Videos

I had hoped to shoot a LOT of videos while here - music mostly, capoeira and sights in general. But carrying around an expensive video camera is very risky because the thieves have their eyes open for the tourists who are waving around such fancy machinery. I know how to shoot discreetly while being quite aware and careful of my surroundings (this ain't my first rodeo), but I've decided not to take the risk. I'm reluctantly leaving the video camera at home with my other camera, which means I have no cool videos as of yet. Every time I start getting bummed out about it, I find myself once again reminded of the hiker's code:
"Be happy for what you experienced, don't be upset for what you missed."

In the meantime, here's a video below going out by request.

Itapuã is a typical, middle-class neighborhood. Houses here are made of brick, cement and even stone. My apartment is conveniently located across the street from a bus station, bank and grocery store. This street happens to be the main avenue in this city (side streets are small, narrow, more quiet), but this is how many of the major areas around Salvador look - busy, lots of traffic, people on foot, shops, apartment buildings, cafes, street vendors peddling a variety of wares like fruit, household items, made-to-order tropical fruit juices, purses, snacks, clothes, real fruit popsicles and, of course, a variety of tasty food ready for consumption. My favorite, though, are the coconut vendors. They're everywhere, ready to wheel their machete to access some thirst-quenching goodness for you.

The guy on the bike in the video is a very common scene. No, it's not a personal boom box. These guys ride up and down the streets with their SUPER LOUD sound systems playing music with voice-over advertisements, like you'd hear on a radio station - a very animated announcer saying something like "Big Sale! This weekend only! Be there, be there!!" These guys pass by around every 15 minutes or so. It's quite entertaining actually. In the middle of the video is a sliver of a view of the Atlantic Ocean (it's actually a lot closer than in looks).

(music: Farofada, "Pout-Pourri Piauê")
No need commenting on my poor video skills. In my defense, I was hanging half way out the window with nothing to hold on to. I risked my life shooting this video for you!! Did I mention that I was balancing on a thin, breaking vine, and there was a pool of scalding lava below me, and lots of hungry alligators and snakes (impervious to the lava, of course), oh, and big shards of glass, too!!

Ribeirão do Meio
Lençóis, Bahia
(music: Tchaka Bum, "Prepara")

The spastic camera work in the first "slide cam" video is a result of me rolling and tumbling down the slide rather than sliding down the slide. Doh!!

Saco de Ceu
Ilha Grande, RJ
(music: Timbalada, "Latinha". Robert Kyle and Braziliando, "Dindi")

The end of one of many jungle trails along a remote beach.