Salvador Carnaval!
Travel Advice for Seniors: Salvador Carnaval!
Salvador’s Carnaval was going full tilt as we approached the official Carnaval weekend. We were there on a Thursday and there was plenty of action on what was likely the first day of celebration.
Earlier in the day we had lunch at a lovely second-story restaurant overlooking a square. On the square below a group was preparing for the parade and the party that was coming up. Everyone had matching t-shirts and were singing and dancing in unison to start off their part of the parade. While not as polished as performances at the Sambadrome in Rio, they had at least the same amount of enthusiasm! Large papier mâché heads were worn by some of members of the group that seemed to be the highlight of their ensemble. We could hardly eat our lunch as we were so excited to watch them out of the open window of the restaurant and hear their joy!
After lunch, we went down and joined them in their revelry. They even gave us a t-shirt, so that we could look like the rest of the party! It was fun to lose your inhibitions and just have a good time. We paraded with the group until they hit the main square where several groups had converged for a much larger celebration, getting ready for the BIG celebration which would be later in the evening.
While Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro, is a huge series of parties culminating in the fabulous samba competition in the Sambadrome, the Salvador version involves mobile performances of many famous Brazilian singers. These singers are high above the crowd on tall mobile platforms that look like giant buses or semis with videos being projected on the sides of the vehicles and the full band on top. The platforms are high enough that no one can touch the singers, but the videos can be fully seen as well as the singers.
The buses then move very slowly along a predetermined route in the city and a HUGE crowd follows them, singing and dancing. We were fortunate to be able to see several of these performances and for one, our guide was able to get us into the inner circle of rope-carriers that protected the vehicle from people and also protected the people from getting in the way of the vehicle. This was quite a coup!
Carnaval is not for the go-to-bed-early crowd. The vehicles didn’t even start down the road until at least 9 or 10pm. By midnight, most of the show was over, at least for us in our part of town! Some of the performers were Carlinhos Brown, Nathan, Mochakk and Timbalada plus many others. I have to say I’ve never seen anything like it and probably never will again unless I return!
There is something to be said about the energy of the event. The crowd was mostly young, and everyone was very excited to see the celebrities, obviously a very big deal! We had maybe one drink, but the atmosphere was more intoxicating than the alcohol. It was very loud by the vehicles and of course you had to be careful not to get too close. But it was truly spellbinding. Completely different than Carnaval Rio and every bit as enjoyable!
If you’re going for Carnaval, Salvadore is well worth a stop!
Where we stayed: Casa Do Amarelindo. Nice, small boutique hotel with nice lobby, good restaurant and pleasant owners. Breakfast included. Centrally located but down or up a fairly steep hill.
How we got there: Flight Rio de Janeiro to Salvador. This was part of an 18-day private tour through Brazil and Argentina.
General Accessibility Information: Brazil is becoming more accessible. Rio and a few other larger cities will have accessibility at major hotels, sights and some transportation. Call in advance to verify and make specialty arrangements. See our sections on specialty apps and accessible travel for more on accessibility assistance.
