Today was my last day of intensive Portuguese classes at Diálogo, and after a week of constant rain the sun finally came out again! I thank the Orixás for that. Candomblé is a religion practiced by many people here in Salvador, and the Orixás are sort of equivalent to the gods of Greek mythology. Today in class we spent a considerable amount of time talking about the different Orixás and what they represent, and then the clouds broke and the sun began to shine!
My professor for two weeks, Tatiana
Daily coffee break
Jailson, the activities coordinator and general go-to guy
Kleber, the administration coordinator and my professor for one week
Delcia from Seattle and Michael from Germany
Boo and me
Frederick from Oregon and Chris from Ireland -- astounded that the sun came out
Certificado de Participação -- 80 hours in four weeks!
Last night I met up with my friends Anna and Karen and we went out to eat at my favorite restaurant here in Barra. It is called Tudo Azul (Everything Blue) and it is owned and operated by a Swiss-Brazilian and his wife. The menu includes traditional Brazilian fare with a combination of a variety of European dishes. I particularly like the restaurant because it has a few vegetarian options (more than just pizza) and an amazing gnhocci dish that I keep going back for. Besides the fantastic and reasonably-priced food, the service is outstanding. By far the best service I have encountered in this city, and Kurt speaks at least six languages! If you ever happen to find yourself in Salvador, don't miss the opportunity to visit their establishment in Porto da Barra.
Anna, me and Karen -- completely satisfied after our meal
And with Kurt, the owner
There was a very brief pause in the rain earlier this week, so my friend Anna and I decided to go on a little city tour to the neighborhood of Rio Vermelho. With strong winds blowing and threatening clouds looming nearby, we acquired umbrellas knowing that the sunshine was not going to last for long...
Anna eating a pastel... basically just fried bread with cheese inside and completely yummy.
Then we had açaí... the real thing.
Then the rain came back...
...but I'm totally from Seattle!
Tomorrow I take my leave of Salvador and continue south to Rio de Janeiro. I'll keep you posted!
Até logo! Tchau!
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