15/12

Thursday 15 December        Salvador

Both woke early and were in the gym soon after 6am. Went out to watch the approach and docking. Sailed past the cutest little circular fort in the harbour. Had a few tropical palms in the middle and a small sandy beach around the back.

The city has an upper level and a coastal strip about 400m wide. The Council maintains a bank of lifts that take you up for 15c. A bit of a wait in the sweatbox on ground level before the lift. Noticeably cooler up on top, although it isn’t that much higher. Went straight off looking for internet and spent 2 hours getting the blogs up, checking emails and skyping Steph and Amanda. After all our fretting what might be happening, the bottom line was that Molly Meldrum fell off a ladder and Comrade Gillard has imposed a crippling tax on Australian industry that will have nil impact on the environment.

Lifts, round fort in bay.

Dilapidated buildings

Palazio on upper level.

Back aboard for potty stop and lunch. Returned to explore the upper part of the old City, which is pretty much run down. Obvious that a lot of buildings are shells with no roof – everything needs a heap of maintenance. Trees growing out of upper parts of some large buildings. Found the 16^th century church of Igreja da Ordem Terceira de Sao Francisco which has a very decorative façade and was very beautifully decorated inside. Wandered the stalls and flea market looking for a replacement cap (inexplicably expensive) fridge magnet etc.

Igreja da Ordem Terceira de Sao Francisco

These tiles are all around the courtyard and various rooms of the church buildings.  Some depict the wedding of a Portuguese Princess and they depict Lisbon prior to it being demolished in a major earthquake. A major artwork in its own right.

Cathedral in large square

These 'photo ops' were all over town

Street with cafes and hostels

Lovely dressed local women

One of the better streets

Returned in time for afternoon tea, capital cities quiz, meeting with immigration officer, dinner and the Pirate Show – another excellent performance with spectacular and energetic dancing and striking circus acts. Zuniga celebrated our return by sprinkling me with parmesan and giggling like a pixie at some hidden amusement.

We cruised out at 8pm, with the upper decks lined as we pulled away from the Azamura Journey which had berthed behind us and the very pretty lights. That sense of “end of the cruise” is beginning to set in – tomorrow they are going to seal the cabin fridges. There was a hurried dash ashore just before dinner to email our Rio hostel to set our arrival back one day – for some reason we booked from 17/12.