the beach.

Time pressure

It was about time to return to the pousada, the time limit was surpassed, and according to my European way of life, I became impatient and urged Leo and Igor to hurry. But… Brazilians are never in a hurry, unless they are driving. Only one hour (!) later, they left the beach. We returned to the pousada, and took a quick shower. I also took a quick shower, according the Dutch standards: only three minutes. The two Brazilians took considerable more time for their shower: more than ten minutes each. We were still in the pousada. Finally, they were ready. Ready to take the taxi to our bus. The taxi brought us to the faculty were the bus was scheduled to leave. Most of the fellow passengers were waiting impatiently. Even Carol showed her disapproval that we arrived very late. But she wasn’t mad at us. She was more worried about the delay, and that the bus drivers might get tired too much. She was right in this respect…

Leaving Salvador…

We collected our luggage in the cargo compartment, and took our seats. It was almost six pm. Again, I took my seat next to Edson, I had the same seat, likewise the start of our travel to Salvador. Carol sat behind me, and next to her sat Simone. The bus driver started the engine, we were on our way back to good old Belo Horizonte. This time, the bus driver know the route and we quickly left Salvador behind us. On our way back to Belo Horizonte, there were fewer stops. And there was no stop at a beach to spend the night there. We had to sleep in the bus. It was already dark, the students were lively again. Like nocturne animals. Ice-cold beer was distributed, the students danced, chatted, laughed, drank their beers. Like it was on our way to Salvador. Now we were about to return to our houses, our apartments, our comfortable beds, our work. Our holiday was coming to an end…

By. Adriano Antoine Robbesom
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Destination Salvador, capital of the state of Bahia.
Wandering around in Pelourinho, Salvador’s historical center

>> Click here for more information about SALVADOR (with videos) <<

>> click here for all episodes of ‘SALVADOR’ , part 2  / (part 1) <<

Friday 28 July, 13 h.

Posing

We – a couple and two sisters and me – entered the Lacerda Elevator, which carried us about seventy meters higher from the level at Mercado Modelo to the level at Palácio Rio Branco. From the top, we enjoyed the breathtaking view of the lower part of the city, the harbor and the All Saint’s Bay. The Mercado Modelo, the marina. I took the opportunity to take some more pictures, while the husband of the couple kept an eye on me. In order not to become a victim of a surprise robbery. Another way of crime prevention. I also have used this method various times, at popular tourist locations that might attract criminals. I then ask friends to look around, in an inconspicuous way. Initially, the were wondering why I was asking them, but soon they understood my reason. They quickly learned to look around when I was taking my camera.

Fallen Cross

There was huge artwork near the Elevator. It consisted of a collection of granite beams that appeared to support each other. This collection is called the ‘Fallen Cross’, and is clearly visible from the harbor and from Mercado Modelo. At night, this cross is illuminated, serving as a kind of a beacon. There was a giant doll – of about four meters high -  in front of the Fallen Cross. It represented a Bahian woman: a little overweight, dressed in traditional clothing. Very inviting for tourists to pose with her, with one of the cultural characteristics of Bahia. I haven’t posed with her, I preferred to pose with a slender, living Bahian girl, who was much more beautiful.

Braids

Following this short break – one of the sisters also made her pictures – we crossed Praça Municipal and continued our walk at Praça da Sé. This square preceded the much larger Terreiro de Jesus. We had a quick small bite in one of the many snack bars in the historical district. We then walked to Terreiro de Jesus. There were many people: street vendors, capoeira dancers, transvestites who made braids in the hair, for a small fee. One of the little sisters wanted such braids and sat there. Her long, dark hair was combed carefully by him (or her), and one by one the strings of hair became beautiful braids.

Without flash

During the time that the girl had her braids made by the transvestite, the woman and I walked around to have a closer look at the historical buildings around the square. Some churches were open, we entered them. I was allowed to take pictures, but without flash. Sometimes I had to take various pictures of the same composition when the result was not clear enough. I needed a firm grip on the camera for the best results. But only at home, I was able to see if I was successful: the small LCD display of the camera was not sufficient enough to show the details.

Glimpse

The churches that were visited by us, were richly decorated; some of the churches had decorations that were covered with gold leaf. I didn’t experience the feeling of chillness, like in most huge churches in the Netherlands or Belgium. I experienced some comfortable warmth of the much lower churches with their decorated columns and ceilings. One church was closed, but we heard voices inside that church. Just above eye level were little windows through which I could take some pictures of the interior of that church. IT was far from easy, since I wasn’t able to see on what I was aiming. Fortunately, some welcome help arrived. Another foreign tourist made use of his flasher, and I was able to have a glimpse at his LCD screen. I was now able to aim more precise, and I managed to obtain better images. Indeed, there were people inside the church, who gaped at the rich decorations in the church. Huge statues of saints stood in niches at both sides of the large space. The ceiling was enriched with ornaments and chandeliers. Was it a religious building? It appeared to be a kind of a chapel.

Sunset

it was already late in the afternoon, we had spent some hours in Pelô (short for Pelourinho). The setting sun provided me some inspiration for some sunset images, of buildings that had gained a different color at that hour. We returned to Terreiro de Jesus. The transvestite had finished his (or her) work, and the girl was really happy with her braided hair strings. It really decorated her pretty face so nicely. When I made this compliment to her, she showed a little smile, her bronze face showed some darker spots.

Acarajé

We met Igor and Leo in Pelourinho. The couple and the little sisters left us, they returned to the pousada. I stayed more time in Pelô, together with Igor, Leo, and Citta. We took something to drink, it was our final night in Salvador. We didn’t resist to walk to the location where the best acarajé in town was to be found, according to Igor. He knew the city, he knew some friends and he knew the best locations. He was an excellent for us. This time, there were not separate units of acarajé for each of us, but we received a large plastic plate with a giant fried ball of corn flour, and large amounts of the acarajé ingredients, including roasted shrimps. We enjoyed this delicious snack. I shared my fork with Citta, while Leo and Igor were sharing the other fork. One acarajé wasn’t enough, we ordered another one. We also bought a bottle of coke and shared the content. For us, this acarajé was a very tasteful snack.

Axé and carnival..

It was about time to return to the pousada. We refreshed ourselves with warm shower, we dressed ourselves, and we had another snack. We returned to Pelourinho. That was Leo and Igor’s plan. The little sisters were too tired; they went to bed early. I had agreed with the couple to join them to the final party at the UFBA, the local federal university. Theme of that night was Carnaval and Axé. That made me very curious…

By Adriano Antoine Robbesom
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Related articles

• Travel in Brazil: SALVADOR (46). Mercado Modelo (insiderbrazil.wordpress.com)
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Brazilian Days 002 

January 2

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DAY OF:

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(Contribution under construction)

Dag of Abreugraphy (Mass miniature radiography)

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BRAZILIAN HISTORY:

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1825 Brazil and Argentina start the war about Cisplatina, by conquering Banda Oriental, future Uruguay.

1855 Birth of Urbano Duarte (1855-1902), Brazilian military, journalist, columnist, comedian, and dramatist. He is one of the co-founders of the Brazilian Academy of Literature.

1884 Foundation of the Federação Espírita Brasileira, The Brazilian Spiritualism Federation.

1886 Death of Emílio Luis Mallet (Brazilian marshal, born in France)

1900 Fire destroys Mercado Modelo of Derby (Recife)

1921 Creation of Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, Belo Horizonte

1942 The Fernando de Noronha archipelago, in the Atlantic Ocean, is declared as a Military Zone.

1987 Ulysses Guimarães, chairman of PMDB, is elected as chairman of the committee that will prepare the new Brazilian constitution.

1989 Police investigation indicate farmer Darci Alves da Silva as the person who gave order to the murder of rubber planter and union leader  Chico Mendes.

1991 Creation of State Park “Parque Estadual da Pedra Azul” in the state of Espírito Santo, Brasil.

2002 Death of Fernando Dutra Pinto (kidnapper of the daughter of the popular TV host Sílvio Santos)

By Dr. Adriano Antoine Robbesom
Original text in Dutch, translation with help of Google Translator

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Related articles

• Travel in Brazil: PRAIA DO FORTE, ILHA SANTA CATARINA (SC) (adrianoantoine.wordpress.com)
• A Foreigner in Brazil (16): JAN 2006. Vila Velha (ES) and Itabira (MG) (insiderbrazil.wordpress.com)
• Travel in Brazil: FLORIANÓPOLIS (07). Igreja de São Francisco, the St. Francis Church (insiderbrazil.wordpress.com)
• Travel in Brazil: Belo Horizonte – MARANHÃO: (10) Imaging the Bus Travel, Hour by Hour III (insiderbrazil.wordpress.com)
• Travel in Brazil: FLORIANÓPOLIS (03). To the Federal University (UFSC) (insiderbrazil.wordpress.com)
• Carnival in Brazil 2012: Samba School IMPERATRIZ LEOPOLDINENSE (Rio de Janeiro) (insiderbrazil.wordpress.com)
• A Foreigner in Brazil (29): JUL 2006 (VIII). Beauties of Salvador (BA) (insiderbrazil.wordpress.com)
• A Foreigner in Brazil (24): JUL 2006 (III). One Day at Olivença Beach (BA) (insiderbrazil.wordpress.com)
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Ervaringen van een Nederlander in Belo Horizonte,  van maand tot maand.
Juli 2006, deel 5: Snufjes historie in Salvador de Bahia: Mercado Modelo en Pelourinho. 

Nabij de Lacerda Lift is het Palácio Rio Branco

Pelourinho

Het verblijf in Salvador bleef niet beperkt tot strandbezoeken. We bezochten ook de boeiende binnenstad van Salvador, het Pelourinho. Het hart van Pelourinho wordt gevormd door een enorm parkplein met eromheen diverse historische gebouwen en kerken. Niet één kerk, maar wel drie. Helaas konden niet alle kerken vrij bezocht worden, maar waar mogelijk, vergaapten we aan de historie en de rijkdom van het kerkinterieur. Op een avond volgden we een kerkmis in de kerk Nossa Senhora dos Pretos, een kerk die met (ex-)slavenhanden werd gebouwd. De kerk was afgeladen vol, we stonden buiten de kerkpoort. Tijdens deze mis gaf de pastoor  zijn zegen en werden manden met broodjes rondgedeeld. Het was de bedoeling dat je het brood in stukken verdeelt aan je buren. Salvador staat bekend om een markant bouwwerk, de stadslift van Lacerda. Met deze lift kan je een hoogteverschil van zestig meter in korte tijd en zonder inspanning overbruggen. Een dergelijke lift staat in het Portugese Lissabon. Aan de voet van deze lift bevindt zich de Mercado Modelo. Daar kan de toerist goed terecht voor lokale producten, van houtsnijwerk tot leren schoenen, van geborduurde theedoeken tot originele muziekinstrumenten. Als toerist kwam ik hier ogen tekort. Even indrukwekkend was de lugubere ruimte onder deze stadsmarkt. Deze in gedimd lucht gehulde ruimte fungeerde enkele eeuwen geleden als de ‘opslagplaats’ voor gearriveerde slaven. Onder zeer erbarmelijke omstandigheden verbleven deze arme drommels in deze vochtige kelders, waar in die tijd het getijwater binnenstroomde en ratten hun onderkomen hadden. Je hebt hier weinig fantasie nodig om hiervan een levendige voorstelling te maken.

De Lacerda Lift gezien vanaf
Mercado Modelo

Mercado Modelo gezien vanaf Pelourinho

Terreno do Jesus, Pelourinho

Een van de kerken

De slavenkelder onder Mercado Modelo

Het forteiland op de route naar het eiland Itaparica

De schoenenmarkt

Door Dr. Adriano Antoine Robbesom
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Bestemming Salvador, hoofdstad van deelstaat Bahia.
Koopjesjacht in en bij de Mercado Modelo.

Vrijdag 28 juli , 11 u.

T-shirts

De laatste volledige dag in Salvador was aangebroken. Na uitvoerig overleg was er besloten om vandaag de noodzakelijke inkopen te doen. Net als de doorsnee Europese toerist kan de Braziliaanse toerist niet thuiskomen zonder souvenirs van de plaatsen die hij heeft bezocht. Een van de meest algemene en meest populaire souvenirs is het T-shirt van de betreffende plaats. Het dragen van een dergelijk T-shirt is tevens een soort statussymbool: Je bent dan financieel in staat om een spetterende vakantie te houden. Dus je ziet weinig T-shirts van São Paulo in Belo Horizonte, maar meer van de populairste badplaatsen: Porto de Galinhas, Porto Seguro, Búzios, Fortaleza, Natal en ook Salvador. Het merendeel van deze T-shirts zijn wit met een keur aan opdrukken. Heel vaak zijn deze geborduurd. Deze shirts zijn ook wat duurder, maar gaan langer mee.

Olodum

Op de lokale markten in de vakantieplaatsen zijn T-shirts voor sportprijzen te koop, maar er moet zorgvuldig gelet worden op de kwaliteit. De kwaliteit van de stof, de afwerking van de zomen en naden, de opdruk, het borduursel. Voor een gemiddeld T-shirt van eenvoudige kwaliteit dient ongeveer 10 reais worden neergeteld, voor de betere kwaliteit stijgt de prijs naar dertig reais, zeg maar iets meer dan 10 euro. In Salvador zijn drie thema’s populair voor T-shirts: De linten van Senhor de Bomfim, opdrukken van de orixás en met verreweg de meeste status: die van Olodum, de plaatselijke muziekgroep met nationale en internationale bekendheid. De shirts zijn voornamelijk in het zwart, groen en rood, naar de Afrikaanse roots. Het symbool is dat van de vrede, het pacifisme. Denk maar aan de tijd van de betogingen tegen de Kruisraketten in Nederland, en aan het symbool van de toenmalige PSP.

Mercado Modelo

Een van de meest favoriete plekken om souvenirs en dus T-shirts te kopen is Mercado Modelo, dat tussen het Perlourinho en de haven van Salvador ligt. Afgelopen woensdag waren we hier doorheen gelopen toen we de boot pakten naar Itaparica. Nu hadden we ruimschoots de gelegenheid om daar rond te kijken en rond te snuffelen naar bargains. Igor en Leo zouden later komen, aangezien Igor wat last had van zijn maag en wat meer rust wilde houden. Carol bezocht deze dag haar oom en diens familie hier in Salvador. En ik vergezelde het echtpaar dat ik had leren kennen in het leegstaande huis in Olivença en de twee kleintjes (wat oneerbiedig voor deze twee lieftallige dames…). We namen de bus naar de voet van de Lacerdalift, vanwaar we de drukke strandweg overstaken om vervolgens het plein voor de Mercado Modelo te bereiken. Dit plein stond vol marktkramen, waar ook tal van gebruiksvoorwerpen, kunstvoorwerpen en souvenirs waren uitgestald voor het winkelende souvenirpubliek.

Creatief

Het is soms verbazend hoe vernuftig en creatief sommige Brazilianen kunnen zijn. Tijdens mijn verblijf heb ik me meermalen verbaasd en vergaapt aan hun creatieve bedenksels. Echt verwonderlijk is dit niveau van creativiteit niet, als je de iets lagere levensstandaard in Brazilië in acht neemt. Letterlijk alles kan worden gebruikt om het gewenste resultaat te bereiken. Plastic PET-flessen die worden opengeknipt om als WC-borstelhouder te dienen. Is deze niet meer om aan te zien, dan knip je gewoon een nieuwe. Zijn tissues aan de dure kant, dan kan toiletpapier van een betere kwaliteit als uitstekend alternatief dienen. Lege kartonnen doosjes worden beschilderd en beplakt om als verpakkingsmateriaal voor cadeautjes te dienen. En op deze markt kwam ik materiaal tegen dat van lipjes van blikjes was vervaardigd. Hoe vindingrijk!

Gemoedelijk

Vanzelfsprekend zijn sieraden zeer populair en worden deze in grote hoeveelheden aangeboden. Ook muziekinstrumenten, houtsnijwerken, schilderijtjes met lokale taferelen. Handbeborduurde kleedjes, kleding, houders voor plastic zakken, handdoeken, gastendoeken. Op deze buitenmarkt heerste een gemoedelijke sfeer. Het slenterende winkelpubliek, de soms geestdriftige handelaars die maar al te graag geld in hun handen willen zien, ambulante handelaars die hun feijãoboontjes mee willen pikken. Het is voortdurend opletten geblazen, maar een Braziliaan is bijna altijd op zijn of haar hoede. Zelden wordt een tas onbeheerd achtergelaten, staat een rits of een flap van een tas open, vaak wordt de tas aan de voorzijde gehouden.

Onderhandelen

Iets later werd de Mercado zelf door ons bezocht. We gingen ieder onze weg, op zoek naar onze gewenste souvenirs. Ik vergezelde het echtpaar korte tijd, keek en luisterde aandachtig hoe zij handelden en onderhandelden en ging met mijn vers opgedane kennis zelf op winkelpad. En met succes. Deze snelcursus was niet voor niets, en ik bemachtigde een orixá T-shirt voor een bodemprijs. Dus zelfs als gringo kon ik redelijk effectief onderhandelen. Vaak werd ik aangeklampt door een handelaar die schilderijtjes of handsnijwerk in de aanbieding had. En vaak werd de prijs tot zelfs een kwart van de oorspronkelijke prijs omlaag gebracht, maar ik hield mijn hand op de spreekwoordelijke knip. Als arme student moet ik zuinig blijven….

Op naar Pelô!

Na een uur of twee hadden we genoeg gezien en gekocht en was het tijd om de markt te verlaten. Op naar de Lacerdalift, op naar Pelourinho. Eindelijk hadden we gelegenheid om deze schitterende historische wijk bij daglicht te aanschouwen. Voor mij een uitstekende gelegenheid om wat meer foto’s te schieten van Pelô…

Door Dr. Adriano Antoine Robbesom
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Bestemming Salvador, hoofdstad van deelstaat Bahia.
De boottocht naar het eiland Itaparica.

>> Klik hier voor alle afleveringen van ‘SALVADOR’ deel 2  (en deel 1) <<

>> Klik hier voor meer informatie over SALVADOR (met video’s) <<

Woensdag 26 juli, 10 u.

Vroeg

Vroege uurtjes of niet, om acht uur werd het appèl geblazen. Er was besloten om vandaag naar een populair strandeiland te gaan, naar Itaparica. We zouden met de ferryboot naar dit eiland gevaren worden. Ditmaal hadden de dames haast en de slaperige heren, die nog hun dronkenmansroes aan het verwerken waren, waren nu de vertragende factor. Ik daarentegen was als van nature wel snel. Ik moet mijn reputatie als snelle jongen wel in ere blijven houden. Om negen uur kon er eindelijk vertrokken worden. Met dezelfde bus naar de halte aan de voet van de Lacerdalift. We moesten door het Mercado Modelo lopen om bij het vertrekpunt van de ferry te komen. De overtocht kostte iets meer dan 2 reais. We hoefden niet lang te wachten, de boot lag al aangemeerd.

Aan boord

De blauwgeschilderde ferry deinde op de kleine golven. Enkelen onder ons, waaronder Carol, waren niet echt gerust op deze reis. Ze hoopten echt dat het vandaag beperkt zou blijven tot kleine golfjes en dat geen van hen zeeziek zou worden. We bleven buiten zitten, aan de reling. Voor mijn en Miriam was het een uitstekende uitgangspositie voor het maken van opnamen van de stad en later van het eiland. Het was zwaar bewolkt, dreigend hun overvloed aan waterdruppels op ons neer te laten dalen. Tijdens de overtocht zouden we het nog droog houden. Na enige tijd werd de motor gestart, de dieselmotor hoestte vervaarlijk maar kwam alsnog knetterend en pruttelend op gang. Een half uur na het aan boord gaan werd er eindelijk afgemeerd en begon de ferry routinematig aan haar veertien kilometers naar het eiland. Het leek alsof we oostwaarts richting Afrika voeren, over open water, maar het eiland ligt juist westwaarts in een baai. Hoe bedriegelijk…

Titanic

We passeerden het fort St. Marcelo, dat als een eiland opdoemde voor de kust. Vissers in zelfgemaakte kano’s van uitgeholde boomstammen passeerden ons, alsof we in een romantieke setting van een film waren beland. Dit gaf mij de inspiratie om de titelmuziek van de “Titanic” voor de muziekvideo van de foto’s van vandaag te gebruiken. Toevalligerwijs had ik een foto van Simone met een lokale bewoner in de pose van Leonardo di Caprio en Kate Winslett. En Miriam had ik onderweg als ware zij Kate Winslett gefotografeerd. Dit resulteerde in een aardige montage waarbij de fotobeelden voorbijgleden als ware dat de kijker zelf op de boot zat.

Zeevaardersbloed?

De boot tufte over het water, een klein schuimend spoor achter zich latend. Soms deinde de boot wat meer, hetgeen leidde tat licht paniek onder enkelen van ons. Ze keken op dat ik hiermee geen problemen leek te hebben, maar bij nader inzien leek het hen logisch: als Hollander moet ik zeevaardersbloed in mijn aderen hebben. Maar zij bezitten ook bloed van de avontuurlijke Portugese zeevaarders…

Aan land

We lieten de skyline van Salvador achter ons. Even later doemden de contouren van het eiland Itaparica voor ons op. Een kerkje was een van de prominente gebouwen dichtbij het aanmeerpunt. Na ruim veertig minuten minderde de ferry vaart en voeren we langzaam en laverend langs de riffen. Talloze merkpalen met daaraan visnetten gebonden passeerden ons. Op het strand was een veldje met linten gemarkeerd waarbinnen een partijtje strandvoetbal werd gespeeld. De groep was opgelucht toen ze de vaste grond weer onder zich voelden. Ook Carol verborg haar opluchting niet. Gelukkig was niemand echt zeeziek geworden, de golfjes hadden zich beheerst….

Door Adriano Antoine Robbesom
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Destination Salvador, capital of the state of Bahia.
Buying handicraft and souvenirs at Mercado Modelo.

>> Click here for more information about SALVADOR (with videos) <<

>> click here for all episodes of ‘SALVADOR’ , part 2  / (part 1) <<

Friday 28 July, 11 am.

T-shirts

It was our final full day in Salvador. It took some time before we all agreed to spend the final day with some shopping. Like most European tourists, Brazilian tourists need to buy souvenirs for the homefront and for themselves. One of the most popular items is the T-shirt of the city visited. Wearing such a T-shirt is also some kind of status symbol: you have spent money to visit the popular touristic destinations. You will not notice too many T-shirts from – let’s say – São Paulo or Belo Horizonte, but more of the most popular beach resorts: Porto de Galinhas, Porto Seguro, Búzios, Fortaleza, Natal, and also Salvador. Most of the T-shirts are white with a broad range of colorful prints. Many of them are embroidered. These embroidered shirts are more expensive, but also more durable.

Olodum

Even at touristic locations, T-shirts are really cheap at local markets, but you need to pay attention to the quality. The quality of the tissue, the final touch of hems and seams, the print, the embroidery. You may pay about ten reais (in 2007!) for a T-shirt of average quality. The price will rise quickly to – let’s say – thirty reais, for a much better quality. Three T-shirt prints were popular in Salvador at that time: Ribbons of Senhor de Bomfim, prints of Orixás (candomblé gods), and the print of percussion band Olodum, by far the most popular. These shirts were mainly black, green and red, according to the African colors. The symbol that is used by Olodum is the peace symbol, the sign of pacifism.

Mercado Modelo

Mercado Modelo is one of the most favorite locations in Salvador for buying souvenirs and T-shirts. It is located between Pelourinho and the ferry station. We were here last Wednesday, when we rushed through the market, on our way to the ferry station, and get the ferry boat to Itaparica Island. This morning, we would spend much more time; walking along the numerous stalls, and searching for bargains. Igor and Leo were about to arrive later, since Igor got some stomach problems and wanted to rest a bit more. Carol was absent that day. She was visiting her uncle and his relatives here in Salvador. I was accompanying the couple, which I had met in the empty house in Olivença, and the two ‘baixinhas’ (little girls, a somewhat impolite name these lovely girls). We took the bus to the basis of the Lacerda Elevator, from where he had to cross a crowded street, parallel to the shoreline. We then had to cross a large square before we arrived at the Mercado Modelo. There were numerous stalls on this square, with a wide variety of handicraft, art, and souvenirs. Ready to be bought by the tourists.

Creative

It is sometimes amazing to notice how inventive and creative some Brazilians can be. With the years, I was repeatedly amazed and marveled about their creative inventions. Their level of creativity is not really marvelous, when you consider their life standard in Brazil. Literally everything may be used to obtain the desired results. Plastic PET bottles are cut open, in order to serve as a  toilet brush holder. When this holder is too ugly, you simply cut a new one. Since paper tissues are quite expensive, better quality hygienic paper is used as an excellent alternative. Empty carton boxes are painted and glued with decorative paper, in order to serve as a gift box. At one stall in front of the Mercado Modelo, I encountered materials that were made of tabs from cans. Really inventive!

Serene

Without doubt, jewelry is very popular, and is offered in large amounts. Besides, also music instruments, wood carvings, paintings with local scenes. Embroidered cloths, clothes, plastic bag holders, towels, guest towels. There a serene atmosphere at this open air market. The slowly wandering tourists, the enthusiastic vendors, who showed their eagerness to receive money in their pockets. Ambulant vendors trying to obtain their marginal share. You need to pay attention, but I Brazilian is always alert. They seldom leave their bag unnoticed, or leave the bag open. They often keep the bag in front of them.

Negotiating

We then entered the building of Mercado Modelo. We each went our own way, in search of souvenirs. I was accompanying the couple for some time, I was paying attention how they acted and negotiated, and with the new knowledge I went on my own too. And I was successful. The crash course was fruitful. I managed to negotiate with one vendor, even with my poor Portuguese, and I obtained a very low price for a T-shirt with the Orixás print. During my walk in the mercado, I was halted various times by vendors who tried to sell their paintings or wood carvings. Sometimes they even lowered the price to no more than one quarter of the original price offered. But I didn’t buy more. As a poor student, I needed to be cautious with my money.

To Pelô!

About two hours later, we had seen and bought enough. It was about time to leave the market, take a ride with the Lacerda elevator, to Pelourinho. Finally, we had opportunity to visit this interesting historical district at day. For me it was an excellent opportunity to take more pictures of Pelô…

By Adriano Antoine Robbesom

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Destination Salvador, capital of the state of Bahia.
The boat trip to Itaparica Island.

>> Click here for more information about SALVADOR (with videos) <<

>> click here for all episodes of ‘SALVADOR’ , part 2  / (part 1) <<

Wednesday 26 July, 10 am.

Early

Going out until dawn or not, we had to wake up at eight. It was decided to travel to a a popular beach island: Itaparica Island. We would take the ferry boat to the island. This time, the ladies hurried, and the sleepy gentlemen, still enjoying their drunken daze, were much slower. I was one of the exceptions, I am naturally fast, when I need to prepare myself for another travel. We all were ready at nine, and we took the same bus that brought us at the base of the Lacerda Elevator the previous night. We had to cross Mercado Modelo, in order to reach the ferry boat. The boat trip cost little more than two reais. We did not need to wait too long, the boat was waiting for us, to depart.

On board

The ferry, pained in blue, bobbed calmly on the tiny waves. Some among us, and Carol was one of them, were not really feeling comfortable during this trip. They really hoped that there would be no higher waves; they wanted to prevent seasickness at all price. We stayed on the deck, near the railing. For me and Miriam, this location was ideal for making pictures. We took images of  the city of Salvador that we were leaving behind us, and of the island in front of us. It was cloudy, threatening dark clouds that could release their water drops at any time. But we kept it dry during the ferry trip. It took some time until the diesel engine was started. It made some choking noises, but it was healthy enough to bring us to the island. About thirty minutes after boarding, the ferry left the quay in Salvador, and started the 14 km trip. It was as if we were moving eastward, towards the African coast, on open water, but Itaparica Island is located within a bay, Baia de Todos os Santos, west from the city of Salvador..

Titanic

We passed the fortress of St. Marcelo, which loomed like an island off the coast. We observed fishermen in self-made canoes; it was as if we were in a romantic setting of a movie. That provided me inspiration to take pictures in the style of Leonardo di Caprio and Kate Winslett, the famous scene on the railing of the ‘Titanic’. I already had taken a picture of Simone and a local boy as the romantic ‘Titanic’-couple, and I made another picture of Miriam, in a thoughtful pose. I used these, and a dozen other pictures, in a music video, with the theme music of the ‘Titanic’.

Sailors?

The boat continued its way towards the island, leaving a small trace of foam behind. Sometimes the ferry bobbed a bit more, which generated some panic among some of us. They were surprised that I did not have problems with the movements of the boat. But it is not illogical, since as a Dutchman, I must have inherited some navigator’s blood.. However, a large part of the Brazilians also must have inherited some navigator’s blood, from the adventurous Portuguese navigators…

Land!

We left the skyline of Salvador behind us. Not much later, the contours of Itaparica Island doomed in front of us. A small church was one of the taller buildings near the mooring. A little more than forty minutes later, the ferry slowed gradually and was navigated cautiously along the reefs. There were numerous poles with fishnets attached at them. A little field, was marked on the beach, by ribbons. A dozen of teenagers were playing soccer. The group sighted of delight when the ferry was anchored, and that they could feel the solid earth again. Also Carol seemed to be delighted. Fortunately, nobody was seasick, the little waves had behaved themselves…

By Adriano Antoine Robbesom

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Destination Salvador, capital of the state of Bahia.
Negotiations at Terreiro de Jesus, ice-cooled beer cans, and a drinking challenge…

Click here for general information about SALVADOR. (including videos)

Tuesday, July 25, 6.30 am. 

Terreiro de Jesus

Terreiro de Jesus grants the name to Igreja dos Jesuítas, the Jesuit church, now called Catedral Basílica. This impressive building is hard to miss, when you enter the Terreiro de Jesus from Praça da Sé. On the right, there is a number of small stores with an interesting assortment of handicraft. One store is specialized in music instruments, such as the samba drums. The facades above these stores were brightly illuminated. The Faculty of Medicine is located at the other side of the square. The remainder of the square is surrounded by a number of churches. The square itself is almost empty; I could only could two statues and two palm trees. When we entered the square, it was crowded: the square was full of locals and (foreign) tourists.

Negotiations

Entrepreneurs were taking advantage of the large number of potential customers; we observed a great number of small food stands, and stands with handicraft. Ambulant vendors try to sell their self-made merchandise. Many of them sell necklaces, made of seeds, wood, shells. Cunning vendors try to sell them for higher prices to unsuspecting tourists, who consider these prices as extremely cheap and pay the requested amount without hesitation. Since I am not a rich tourist, and that I am still adapting myself more tho the Brazilian way of life, I am already used to the Brazilian way of negotiating. And I may have some success. One ambulant vendor tried to sell five necklaces for ten reais, and he quickly realized that I was not a common foreign tourist. I managed to obtain twelve necklaces for ten reais, and no one of our group achieved to have the same bargain. They had their bargain with ten necklaces for ten reais.

Taking advantage?

I can imagine that there are readers who think that I am taking too much advantage of these poor vendors. They may criticize me that I was trying to lower the price, even when the price was extremely cheap. Those critics may start to try to view this through Brazilian eyes. Brazilians in general are not rich, and are not eager to pay more than the value of the merchandise. I had the luck that my Brazilian friends helped me to evaluate the quality of the merchandise, making use of  their experienced eyes. For sure, I have to obtain this level of experience with the years, but I already was familiar with their way of negotiating, to their great surprise. Some days later, I was successful in bargaining for a popular T-shirt at Mercado Modelo. This T-shirt, with the images of the orixás, was offered for 35 reais. Normally you may buy it for 25 reais, after intensive bargaining. That day, I was able to lower the price to 23 reais even. My friends had bought them for 25 reais, at another location.

Beer cans on ice

We took our time to walk around the immense square. Some of us had become very thirsty and were desperately looking for beer sellers. At a night like this, with many cultural activities in the historical center, ambulant vendors tried to make extra money by selling ice-cooled cans of soda and beer. On their shoulders, they carry a styrofoam box that contains ice cubes and a large number of cans. They can refresh they ice cubes at many locations, even at gasoline stations, where big (ten liter!) bags are available. The prices for soda and beer cans varied greatly. They asked two reais for half a liter, while the smaller cans were one real each. Some vendors are selling for lower prices, but their cans are floating on melted ice. Even the very thirsty customer will refuse even to touch these cans. This vendor better can buy another bag of ice cubes, for the price of four reais….

Challenge

There was not only beer available. Also stronger alcoholic drinks. Among them cachaça and a local liquor that is called ‘cravinho’, that is made on the basis of clove. The name containing ‘vinho (wine)’ is somewhat confusing, since this liquor is not a wine at all and contains a higher percentage of alcohol. Good for the cold winter months… Another liquor that I encountered in Bahia is made on the basis of manioc. This liquor has a deep blue color, almost like spirit.  At our final night in Salvador, which we spent at the UFBA, a student from Rio de Janeiro, a so-called ‘carioca’, challenged me with a Bahian drinking game. A combination of drinking beer and the manioc liquor. I was somewhat suspicious, but I accepted his offer and drank a bit of the blue liquor. Then we took a swallow from our beer cans. And again, Aylton (the carioca) offered me the blue liquor. And he repeated this offer four more times, and he encouraged me to take another swallow of beer after each offer. Beer and manioc liquor. One student from our group was a bit worried, she kept an eye on me. And also her friends were looking worried, and they showed their disgust of this brawling carioca. We went on with round five. The worried student tried to stop me, but I gave a her a meaningful wink. Mr. Carioca was already staggering, but he did not give up.

Technical knock-out

We went on: round six, round seven, as in a boxing match. He tried to give me a knock-out, through too much alcohol. But he was staggering dangerously. He gave up after the eight round, he was no longer able to stand upright. The others were deeply impressed that I was still having my locomotion under control. A born drinker? No way! I already had given one of them a hint with my wink. I was not crazy, not a ‘bobo’. In contrast to Mr. Carioca, I did not swallow much beer, I only took little nips of it. I pretended to have drunk a lot, but I did not allow too much beer enter my throat. And what about the blue liquor? I was putting the glass to my lips, but I had my lips firmly closed. And I quickly wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, in order to avoid contact with beer. It was as if I was cleaning my lips after another delicious nip of that liquor. The carioca was knock-out. I had won this challenge by a technical knock-out. The student showed her beautiful big eyes, full of surprise. Then she quickly explained her friends my trick, in a soft voice. You can imagine that there was a burst of laughter when they understood all of it. And I gained another reputation: “esperta”, or: intelligent, cunning. At least, I had managed to maintain my reputation as a scientist. And indeed, sometimes it is not too bad to know more than science only…

By Dr. Adriano Antoine Robbesom

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Destination Salvador, capital of the state of Bahia.
A first exploration of Pelourinho by night…

Click here for general information about SALVADOR. (including videos)

Tuesday, July 25,  6 pm.

Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos

It was already five-thirty, when everyone had finished their personal preparations. Finally!. As one could predict, the men waited impatiently upon the arrival of the ladies, who seemed to require hours for their bath and make-up. And we had made the appointment, to arrive in Pelourinho at six… Because a mass was about to start at six, in the church of Our Lady of the Rosary of the Black Community. This church was constructed by slaves and freed blacks in the nightly hours. A number of slaves is buried in the foundations of the church. The construction started in 1704, and was finished almost one century later. The sky blue facade in Rococo style, in the heart of the Pelourinho district, is hard to miss, and is one of the major attractions of the district. According to the tradition, black priests lead the mass in this church, where the religions of candomblé and catholicism have been merged to a unique catholic mass.

Elevador de Lacerda

We took the bus to the base of the Lacerda Elevator. The elevator carried us about 70 meters higher to Pelourinho. The elevator itself is impressive, and is a landmark of Salvador. It was entrepreneur Antônio Lacerda, who already had introduced a number of city transport systems, who took the initiative for the construction of the elevator. Through the years, the elevator had undergone a number of revisions. At presents four elevators carry passengers 72 meters higher, in only thirty seconds. Almost thirty thousand passengers enter the elevator daily. The elevators have the capacity of twenty-five passengers. When we took  the elevator, we did not need to pay for it; normally, a small fee is requested. .

The elevator building provides excellent opportunities for wonderful photographs. The off-white construction forms a sharp contrast with the constructions on the slope. At night, the building is illuminated modestly, but good enough for more interesting photographs. Lisbon also has an elevator in its center: Elevador de Santa Justa, which transports passengers from the upper city to the lower city. This 45 meter high elevator is constructed by Mesnier du Ponsard, who is unjustly considered as a follower of the famous architect Gustave Eiffel.

Palácio Rio Branco

The Lacerda Elevator building is a prominent building at Praça Municipal (Municipal Square). However, the most interesting building at this square is Palácio Rio Branco, which is brightly illuminated at night. This palace was constructed in 1549, and originally consisted of clay and loam. It was meant as a residence for the governor of Brazil and his administrative unit. Later, this palace was used as barracks and prison. Through the centuries, the palace had undergone various reforms and had different functions. Recently, the palace was restored completely and now serves as a seat for various cultural organizations. The palace is obvious with a dome and two wings that each contain a spread-winged eagle on the roof.

Praça da Sé

We continued our walk through Praça da Sé, another square. There was a theater on the left, and some bars and restaurants on the right. One of these bars still had the decorations of World Cup 2006, with a giant poster of my namesake: Adriano. Further left, there was a pond, where fountains sprayed water in various colors, thanks to colored lamps. Yellow, green, blue, purple, red… One of us, studying theater sciences, did not resist to act as a conductor of this water orchestra. His foolishly looking arm movements made us laugh, and made a number of tourists and locals look up and wonder what this clown was doing….

Terreiro de Jesus

From, Praça da Sé, we only had to round the corner to enter the enormous Terreiro de Jesus, which is also called XV de Novembro. A large number of interesting historical buildings flank this impressive square…

Mercado Modelo as seen from Elevador Lacerda

By Dr. Adriano Antoine Robbesom

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Experiences of a Dutchman living in Belo Horizonte, since December 2004, from month to month.
July 2006, part five: Pieces of history in Salvador de Bahia: Mercado Modelo and Pelourinho. 

Palácio Rio Branco is located close to the
Lacerda Elevator

Pelourinho

Our stay in Salvador was not restricted to visits to the beaches only. We also visited the interesting center of Salvador, which is called Pelourinho. The center of Pelourinho consists of a giant square that is surrounded by historic buildings and churches. Not one church, but three. Unfortunately, these churches were closed for visitors at the time of our visits. But when possible, we absorbed the history and the richness of the decorations inside these churches. At one night, we attended a mass in the church of Nossa Senhora dos Pretos, a church that was built by the hands of (former) slaves. The  church was overcrowded, we had to stay at the main entrance. During this mass, the priest gave his blessings, baskets with fresh bread were distributed among the worshipers. You have to tear this bread into smaller pieces and hand them to your neighbors. The worshipers also hugged each other. Salvador is widely known for its remarkable elevator, the Lacerda Elevador. Such an elevator is also found in Lisbon, Portugal. The elevator carries you about sixty meters higher, from Mercado Modelo to Pelourinho.  At the Mercado you can buy your souvenirs, local handicraft, from wooden carvings to leather shoes, from embroidery to original music instruments. I was amazed by the diversity of those products. I was also amazed by the macabre view of the slave cellar under the Mercado. This by dim light illuminated space was used as the ‘storage room’ for the slaves who had arrived from Africa. These poor bastards stayed there under extremely miserable conditions. At that time, seawater entered the moist cellar at high tide, and rats had their territories. You do not need much fantasy to create such an imagination.  

The Lacerda Elevator as seen from
Mercado Modelo

Mercado Modelo as seen from Pelourinho

Terreno do Jesus, Pelourinho

One of the churches

The slave cellar under the Mercado Modelo

The island fortress in Baia de Todos os Santos

The shoe market

By Dr. Adriano Antoine Robbesom
Original text in Dutch, translation with help of Google Translator
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Bestemming Salvador, hoofdstad van deelstaat Bahia.
De laatste dag in Salvador: de schoenenmarkt, de slavenkelder en een laatste duik in Barra.

Zaterdag 29 juli, 10 u.

Schoenen

Nog geen anderhalf uur na mijn nachtelijke trip opende ik mijn ogen en begon me snel aan te kleden. Ik had met Igor en Leo afgesproken om met hen terug te keren naar Mercado Modelo en Pelourinho. Voor mij was het een uitstekende gelegenheid voor de laatste keer deze reis deze buurt nader te verkennen. Igor en Leo bezochten een schoenenmarkt waar tegen een sportprijs schoenen en sandalen werden aangeboden. Omdat het uitzoeken en het kopen van deze schoenen aardig wat tijd zou vergen, liet ik hen daar achter terwijl ik in de buurt wat rondsnuffelde. Ik kwam op een plein terecht, waar een beroemde dichter zijn standbeeld heeft staan. Een prominente locatie in de stad, met een goed uitzicht op de jachthaven en het fort in de baai. Een locatie die uitermate geschikt was voor het maken van wat extra foto’s.

Slavenkelder

Na ongeveer een uur hadden Igor en Leo hun gewenste schoenen. We gingen alsnog niet Pelourinho in, we moesten ons vanwege de beperkte beschikbare tijd beperken tot een snel bezoek aan Mercado Modelo. Igor moest nog wat souvenirs kopen voor het thuisfront, terwijl Leo en ik op Igor’s aanwijzingen een trap afdaalden, naar de catacomben van deze markt. Daar oogde het luguber. Het zwakke geelgroene licht bescheen een aantal strategische plaatsen in deze kelder. Hier kwamen in een ver verleden de verse aanvoer van Afrikaanse slaven aan. Zij gingen hier van boord en verbleven hier tot het tijd was voor de slavenmarkt. Deze kelder stond onder water, het was vochtig, de muren leken beschimmeld. Betonnen platen boden ons gelegenheid door de kelder te lopen, de kelder met gewelfde bogen, lage muren. Hier hadden de slaven dus als ratten geleefd, hoogstwaarschijnlijk temidden van al dan niet hongerige ratten. Laat je fantasie maar werken wat zich toen heeft afgespeeld, geen frisse toestanden dus.

Onmenselijk

Deze kelder maakte diepe indruk op me, het toonde mij de meedogenloosheid en onmenselijkheid van de slavenhandelaren die de aangeleverde negers nog minder als dieren bleken te beschouwen. In die tijd werden de negers als heidenen beschouwd, volgens de katholieke leer destijds waren heidenen niets anders dan beseten, of minder. Zodoende ontbeerden deze negers menselijke omstandigheden en werd er niet gekeken op een dode slaaf meer of minder. Afgrijselijk.

Verbeelding

Ik heb niet al te lang in deze kerker rondgelopen; de lugubere aanblik en de kennis van de geschiedenis maakte mij niet echt comfortabel hier. Ook Leo voelde zich niet gemakkelijk. Maar voor mij was het lang genoeg om wat foto’s te maken van deze kelder. Later ging ik nog terug met Igor, en hij vertelde mij wat extra informatie over deze kelder, over hoe de slaven bivakkeerden. Igor had deze verhalen vaak genoeg gehoord om ze levendig te kunnen vertellen. In het Portugees.

Ipanema van Salvador

We verlieten de Mercado, het was tijd om terug te keren naar de Pousada. Ik ging nog vlug naar het monument om wat foto’s te schieten alvorens Igor en Leo met de taxi kwamen aanrijden. De chauffeur reed zeer vlot en binnen mum van tijd waren we terug in de Pousada. Het gros van de medereizigers was reeds bepakt en gezakt, ze ruimden de laatste spullen op. Leo en Igor wilden nog even naar het nabijgelegen strand, ik vergezelde hen. Ik had reeds mijn tas pakklaar, zodat ik snel kon vertrekken. We liepen naar het strand. Het was uitstekend weer, warm met een lekker stevig zonnetje. We gingen het strand op en doken het frise zeewater in. Igor had trek in een biertje en bestelde wat blikjes. Een van de medereizigsters doemde plotseling voor ons op en vergezelde ons. Ook zij gaf de voorkeur om dit strand met een kort bezoekje te vereren. En ook zij dook het water in.

Tijdsdruk

Het was al tijd, het werd over tijd, naar goed Nederlands gebruik begon ik ongeduldig te worden en maande ik Igor en Leo haast te maken. Maar Brazilianen hebben nooit haast, tenzij ze in de auto zitten. Pas na bijna een uur (!) maakten ze aanstalten te vertrekken om nog een korte douche te nemen in de pousada. Ook ik ging me snel douchen, voor mij duurde deze douchebeurt naar goed Nederlands gebruik slechts drie minuten. De twee Brazilianen douchen naar goed Braziliaans gebruik meer dan tien minuten per persoon. Het was reeds vijf uur, de geplande vertrektijd van onze bus. En nog steeds waren we in de pousada. Eindelijk waren ze klaar, opgefrist, aangekleed en bepakt. We bestelden de taxi en reden op weg naar de faculteit waar de bus klaar zou staan. Bij aankomst zat het gros van het gezelschap ongeduldig te wachten op ons. Ook Carol liet haar ongduld blijken. Maar ze was niet boos. Ze was eerder bezorgd over de vertraging die de chauffeurs extra vermoeid zou kunnen maken. En daarin had ze groot gelijk.

Leaving Salvador…

We brachten onze bagage in het laadruim, en klommen de bus in. Het was bijna zes uur. Ik ging weer naast Edson zitten, net als in het begin van de heenreis. En Carol zat achter me, naast de blonde Simone. De bus werd gestart, de wielen gleden over het asfalt van de avenida. Ditmaal wist de chauffeur goed de weg en lieten we Salvador snel achter ons. Op de terugweg zal slechts enkele malen worden gestopt, ditmaal geen overnachting op het strand, maar in de bus. De avond was reeds gevallen, het gezelschap kwam tot leven, gelijk de nachtdieren…. Het gekoelde bier werd rondgedeeld, er werd weer gedanst, gekletst, gedronken , gelachen. Net als toen we op weg waren naar Salvador. Nu zullen we huiswaarts keren, terug in het koudere Belo Horizonte, terug naar ons werk, naar onze studie. Onze vakantie was bijna ten einde….

Door Dr. Adriano Antoine Robbesom
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Braziliaanse Dagen 002 

2 Januari

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DAG VAN:

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Dag van de Abreugrafie

Braziliaanse Historie:

1825 Brazilië en Argentinië starten de oorlog om Cisplatina, door de inname van Banda Oriental, het latere Uruguay.
1886 Overlijden van Emílio Luis Mallet (Braziliaanse maarschalk, geboren in Frankrijk)
1900 Grote brand vernietigt de Mercado Modelo van Derby (Recife)
1921 Oprichting van Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, Belo Horizonte
1942 De eilandengroep Fernando de Noronha in de Atlantische Oceaan wordt tot ‘militaire zone’ verklaard.
1987 Ulysses Guimarães, voorzitter van de partij PMDB, werd gekozen tot voorzitter van de commisie die de nieuwe grondwet voorbereidt.
2002 Overlijden van Fernando Dutra Pinto (ontvoerder van de dochter van de populaire televisiepresentator Sílvio Santos)

Catamarã