Today was the day I had set aside for the trip I have planned my entire faction and that is a road trip to the Praia Do Forte and the Tamar Sea Turtle Project. I know most people have no desire to ride 120 KM in a taxi to see some giant turtles but it was a part of my must see list.
I was not able to book a professional tour guide this trip as they either didn't get back to me or they were booked. So, I had a nice taxi driver I liked and he said he would take me for 300R. He does not speak English and thus we had zero communication but I thought he was fun and enjoyable.
He is required to have a proper shirt and pants to sit in line at the hotel for a taxi ride but today he showed up on swim trunks and shirt and eye glasses. He was ready to party.
We left at 8am today and spent the entire day. He did not rush me one time and we stopped at about 7 different beaches along the way. Each one was beautiful in its own way. Some were small fishing villages and others were more organized and larger communities. I felt very safe in each one and very comfortable.
I loved watching the locals do their business whether it was fishing, swimming, riding horseback or cooking. It was just a really enjoyable cultural experience.
I wish I had listened to IHPGUY and spent a few days out there just on the beaches and doing nothing but soaking in the sun. Had I had his vast knowledge, I would have done the trip differently and most likely would have booked a small hotel on the beach and just enjoyed my time there.
The Sea Turtle project was great to see and I really enjoyed it. They save thousands of turtles every year and I had a big smile on my face the entire time I was there. The village the sanctuary was in looks great. Lots of shops, stores and restaurants. We ate at a local little cafe and had a typical Brazilian lunch. We then kept going farther up the beaches.
I enjoyed seeing the surfer boys, the families all laying in the ocean and the fishermen. It was a full day today!
Summary for Salvador:
Like others, I have found Salvador to be a real treat. It has become one of my favorite cities in Brazil. I love the people and the atmosphere and the beaches can't be beat.
I liked the Mecure Hotel here. It was clean and great room service and good breakfast.
On the street as the hotel were tons of little restaurants. They were not so cheap but they were divine. I found one that has lunch specials for 27R - 32R and I ate there every day for lunch.
Getting around is hard if you don't speak the language. Most likely, next time I am here I will get a boy to travel here with me. I need someone from Brazil that can speak both English and Portuguese. It was my plan for Fortaleza but as I was sick, I didn't find anyone.
The city is cheap depending on what you do and where you eat. But, the taxis take a while to get from one place to the next. Next time I might get a rental car and do my own driving.
The boys here are divine and they have great bodies. Each morning I was up early watching the boys run on the beach, play ball, swim, etc. It is a very active city.