One Fine Day-The Chiffons

Our final day as a group was spent sight-seeing around Salvador.  Salvador is located on a peninsula and there are lighthouses at each point of the triangle.  We first visited the main one at the meeting of the Atlantic and bay.  Then we stopped at a delicious ice cream (are you noticing a trend?) shop that first opened in 1930!  The flavors in Brazil are so fun because there are so many tropical fruits that we don’t have and have never heard of.  I like to try new things but the Dulce de Leite with Pineapple is hard to resist.

Atlantic lighthouse

Delicious ice cream

After an hours drive, we arrived at one of the main sights of Salvador, the church of BonFim (“good end.”)  The story goes that there was a sea captain from Portugal sailing to Brazil.  On the way there were many storms and the captain prayed that if he survived, he would go to a mountain and tell his story.  His boat was the only one that made it to Brazil and, as he began telling his story, people started donating money to build a church.  He build the church on a hill and it now receives the second most pilgrimages of all the churches in Brazil.  This church is know for colorful ribbons.  You are supposed to tie one ribbon the fence of the church and make three knots.  For each knot you make a wish and then you tie a ribbon on your wrist, making the same three wishes for each knot.  You can’t tell anyone your wishes and you don’t take the bracelet off until it falls off.  Then, your wishes come true.  The church is so cool because as you approach, there are thousands of ribbons blowing in the breeze. No one leaves Salvador without at least one ribbon tied around their wrist. 

If you look closely, you can see all of the ribbons on the fence

wishes

more wishes

Another interesting thing about this church is many people go to the church to wish for healing from some kind of health problem.  Somewhere along the lines people started making offerings of replicas of the limbs they hoped to heal.  All of these limbs are kept in one room, and hanging from the ceiling are plastic arms, legs, heads, kidneys, lungs, hands, hearts, feet and more.  It is kind of crazy looking, but the cool part is there are pictures and letters from people all over the world that have come back to share their stories of healing.  Of course I tied my own ribbon before we headed back into town.

wishes for healed organs and limbs

I like all of the kidneys and organs on the left

Making my wish

 Our next stop was back to Pelourinho for a tour of the old town.  We saw several squares and visited churches.  Unfortunately, it was pouring rain.  One thing that amazes me in any city is how quick to adjust street vendors are.  If it’s sunny, they are selling sunglasses, the minute it starts to rain they are fully loaded with umbrellas and ponchos.

Our final stop in Pelourinho was an awesome place called Project Axé.  This is a non-profit organization that was created 23 years ago to deal with the problem of street children in Salvador.  The program has three components.  First, they have “street educators” who go into the streets everyday to develop relationships with kids living on the streets and try to recruit them for the program.  When a child agrees to join the program they must commit to returning home, or living with a relative if home is unhealthy, and they must go back to school.  Once they agree to these conditions they are free to take part in any of Project Axé’s programs, which occur at three centers throughout the city.  The second part of the program is family support where they help the families of the children with housing, health care, food, education, finding jobs, etc.  The student programs focus on the arts and there is visual arts, fashion, dancing, music and capoeira.  We toured one of the centers where they were preparing for the June Festival performance.  It was so fun to watch the kids and the artwork around the center was amazing.  If you have a small amount to share, consider donating it to this worthwhile organization.

Project Axe

Festa Junina costumes

I love the joy on this boys face

beautiful artwork

festa junina decor

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I really wanted to buy one of these outfits, but settled for a picture instead. 

 After exploring the old town we headed back and all watched the play-off soccer game in the hotel bar, it went to double overtime, then a shoot out, with Spain narrowly beating Uruguay to take on Brazil in the finals.

We had a final toast all together and then each headed to bed to go our separate ways in the morning.  Half of the group is heading back to the U.S. some are staying in Salvador and we are going to Iguazu. It will be odd to be apart from all of these wonderful teachers after being so close for a month.

Brazil group!