Salvador de Bahia: Salvador is a Brazilian municipality and also the capital city of the state of Bahia, situated in the northeast region of the country. The 
city is recognized locally and internationally for the quality of its cuisine, music, and architecture. Brazil is the most African of all South American countries; and this is clearly observed in many of the Salvador’s cultural aspects. As the first capital of Colonial Brazil, the city is one of the oldest in the Americas. Its foundation in 1549 took place as a result of the implementation of the General Government of Brazil by the Portuguese Empire. The historic center of Salvador is known for its colonial architecture, with historical monuments dating from the 17th century to the beginning of the 20th century; and it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 (Pictured: Church of Our Lord of Bonfim, the most famous of the Catholic churches of Salvador, built in the 18th century).
With more than 2.9 million inhabitants as of 2020, Salvador is the third most populous municipality in Brazil, and the ninth largest Latin American city. It is also a bustling port, economic hub of the state, and administrative & tourist center. The city is also the headquarters of important regional, national, and international companies. In addition to companies, the city hosts or has hosted many cultural, political, educational, sports events and organizations.
And, as Seth Kugel notes in his 2019 New York Times Article “36 Hours in Salvador, Brazil,” the city also boasts its own decidedly energetic take on Carnival: “Well, let’s just say Rio’s version looks like teatime at Buckingham Palace by comparison.” He then goes on to elucidate: “Alas, crime rates mean not every stretch of town can be explored at will, but dirt-cheap ride-share services make it easy to get around safely.”
An understatement, indeed… Before the shore excursion to Salvador, all passengers received explicit warnings that the city was downright dangerous for tourists. Just how dangerous…? All were cautioned to carry a minimum of cash and not to wear any type of jewelry, including wrist watches. I think that speaks for itself.
And, to be perfectly honest, apart from a couple of 18th century churches, like the one pictured above, there was nothing much of particular interest. One 
notable exception was a lake containing floats that symbolized Orixás, spirits or ancestors that have been deified in the Umbanda and Candomblé religions (pictured). Both religions exist only in Brazil, but they have their foundation in different African religions and beliefs. They were created by Africans who were enslaved and forced to come to Brazil.
Actually, the highlight of our visit here was gastronomic rather than historic in nature: a refreshing stop at Le Glacier Laporte, a charming little ice cream parlor replete with a picturesque outside scattering of coffee 
tables and sunshades. Famous for its utilization of fresh local fruit in all its homemade ice creams, sorbets, and juices, it has become an “absolute must” destination for locals and tourists alike. Frenchman Georges Laporte is the artisan behind the classy ice cream emporium and may often be seen scooping away behind the counter, offering sage advice on choosing between the many delicious flavors he has to offer. I just know that my traveling companion’s Strawberry Sorbet and my Caraíba Ice Cream (acerola cherry, ginger and lime) were the best we have sampled anywhere in the world. By the way, Le Glacier Laporte has received excellent reviews in both Yelp and Triadvisor and is mentioned prominently in the New York Times article “36 Hours in Salvador, Brazil” noted above.
Fortaleza: Known for its beautiful beaches that attract tourists and rich locals, Fortaleza (Portuguese for 
“Fortress”) is the capital of the northeastern Brazilian state of Ceará. It is Brazil’s fourth largest city, having surpassed Salvador in the 2023 census, with a population of slightly over 2.7 million. It is also the core of the Fortaleza metropolitan area, which is home to slightly over 4.1 million people. Fortaleza is an important industrial and commercial center. And, according to the Ministry of Tourism, it is the fourth most visited city and tourist destination in the country.
According to the 2022 census, there were 2,428,708 people residing in the city of Fortaleza. 60% were multi-racial; 32.7% were White; 7% were Black; 0.1% were Asian; and 0.1% were Amerindian.
In 2010, the city of Fortaleza was the 5th most populous city proper in Brazil after Säo Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and Brasilia. The city had 433,942 opposite-sex couples and 1,559 same-sex couples. The population of Fortaleza was 53.2% female and 46.8% male. 67.88% of the population was Roman Catholic; 21.35% was Protestant; 1.29% represented Spiritism; and 6.65% had no region at all. Other religions, such as Umbanda, Candomblé, other Afro-
Brazilian religions, Spiritualism, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Island, other Eastern religions, Esotericism and other Christian churches such as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints had a smaller number of adherents.
All this, of course, is mildly interesting. However, the day before our excursion, the ship’s Destination Speaker gave fair warning that there would not be much to see here… and he was absolutely correct. We visited the huge Metropolitan Roman Catholic Cathedral (pictured), spent time in yet another public market, and then went for a brief walk in a local park. Luxurious high-rises stood next to terrible slums; and many of the streets were littered with garbage. Definitely not the most edifying of afternoons.
Santarém: A small city (294,580 pop.) in the Brazilian state of Pará, Santarém is located at the confluence of the Amazon and Tapajós rivers, some 500 miles from the two largest cities in the Brazilian Amazon: Manaus, upriver in the state of Amazonas; and the Pará state capital, Belém, located downriver at the mouth of the Amazon on the Atlantic Ocean. The city was founded by Portuguese colonists in 1661 and is one of the oldest cities in the Brazilian Amazon.
Because of the crystal-clear waters of the Tapajós River, Santarém has more than 62 miles of natural beaches, such as those of the village of Alter do Chäo, which has come to be known as the “Caribbean in Brazil.” Ranked by The Guardian as the most beautiful in Brazil, it is also home to Sairé, one of the most popular folklore festivals of the region, which is held annually in September. Santarém is an important regional market center in the lower Amazon. Its regional economy is based on agriculture, cattle and mining. The city has seen numerous “cycles” of development dominated 
by various economic activities, including rubber extraction (during last century), coffee production, and gold mining. Most recently, there has been significant growth in soybean plantations.
Since there really was not a great deal to see in Santarém, we opted for an excursion that would take us Exploring Maica by Boat. A good deal less than luxurious, I must say… The boats were quite small (pictured) and not particularly comfortable (or clean), as we actually sat on rather dilapidated lawn chairs during the entire cruise. The one compensation was that there was actually a restroom – however rough & rustic – on board.
Our first brief stop on the way to Maica Lake was to observe the phenomenon called the Meeting of Waters 
– the intriguing confluence of the waters of Amazon River and one of its tributaries – (more on that when we reach Manaus). We then continued our journey through the muddy waters… taking in the primeval flora & fauna… the exotic birds… a variety of lizards… an occasional pink dolphin… a lazy tree sloth…and the rundown shacks along the shoreline…
… And passengers were encouraged to drop a line in the river and fish for piranha. However, only one woman in our party actually hooked one. Nasty little creatures… Or, as Oscar Wilde would have put it: “The unspeakable in pursuit of the uneatable.”
Manaus: Located near the confluence of the Negro and Amazon rivers in the heart of the Amazon Rain Forest, 
Manaus is the capital and largest city (2,219,580 pop.) of the Brazilian state of Amazonas. It is also home to the National Institute of Amazonian Research, the most important center for scientific studies in the Amazon region. It has a free port and an international airport. It manufactures electronics, chemical products and soap, and exports Brazil nuts, rubber, jute, and rosewood oil. The city boasts a cathedral, opera house, zoological and botanical gardens, an eco-park, and regional and native people’s museums (Pictured: Manaus skyline with prominent dome of the Opera House).
Manaus was at the center of the Amazon rubber boom during the late 19th century. For a period of time, 
according to David Grann in his book The Lost City of Z, it was “one of the gaudiest cities in the world.” As historian Robin Furneaux noted: “No extravagance however absurd, deterred” the rubber barons. However, when the seeds of the rubber tree were smuggled out of the Amazon region to be cultivated on plantations in Southeast Asia, Brazil and Peru lost their monopoly on the product. The rubber boom ended abruptly, many people left its major cities, and Manaus fell into poverty (Pictured: St. Sebastian Square).
Our excursion, “Manaus’ Golden Era,” began with a stop at the Mercado Publico (public market). But… trust 
me, if you’ve seen one market, you’ve pretty much seen them all. If I never set eyes on another public market, it will be far too soon. This was followed by a drive-by (since we were not allowed inside) of the Palácio Rio Negro (pictured), the former seat of government, now residence of governor of Amazonas. The stately mansion was originally built at the behest of German entrepreneur Karl Waldemar Scholz, one of the so-called “rubber barons.”
Then, of course, came the center of attraction: the Grand Opera House. Replete with domes and gilded balconies, utilizing European marble, glass, and crystal, it was constructed during the aforementioned “rubber boom” at the cost of ten million dollars. But, in one season, half the members of a visiting opera company died 
of yellow fever. The opera house was closed for most of the 20th century. However, it was used in scenes of the Werner Herzog film Fitzcarraldo (1982). After a hiatus of almost 90 years, it reopened to produce live opera in 1997 and is now attracting performers from all over the world.
As part of our excursion, we visited the building in the afternoon. But then we were privileged to return in the evening for A Magia da Música, a special concert of vibrant, rich, and captivating Brazilian music.
The following day, we traveled by boat to another “must-see” attraction that Manaus has to offer: the famous 
Meeting of Waters. This is the confluence of the dark water of the Rio Negro and the light sandy water of the Amazon, referred to as the Solimöes River in Brazil upriver of the confluence. For approximately 3.7 miles the waters of the two rivers run side by wide without mixing. This phenomenon is due to the differences in temperature, speed, and number of dissolved sediments in the waters of the two rivers. The Rio Negro flows at 1.2 mph at a temperature 82 degrees, while the Rio Solimöes flows between 2.5 – 3.7 mph at a temperature of 72 degrees. The light-colored water is rich with sediment from the Andes Mountains, whereas the black water, running from the Colombian hills and interior jungles is nearly sediment-free and colored by decayed leaf and plant matter. Smaller -scale meeting of waters of the Amazon also occurs in Santarém, Brazil (noted above) and Iquitos, Peru.
From there we cruised on to what would colloquially be referred to as a pit stop. A rather shabby combination of restaurant/docking facility (after using the restroom, I would definitely not want to dine here), where we transferred to large, motorized canoe-like craft for a journey through a series of tributaries and shallow lakes to observe exotic birds in their natural habitat as well as an intriguing variety of flora and fauna. We were hoping to catch a glimpse of a 
caiman, perhaps, or a giant otter; but neither, apparently, felt up to putting in a guest appearance. In their absence, the Victoria Amazonica, giant water lilies (pictured), stirred up the most interest. The largest member of the water lily family (Nymphaeacae), they are, indeed, the most striking of all the Amazon’s aquatic plants.
The giant water lily has extremely large, round leaves with upturned rims that can measure up to almost 10 feet in diameter. They are supported by a ribbed undersurface and are anchored to a submerged stalk, which can grow up to 26 feet in length and imbeds itself in the mud at the bottom of lakes or rivers. The leaves of Victoria Amazonica first appear as spiny structures and then begin to expand at by as much as 20 inches per day. The waxy upper surface of the leaf possesses water repellent properties; the underside is protected from fish by a series of sharp spines. Air is trapped between the structural ribs on the underside of the leaf keeping the plant afloat.
These giant water lilies are also remarkable for the flowers they produce, which last just 48 hours and only emerge at night. When they first emerge, the flowers are white; on the second night, they take on a red-purple hue. The flowers alone can measure up to almost 16 inches in diameter.
Parintins: The Festival Folclórico de Parintins or Festival do Boi-Bumbá is a popular annual celebration during three days in late June. It is one 
of the largest annual festivals in Brazil, as only the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro and Salvador draw more participants.
The festival celebrates a local legend about a resurrected ox. It is also a competition of two teams, Gararitido and Caprichoso, who complete in extended retellings of the story, each attempting to outdo the other with flamboyant dances, singing, and parade floats. Each nightly performance is based upon local Amazonian folklore and indigenous culture but also incorporates contemporary Brazilian rhythms and themes. The location of the festival is called the “Bumbódromo,” which will accommodate an audience of 35,000.
Boi-Bumbá is celebrated annually during the last weekend of June. However, somehow Silversea arranged to 
have a special abbreviated version of the festival performed just for the passengers of our cruise ship. It was, in a word, spectacular!
Interestingly enough, despite the importance of this celebration to the Amazonas region of Brazil, this festival was not widely known in other parts of the country until the musical group Carrapicho released the hit Tic Tic Tac – Bate forte o tambor in 1996. The Parintins Folklore Festival was also responsible for the release of other songs that became known in Brazil, such as Vermelho and Parintins Para o Mundo Ver, among others.
Bon Appétit & Cheers!
TAD
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