Brazil - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 280

CAPOEIRA
The Brazilian martial art capoeira is widely considered to originate from ritual fights in Angola
to gain the nuptial rights of young women, though in Brazil it developed into a technique
of anticolonial resistance, disguised from slave masters as a dance. Although outlawed for
much of the nineteenth century, capoeira is now practised across the country, a graceful,
semi-balletic art form somewhere between fighting and dancing. Usually accompanied by
the characteristic rhythmic twang of the berimbau (single-string percussion instrument),
it takes the form of a pair of dancers/fighters leaping and whirling in stylized “combat” - which,
with younger capoeiristas , occasionally slips into a genuine fight when one fails to evade
a blow and tempers fly. There are regular displays on Terreiro de Jesus and near the entrances
to the Mercado Modelo in Cidade Baixa, largely for the benefit of tourists and their financial
contributions, but still interesting. The best capoeira, though, can be found in the academias
de capoeira , organized schools with classes you can watch for free. If you want a really cool
capoeira experience, leave the Pelourinho and head up to the Forte Santo Antônio, just a short
walk up the hill. Inside the renovated white fort are several schools where the setting may
make you feel more like a Shaolin monk in training.
CAPOEIRA SCHOOLS
Academia de João Pequeno de Pastinha Largo
Santo Antônio, Forte Santo Antônio T 71 3323 0708,
W joao-pequeno.com. You can watch, or if you want
to join in, there are classes (Mon, Wed & Fri, 9am,
7.30pm; 2-3hr).
Associação de Capoeira Mestre Bimba Rua

3

das Laranjeiras 1, Pelourinho T 71 3322 0639,
W capoeiramestrebimba.com.br. Probably the most
famous academia , it sometimes has classes open
to tourists.
Forte de Santo Antônio Praça Barão do Triunfo,
Largo de Santo Antônio T 71 3117 1488, E fortesanto
[e-mail]. Classes open to tourists.

DIRECTORY
Banks and exchange Banks with ATMs are found
throughout the city. There's the Confidence Câmbio
and Banco do Brasil at the international airport and a
Citibank in town on Av Estados Unidos 558, Comércio.
There is also a Banco do Brasil on the Terreiro de Jesus
square in Pelourinho.
Embassies and Consulates UK, Av Estados Unidos 18B,
8th Floor, Comercio T 71 3243 7399; US, Av Tancredo
Neves 1632, Room 1401, Salvador Trade Center, Torre Sul,
Caminho das Árvores T 71 3113 2090.
Hospitals Hospital Aliança, Av Juracy Magalhães Jr. 2096,
Rio Vermelho ( T 71 2108 5600); Hospital São Rafael,
Av São Rafael 2152, São Marcos ( T 71 3281 6111).
Internet Bahia Café, Praça da Sé 20 (R$3/hr); Internet do
F@rol, Av Sete de Setembro 42, Barra (R$3/hr).
Laundries O Casal at Av Sete de Setembro 3564, Barra
( T 71 3264 9320); Wash & Dry, Ladeira da Praça 4,
Pelourinho ( T 71 3321 0821).
Left luggage Malubag at the airport ( T 71 3204 1150;
24hr) has small/large lockers for R$8/10 per day.
Pharmacies Farmácia Sant'ana, Largo Porto da Barra, Barra
( T 71 3267 8970); Drogaleve, Praça da Sé 6, Pelourinho
( T 71 3322 6921).
Police The tourist police, DELTUR, are at Praça José de
Anchieta 14, Cruzeiro de São Francisco, Pelourinho T 71
3116 6817, T 71 3116 6512.
Post o ce Largo do Cruzeiro de São Francisco 20,
Pelourinho (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-1pm).

upstairs is a chill-out loft. Thurs-Sat 10pm-late. R$10;
free entry for women before 11pm. Take a taxi as the area's
a bit dodgy.

ENTERTA INMENT
A lovely weekly event worth heading to is the jazz concert
at MAM, Av Contorno (Museum of Modern Art; T 71 3117
6139; Sat 6-10pm, entry before 9pm; R$5), near the
marina in the Cidade Baixa.
Balé Folclórico da Bahia Rua Gregório de Matos 49,
Pelourinho T 71 33221962, W balefolcloricodabahia.com
.br. Frantic drumming as radiant dancers in colourful
dresses spin around tapping their feet and moving their
bodies to Afro-Brazilian music. Performances are on Mon,
Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat at 8pm. Make sure you buy tickets in
advance from the box o ce.

SHOPPING
Instituto de Artesanato Visconde de Mauá Rua
Gregório de Matos 27, Pelourinho W www.maua.ba
.gov.br. This place was founded by the government to
promote regional artists. You'll find carving, ceramics
and hammocks at fixed prices, among other handicrafts.
Mon-Fri 10am-6pm.
Mercado Modelo Praça Visconde de Cayru 250.
Handicraft market in Cidade Baixa. Mon-Sat 6am-1pm.
Shopping Barra Av Centenário 2992. Large mall that's
handy for the Barra beaches. Mon-Sat 9am-10pm, Sun
food hall only noon-9pm.