In Salvador.

Salvador, the old capital of Brazil, the jewel of Bahia and true heart of the country.

This is where most of the African slaves the Portuguese colonists brought over, first step foot. Some 4.5 millions of them. This was the richest city in Brazil for centuries, mostly due to sugar cane plantations and the slave trade. This is now the third biggest city in the country and one of its poorest ones, with considerable levels of violence. The keeper of the bay, with the first lighthouse in the continent, and the richest collection of colonial architecture. This is where the famous Pelourinho, the Centro Historico, with the decaying palaces, mansions and churches is. With its strong African roots, in music, food, arts, language, religions and of course Capoeira is a place like no other.

Yes it has miles and miles of stunning beaches, islands and villages around. It's full of color and character and the people are gracious and beautiful but altogether the essence lies in the unseen details. All the above seep slowly into you, every pore gets saturated and you cannot resist it. It's difficult to pinpoint what is the secret, what is this that captivates you and even when you count all your minutes here you still end up with a sum so much richer and tastier.

I'm not good with words and haven't managed to get even close this sense visually, so more should follow in time. Time once again.

Last one from Rio (for now)

On a super rainy day like this it time to part ways with Rio after 3 busy and beautiful weeks. Very grateful and rejuvenated! A bit unfair to be leaving with this weather but I guess it's a wink to that song "Aguas de Março" and I'll keep this. I thought I had found something special in Buenos Aires and it's still in my heart but Rio is something else. I need to keep looking.

On my way to Bahia in a few hours and the trip is really warming up. Lately I haven't been photographing at all, it was too good to be bothered. I only have a couple of touristic photos today. But then again I'm sure this will not be my last time here. It seems inevitable I think.

Ate logo.

Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life...

A little note on the imminent vacation of that legendary place in Thanet Lodge.

The thing that I appreciate more and more down here turns out to be time. It wasn't natural or immediate and I have to admit that I still catch myself more than frequently wasting it away (I mean of course forgetting of its passing, missing the very presence of it and taking it for granted). And it is every aspect of time that I see in a new light: the passing of time, the feeling of time, the touch of it, the memory of it. And it has become more tangible, richer and softer at the same time, slower of course and in a strange fashion it seems augmented, swollen and more of it!

Even more than that though I'm constantly aware of a strange awakening, that is the appreciation of time past that springs to life vividly and surprisingly. And without being able to explain how, the respect to current time, every second of it enhances the reality of the time past, gives it an unnatural weight and color and smell and merges the two in a seamless continuum. I dare say that it presents glimpses of times to come also, not necessarily in the metaphysical way but at least in the form of a believable illusion.

And it is all these memories and all those individual moments, all that time that felt like an inevitable eternity at the time that has transformed in an even stronger inevitability that have shrouded Thanet Lodge. And in this way it is solid, ever-present and not missed any more.

All these thoughts have been lingering in my mind for the past 12 months, triggered by greater loss and solidified by the vacation of that institution-of-a-flat in Koupa 20, my sister's place in Athens. I now realize that it was this very respect of time that was needed to put all these in context. Making peace with time that will open the door to it's immensity, continuity and inevitability, that will merge time past and it's heavy burden with that of times to be and their weight of expectation. And memories of past and future, galvanized every single second that passes through the non-existing, hallucinating present. And all this is true because time exists irrespectively. I thought it didn't but now I know it does.

Did it make sense? I have no idea, but here's the link to the title again. There's always a light, bright side of life, a wink at this mystery, a peace treaty with Time and I find the following photograph, time captured essentially, time frozen and preserved-1/200th of a second of that eternity, reminding me of that:

Santa Teresa on the Bonde!

Talking about hair-raising extreme sports!

All I wanted to do was to visit the bohemian neighborhood of Santa Teresa, atop a hill in the middle of Rio, next to the famous-infamous Lapa, surrounded by favelas, the ocean and a sub-tropical (and concrete) jungle. And the "Bonde" the old style tram that climbs up there seemed like the perfect means, R$0.60 the ticket (hard to believe I know, that's 20p in UK) and a ride on top the old aqueduct, plus the lavish views was a no-brainer!

However, the fact that I had to be hanging from the rail, effectively outside the car and narrowly avoiding passing buses and lampposts made it a bit more fun than I expected, in a non-conventional way I have to admit. The views are staggering, the neighborhoods lovely and the locals pretend to be traffic wardens on the dangerous corners. And I should not forget the frequent and frightening sudden stops, people hopping on-off and the unmistakable screeching of the inevitable catastrophe that never materialized!

The way back was on foot, nice stroll by the sunset. I would (and will) do it again!

ps: nothing but a shaky couple of photos from my phone this time, I had no free hands you see!