New Year’s Eve has come and gone, but the festivity continues.
I spent NYE out at one of my favorite areas of Salvador that I’ve gotten to know so far. It’s a peninsula just a couple kilometers away from my place, which has a famous church called NS de Bonfim, a great beach called Boa Viagem that looks back towards the city, and a laid-back neighborhood called Ribeira.
Salvador from Itagipe Peninsula
I’ve met some good folks down here, part of a network of american expatriates that are showing me the ins and outs of Salvador. Fortunately, through them I’ve gotten to know some of the less visited parts of the city.
We started the evening in Ribeira with the plan of grabbing a bite and heading over to the main party in Boa Viagem at midnight. We got a bit of a late start, and the quick bite became an epic feast, and ended up marking the new year with the local fireworks in Ribeira…which was great anyway. It was a lively, local street party with kiosks set up all along the beach and main avenue providing music and cold beer.
When we did make it over to Boa Viagem, it was way more packed and festive. It was a bit surprising when the police went around and shut the party down at 4 am. We drifted away with the rest of the crowd, and just made a quick stop at the main city beach at Porto da Barra to check out the remnants of the party there.
530 am revellers
Unfortunately, I was tired and went home and slept through a traditional New Year’s Day procession that takes a religious icon across the bay from the main city to Boa Viagem…really wanted to check that out, but couldn’t quite hack it.
I did go out to Boa Viagem later in the day and the beach was unbelievably rocking, and the street party kicked up again in the late afternoon…just as packed and wild as the night before. I just marvelled at the indefatigable partying spirit of the Bahians…it has to be seen to be believed.
The days have blurred together a bit, hours on the beach during the day, music in the streets at night. Saturday will have to be a day of rest for me.
