16 Feb 2012 – Salvador de Bhahia, Brazil – Timbalada, Beija Flor
Summer in Salvador de Bahía, hard to beat. Hot Brazilian rythms, girls wearing tiny bikini’s, ice cod beers and the sweetest beaches found anywhere. It is a city coming of age, booming, and it also hosts the biggest party in the world each year. CARNIVAL de BAHIA!!
I was nervous. The police had just returned to work after a week of strike. There was going to be a few million people. Everyone jammed together. A city renowned for petty crime. It’s true, I expected to get robbed, groped, beaten or even worse ….lost
It turns out I was worrying unnecessarily. None of these things happened. But what did was a freaken super duper awesome party. I can’t understate how super freaken super duper awesome it was.
The carnival in Salvador is difficult to explain, firstly you need to forget everything you know about the carnival in Rio. Rio is for the “sitdowners”, lazy types. Carnival Salvador on the other hand is all about dancing to the live bands. They are set up on trucks that parade around different circuits in the city, and as a reveller, you have a number of cool options options to catch them. A) parade with a band for the night: B) grab a space in a “Camarote” and watch them drive past: C) Pi Poca, (Brazilian for Popcorn) which is to let loose in the streets.
Our first night we were to parade with the band Timbalada. We picked up our super sweet tshirts painted super bright with graphiti fish and rolled on into the party.
 To start you need beer! Brings a new meaning to refuel station, JAJAJA. |  And we´re off, led by our beautiful and experienced Brazilian guide |
 The crowd was massive. There were about 4000 people dancing with our band. |  The Berridge family were out in force, they danced the 5km no problems |
 After a while as with most good parties, things got a little distorted. |  At the end of the night you grab some tasteee Acaraje. nom nom nom |
Our band Timbalada turned out awesome. They have the best percussionists in the world and easily banged out 5 hours of beats.
We may have been a bit tired at the end, but with awesome atmosphere we all wanted to keep going……luckily we only had to wait until the next day!!
Laters. x.brad
