Main >> Food, Travel & The Arts >> Latin America

Bahia-Brazil "Magical Place"

[IMAGE]

Welcome to Bahia-Brazil

[IMAGE]

Aerial View of Salvador-Bahia (3,1 million inhab. est 2000). The 450 years old capital of Bahia State currently is Brazil's 3rd Largest city.

When the Portuguese first arrived in Brazil (April 22nd 1500) they landed on the soil today known as Bahia. In Portuguese (Brazil's Oficial Language) the word "bay" is translated "baia". Salvador, Bahia's capital, was founded by Portuguese explorers in 1549. The city lays in a peninsule located in between "All Saints Bay" and the Atlantic Ocean. Every time people talked about Salvador, they referred to it as, "the province with the bay in it". Later on, the province would be oficially named "The Province of Bahia" (the province of the bay). The spelling of the word "bay" (baia) was changed in order to make the province's name unique. Salvador-Bahia became Brazil's first capital back when the country was one of Portugal's colonies, and remained like that for 214 years (until it was transferred to Rio, and finally to Brasilia).

[IMAGE]

View of All Saints Bay from the "upper level" of Salvador. The picture includes the old city market (Mercado Modelo), and the Round Fortification of Sao Marcelo.

The city of Salvador was geographycally closer to Portugal than most Braziian towns, which was crucial for its indication as the capital of the Portuguese Colony of Brazil. In the 1500's Salvador became not only the largest, but the most important port of the Americas. Almost every single slave sent to Brazil had to go through the famous slave markets of Bahia, where farmers from all over the coutry bought their work force

[IMAGE]

The sunset at one of Bahia's restored Historical Districts. Pelourinho, City of Salvador.

[IMAGE]

One of Countless restored neighborhoods (Over 400 years old), Salvador-Bahia. Area called Pelourinho.

During the 16/17 hundreds, Salvador was one of the world's most prosperous cities. The sugarcane, and tobacco plantations were a big part of such economic boom. As the economy grew stronger, hundreds of buildings (such as forts, lighthouses, palaces, churches, and "castles") were being built within the All Saints Bay area. One day eventually, the economic cicle of the sugarcane declined. When gold mines were found in the southeast, not only Bahia, but all the northeastern provinces went through a long period of economic recession. The transfer of the colony's capital from Salvador to Rio de Janeiro was one of the results of the northeastern decadence.

[IMAGE]

Sao Francisco Church, built during the Barroque period. This particular church has gold walls, priceless sculputures, and paintings on the inside. Behind the church there is a huge monasterie decorated with Portuguese tiles dated from the 17th Century.

[IMAGE]

Sao Bento Basilica, and Monastery. Salvador-Bahia

During the 18th and 19th centuries regional differences within Brazil were already enormous. The Southeast was prosperous, and Rio was an imponent city. The states of Sao Paulo and Minas were developing in a very fast pace due to the coffee based economy implemented at the time. The Northeast was archaic, poverty was all they had from the largest to the smallest town. Salvador, and Recife were already the 2 largest cities of the northeast back then, but that had little importance when compared to the socio-economic problems those cities were going through. Salvador was empoverished and abandoned, but it's beaulty survived. The Bahian people used music, dance, and other forms of art (such as Capoeira-martial art that was born in Bahia during slavery times.) as a way to escape from the struggles of their everyday life. Some of Brazil's all time best musicians, writers, and painters were born in the extremely religious, decadent, and profane Bahia of that time in History.

[IMAGE]

Passo Church, restored in 1997. Salvador-Bahia

In the 20th Century the regional differences within Brazil became dramatic. Each region had a different level of human, and economic developement. Brazil's 5 regions became so different from one another that it was (and still is) hard to believe that all of them belonged to the same nation. Some regions were highly advanced, people lived well, and poverty was seldom seen. While other regions were either poor, or somewhere in between poverty and wealth. (Although regional diferences have diminished tremendously, it is still a major problem in Brazil)

[IMAGE]

Barra Lighthouse (Marine Museum), located upon a Fort at the tip of the peninsule, was restored in 1998. Salvador-Bahia

Early on the 20th century Brazil received immigrants from all over the world. Germans, Dutch, and Polish (as well as Ukranian, Swiss, and Hungarians) settled in small towns all over the south-southeast, and midwest of the country. The Portuguese, Italians, and Japanese (as well as Koreans, Arabic, Chinese, and Eastern Europeans) settled in larger cities such as Sao Paulo. Immigrants brought progress with them, they moved to Brazil to "Make it Better". The Northeast received almost no immigrants since the Portuguese, meaning, no progress for centuries in a roll.

[IMAGE]

Historical District of Salvador-Bahia, protected by the United Nations.

1970's::Expecting to diminish regional differences, the national government ordered (Brazil was living under a dictatorship at the time) companies to install factories in the northeast. At that point the northeast was totally agricultural. To have a few factories in the region was a huge deal for its people. The petrochemical district of Camacari-Bahia was created miles west of Salvador to absorb some of the upcoming factories. Today Camacari is the largest petrochemical complex in the southern hemisphere. A huge oil refinary was installed along with hundreds of factories, and a port. The idea of implementing industrial districts was so widely accepted that the local government created several (including Aratu, Subae', Ilheus, Eunapolis etc). In the 80's Brazil went through a decade of instability and stagnation, but Bahia's economy flourished. Factories were being installed, irrigation projects were starting to be implemented (San Francisco Valley's tropical fruits are sold all over the world), and tourism was finally starting to bring some profit to the Bahian people.

[IMAGE]

Lacerda Public Elevator (Largest in the world). One of the several public elevators of Salvador. It transports people from the lower to the upper section of the city

The 90's came with the election of Antonio Carlos Magalhaes (ACM) as governor of Bahia. ACM, started a very ambitious project that has changed the face of the state. When governor, he payed the State's debts, and created a surplus in the budget of over 1 Billion Dollars. Due to his pionerism the world's largest banks extended credit lines to the Bahian government. ACM has also implemented an aggressive policy of investment attraction aiming both Brazilian, and Foreign investors. Since 1997, over 34 Billion Dollars in direct investments were injected in the state's economy (this number increases by the day).The state's policy was based on subsiding taxes, financing investments, and by an eficient investor assistance plan. Automobile plants such as Kia, Skoda, and Hyundai will soon build their cars in Bahia. Ford Motors will have completed the construction of the company's largest auto-manufacturing plant in the world by 2001. The plant will have over 6million Sq. yards of area, will manufacture 250,000 cars per year, and generate 150,000 jobs both direct and indirectly. The world's 2 largest paper-celusosis manufacturing plants are being built in the southernmost regions of the state (they respect enviromental laws, and preserv the region's forrests). Over 38 shoe manufacturers, 5 beer bottling companies, and a large number of eco-hotels/resorts (as well as waterparks, computer, and electronic manufaturers) have announced future investments there. Bahia has made of Tourism it's main priority. The huge investments that the state government has made to improve its infra-structure is the best proof of that. The restoration of hundreds of historical sights, and the support given to hotels and resorts(as well as to waterparks, and Festival centers) that want to invest there, are examples of the Governor's good job. Massive investments are being curretly made by Cesar Borges (Bahia's current Governor), and by Antonio Imbassahy (Salvador's Mayor) to turn Salvador into one of the world's greatest tourist attractions. Check it out!

[IMAGE]

Picture of the Bahian Carnival, the largest street carnival on Earth (attracted over 2 million people in 1999).

Carnival happens in several Bahian cities. Salvador is home to the world's largest, but there are many other places where you can celebrate this time of the year, and have just as much fun! Other great carnival destinations of Bahia are: Porto Seguro, Ilheus, and Itabuna. After the standard carnival festivities, some cities sponsor what it's called Micareta which is an off season carnival. The largest micareta in Brazil happens in Feira de Santana (650,000 inhab), Bahia's (2nd largest town), about 70 miles west of Salvador.

[IMAGE]

Houses in one of the Restored areas of Salvador.

The local government is expanding Salvador's int'l airport to 3 times its current size, and building the city's subway system. Sewer, and treated water for almost 100% of Savador's population will be a fact by 2003 . The local government is making an enormous effort to get rid of the city's slums. All Saints Bay is becoming enviromentally safe, along with all rivers that flow into it. US$38 million dollars is being invested a ultramodern Marina, capable of receiving 20 cruiseliners at once, bringing even more tourists to this wonderful town!

Chamber Of Commerce, Salvador-Bahia.

Salvador is also a place with unusual modern skyscrapers. Many of the city's architects have won international awards for their creations. Salvador also provides its tourists with 8 great Malls (including: Iguatemi mall-508 stores, Barra Mall-350 stores, etc), and shows in an everyday basis. Discos, desert (sand dunned) beaches, and historical districts are also found in town!

[IMAGE]

The Exotic Architecture of Salvador's new financial center.

While the old section of the city lays by All Saints Bay, the modern section is located by the Atlantic ocean. Salvador grew tremendously in the past decade, but lagoons were depoluted, gardens reflourished, and fountains rebuilt. The city's coco tree lined waterfront has been going through a period of changes for the better. Hundreds of padronized little bars along the coastline are being built. Soon the waterfront's Festival Center (The Aeroclube Plaza Show) will be inaugurated revolutionazing the entertainment field in town. The Wetn'wild Bahia was just inaugurated in Salvador. It's was the first park built by that company outside of the USA.

[IMAGE]

Although the city of Salvador has many ultramodern constructions that will blow your mind away, the city's biggest treasure are the local people! Their warmth and kindness will stay in your mind forever!

[IMAGE]

Bahia's wonderful Beaches (Bahia's shore is of over 700 miles)

The Bahian coast is often compared to Polinesia (Pacific ocean) due to the color changes of the sea depending on the time of the day. Colors vary from dark blue to light turquoise. North of Salvador a touristy road called "Linha Verde" (The Green Road) provides the tourist with access to some of the most beaultiful beaches you''ll ever see. Along this new road, huge resort complexes are being built. It is the rule that all resorts must be ecollogically right. The most famous Resort along the "Linha Verde" is the Praia do Forte Resort (5*), which helped to save sea turtles under extinction. Today sea turtles of that area aren't in danger anymore thanks to them. The largest touristic complex in Latin America is being built in that area. It's called "Costa do Sauipe" (to be inaugurated Dec.99). This complex will consume over 200 million Dollars during its first phase alone. Five luxury hotels surrounding a town that is still being built, will be implemented during this early phase.

[IMAGE]

In Bahia, the old and new architectures embelish the city harmonically. Memories a visitor would never forget

[IMAGE]

Se Basilica Sq. restored for the 450 years aniversary of the foundation of Salvador. Absolutely gorgeous at night! The entire area surrounding the Sq. is also being restored (including the city's first movie theater, the Basilica, and surrounding streets). Gardens, Sculptures, and the Belvedere (with an excellent view of All Saints Bay) add even more charm to the area.

[IMAGE]

Another of the city's beaultiful Fortifications at night.

[IMAGE]

Palacio Rio Branco , Salvador-Bahia.

Other Places within Bahia State you must go:

[IMAGE]

Diamantina National Park.

[IMAGE]

Lago Azul, one of several underground lakes found at the Diamantina National Park.

[IMAGE]

Veu da Noiva, one of dozens of waterfalls found at Diamantina National Park, Bahia State.

[IMAGE]

Historical town of Lenssois, Diamantina National Park.

[IMAGE]

Monument to the Discovery of Brazil in 1500. City of Porto Seguro.

Porto Seguro is a city surrounded by coconut plantations, sand dunes, and the turquoise waters of its amazing beaches. Porto Seguro is Bahia's second most visited destination (Behind Salvador), it attracted over 1 million tourists last year.

[IMAGE]

Morro de Sao Paulo (St. Paul's Hill), very rustic and paradisiac place. The best way to get there is by taking the excelent Catamaran (very large Boat-4 floors) service from Salvador. The Catamaran is a very modern, and comfortable, way of transportation. The trip from Salvador to Morro de Sao Paulo takes about an hour.

[IMAGE]

City of Ilheus, Bahia State.

Ilheus and Itabuna, are the two main cities of the Bahian Cocoa Coast. Area where some of the world's largest plantations of Cocoa are found. One of the areas main attractions is the Island of Comandatuba. Comandatuba is one of the most beaultiful Islands on the Brazilian coast. Miles of amazing beaches, and one of the world's leading resorts, The Transamerica Comandatuba, make of this Island a refugee to the ones who need to run away from stress.

[IMAGE]

Neo Gothic Church in Ilheus, southern shore of Bahia State.

[IMAGE]

Cable Car located at the Waterfalls of Paulo Afonso, a city in the northern portion of Bahia. Paulo Afonso is located at the Powerplant Valley, where some of the world's largest Hidroelectric powerplants were built including: Paulo Afonso the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th, plus Sobradinho, Itaparica, and Xingo. Both Waterfalls, and Hidroelectric powerplants (and its enourmous artificial lakes) are major attractions of the region. The portion of the state that goes from the city of Juazeiro to Paulo Afonso is also one of the world's largest producers of fruits including: mango, melon, watermelon, acerola, passion fruit, papaya, pineapple and banana.

[IMAGE]

African-Bahian Woman, City's public phones (resembling musical instruments), and the Itapoan Lighthouse.

[IMAGE]

Where in the world is Bahia Located? Bahia State is located in the Brazilian Northeast/South America.

[IMAGE]

Bahia is an amazing place, check it out!

Let me know what you think about my page. Send mail by clicking here.

Links to other Brazilian regions. Check it out!

Sao Paulo City- Outstanding
Rio/Minas/Vitoria
Ultramodern Brasilia/Great Plains/Pantanal (Brazilian Swamps)
The Golden Coast/Recife/Fortaleza/Natal
Amazon
Iguassu Falls/Awesome-South/Brazilian Bavaria
Back to Superbrazil!!!

For More Amazing Links Click bellow:
Links to travel agencies, Hotel directories, Tv Broadcast systems , Airline Directories, and other Brazil related links to help tourists who want to visit Brazil.

SUPERLINKS SUPERLINKS SUPERLINKS

This page has been visited times.

[IMAGE]