The countryside of Bahía welcomed us on Saturday morning as we drove uphill and instate to the beautiful city of Cachoeira. During our journey, we got to experience glimpses of the Bahían countryside, filled with thick forestry, wild animals, and people enjoying the pleasant and crisp wind outside their homes.
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Our first stop was Santa Amaro, where we visited the open market and saw beauty supply products, fashions, fruits and veggies, and all kinds of meat and seafood. Even Clara Ramos was doing her shopping as we looked around! Many vendors were delighted to allow our tour guide, Freddie, to introduce us to the different customs and history of the products. Some even asked us to take pictures while we were visiting, as they were glad to see African Americans come to visit.
Outside the market, we saw historical sites from the 1700s, including some made without bathrooms! Freddie gave a mini history lesson about the bathing habits of the Portuguese colonizers to explain that architectural decision. (They wouldn’t bathe for three months until they went to the ocean…)
Next, we visited the Leite & Alves cigar factory and watched the women fill, roll, cut, package, and seal cigars. I also bought a set for my uncle as a gift! Then we drove to the top of a mountain to visit the Fazenda Santa Cruz. At their restaurant, we were greeted with a complimentary shot of passion fruit liqueur. We had lunch surrounded by beautiful scenery, cows grazing in the pasture, and a family with young boys excited to interact with us. The government has preserved the farm for years since the time of slavery in Brazil.
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After our meal, we visited Universidade Federal do Recôncavoo da Bahía (UFRB) Centro de Artes, Humanidades, e Letras (CAHL) for a lecture on the African Diaspora. We were constantly interrupted by governor candidate ACM Neto (Antônio Carlos Magalhães Neto). Still, that experience introduced us to the Brazilian way of campaigning: driving through cities, exploding fireworks, blasting music and campaign messages, and the candidate and supporters following in a parade.
The lecture concluded the highlights of our day and an unforgettable one at that! I’ve genuinely enjoyed my time in Bahía <3 <3.