Our New Home in Salvador

I was sad to leave the magic of Rio de Janeiro behind, but I was also starting to feel anxious to get settled down in our new apartment in Salvador. On Friday morning, we left for the Rio airport. Since it is so hard to find transportation for a family of 5 in Brazil, we called our same taxi driver from when we arrived, and he arranged for his cousin (who also had a big enough vehicle) to pick us up and take us to the airport. Mom and Dad Hill left Rio early in the morning to try to get standby on a flight to Salvador, and we left a few hours later. The flight was less than 3 hours, so it felt very short after our red-eye a few days before. Mom and Dad were waiting for us when we got to Salvador, and Jonathon arranged for a shuttle service to take all 7 of us and all of our suitcases to our apartment. There was a mix-up on the shuttle meeting place and a bad accident on the main road that caused a major traffic jam, so 2 1/2 hours later, we finally made it to our new home away from home. 

My first impressions of Salvador were that it was hot, humid, and huge! Although it isn't too far from Rio, the weather is very different. We stepped off the plane and immediately began sweating. It is so humid that it feels like it could rain at any moment because there is so much moisture in the air. In fact, it did start raining as we were driving home that day and has rained every day this week. Winter is the rainy season here.

Salvador is the 3rd largest city in Brazil with a population of 4 million people, so it definitely feels like a very urban environment. It immediately reminded me of our days living in Manhattan. The sights, smells, little shops, sidewalks, etc. feel similar to the Big Apple, although this is even one step up in difficulty from that because everyone here is speaking a language I don't really understand. I never would have guessed that New York City would be just a stepping stone to a bigger (and more challenging) adventure. I am so grateful that I had that experience because it helped to prepare me for this. 

The building and apartment we are in are very nice. The building has a 24/7 guard at the gate, so it feels very safe. We spent extra money to ensure that our family felt comfortable while we are here. That was the biggest worry of Christian and Andrew because they have heard a lot of negative things about safety in other countries, specifically Brazil. I am very happy with our choice, and I think the boys have already settled in and feel safe here. 

The apartment itself is bigger than I thought. The pictures on Airbnb looked nice, but you never know what it will look like in real life. Luckily, this time I can definitely say that it exceeded my expectations. We have a nice big living room (with a projector), a good-sized kitchen and dining area, 3 bedrooms (each with their own bathrooms and televisions), and even a maid's quarters that we didn't know about. There isn't a maid here now because it is a relic of past years, but it adds another bathroom and another small bedroom with a washer and dryer. All I can say is hallelujah for a washer and dryer!

If anything, the apartment is a little too nice for us because there are a lot of glass tables, nice dishes, and fancy decorations that I am trying really hard to keep the kids from breaking. We also had a slight problem with some of the artwork being a little too suggestive. We covered a big picture over the sofa with a sheet and one of the statures with a pillowcase to make us all more comfortable. Problem solved! I think we will be happy here for the next 2 1/2 months, though I am sure there will still be an adjustment period for all of us. 

The location of our building is pretty ideal. We are right next door to one of the nicest shopping malls in Salvador called Shopping Barra. It is huge (4 levels) with lots of restaurants, stores, cool elevators, a gym, and a movie theater. It also has free air conditioning, which is heaven-sent! We have already spent a lot of time there eating yummy food and exploring. 

We are also only 2-4 blocks from a beach, depending on the direction you travel. We have never lived close to a beach before, so this is pretty exciting for all of us. One of the beaches, Praia do Farol da Barra, is on the extreme south edge of the city. It is famous with the surfers because it can have some big waves. At the very tip of Barra (the bairro, or neighborhood, where we live) is the Farol da Barra (Barra Lighthouse). It is the second oldest lighthouse in the Americas and was first built in the 1600's. The tower was rebuilt in 1839. It is also known as the Santo Antonio Lighthouse and is at the entrance to the Bay of All Saints. It is also the center of the Santo Antonio Fort, which is now a nautical museum. Jonathon and I both love lighthouses and have explored many over the years, so we will for sure visit this one often.

Praia do farol da barra after a quick rain 

The Farol da Barra

The other beach is more famous and is called Praia do Porto da Barra. It is located inside the Bay of All Saints and is sheltered from the open ocean. The waves are much smaller, and it is consistently ranked as one of the best beaches in the area. The best part about both beaches though is the warm water. The water temperature is about 82 degrees in the winter. It is the perfect temperature... warm enough that you can swim comfortably, but not too warm that it saps your energy quickly. Walking along the orla (boardwalk) is so lovely with the ocean breeze and the beautiful views.

Praia do Porto da Barra on a rare, sunny day

Walking along the Orla

Mom and Dad Hill got to stay with us for a short time before going home, so we were in full tourist mode for a few days. The weather was overcast, pretty windy, and rainy the whole time they were here, but we made the most of it and still got plenty of fun experiences in. They were good sports and didn't care if our hair was windblown, or we got drenched in a downpour. We still had a great time! I will make separate posts about some of the fun things we did while they were here. We were so grateful that they got to come along for the beginning of our trip.

They left on Tuesday morning, and now our real day-to-day life of chores and work has begun. I'm sure living here will continue to challenge us and help us to grow, but mostly we are just happy to be together as a family again. Enjoying this adventure together is the best thing about Salvador!