Enjoying Praia do Forte: Bahia

Strolling down a clean cobblestone street bleached by the Brazilian sun.  On a comfortably warm evening, a tropical breeze brushes past the palm trees. It runs cool against your open light cotton shirt. An ice-cold beer in a frosty bottle in your hand as your family window shops the rows of colorful little boutiques.  Maybe your wife is interested in a cool tropical sarong for the Brazilian beach. Oh wait, she sees a striking dress for your daughter, hand painted by a local artist. 

Meantime, you notice the locals are casual yet finely dressed speaking, giving hugs & kisses to their friends as they pass. Back in the store, she changes her mind, well onward then, passing the local restaurants featuring the cuisine of Bahia. Dark clay bowls of bubbling moqueca (seafood stew) are enticingly placed on the natural wooden tables. Your daughter, tugs at your arm pointing out the pizzerias and of course ice cream. Restaurant patrons are enjoying their conversations as your family becomes part of the steady stream of passers-by.  A carnival of sights, sounds and laughter.  

You wave to a family whom your wife made friends at the upscale pousada (hotel).  With a Brazilian kiss on both cheeks, you greet them, reminded of all the good times you shared at poolside before visiting the Tamar Sea Turtle reserve. 

It is not your imagination...this is a place called Praia Do Forte in Bahia, Brazil. 

 

Praia do Forte is perfect for families and couples who enjoy their amenities in one place, hotels, villas, restaurants, bars, shopping, concerts, eco-tourism (sea turtles, whale watching and a natural preserve) and of course the beach. For seasoned travelers to Salvador who enjoy the neighborhood of Barra, Praia do Forte is very similar, more relaxed and family friendly.  My wife and I visit often, plus I conduct tours for friends and family.  Praia do Forte is a 20 min drive from our house in Arembepe and 1.5-hour drive from central Salvador. (Above, Lusa and Kenneth my friends from Portugues class, enjoyed my tour of Praia Do Forte.) 

Shopping 

One of the many highlights are the little boutique shops. You can find just about everything with plenty of items to purchase. We enjoy the diversity and the variety of shops, many clothes, jewelry, Afro Brazilian cultural items, Anime, home decor, Asian arts and local Bahia artists. 

Keep in mind, clothes sizes are different in Brazil. For men, it is a slimmer fit than what we are used to in the US, less room for the belly and thighs. I'm saying from experience, it is difficult to tell just by sight, so try it on to make sure. Yeah, I know guys, we usually don't like to try things on, come on, just have a few drinks beforehand and lighten up...it's a relaxed and casual shopping experience. Most shops will offer you coffee or water.  They love to chat and listen to our accents even when mangling our broken Portugues. Overall, I find the shop keepers very friendly. Portugues is primary spoken; however, shop keepers never let that get in the way of making a sale like the woman below from the store Arte Bela. 

A fashion trend for women is a hand painted dress by an artist. There is one store where the artist will create the design of the dress as you wait.  "I had this dress created for me in Brazil" now that is making an entrance and a great conversation starter. Of course, there are many shops to find the prefect accessories. 

                                           

  

In some shops you may see a colorful Baiana doll.  In the 1900s Baiana dolls were made of cloth and adorned like the women who sold acaraje in the streets of Salvador.  A more recent version of the doll is made of clay and called Baianas de Biscuit.  A local artist in Praia do Forte has created his unique the style of Baianas de Biscuit dolls and statues that are on display outside of the store Ó PAÍ Ó ARTESANATOS. 

Brazil is well known for its beef. Trust me. I haven't met a steak I didn't like here; however, the Litoral Norte da Bahia is best known for its exceptional seafood (fruitos do mar). In my delusional world, I would order surf and turf every day! In reality, you will enjoy either one. Let's dive into the seafood with the signature seafood dish of Bahia, Moqueca baiana.  

"Moqueca baiana was developed in the state of Bahia, Brazil. It was further influenced by African and Portuguese cuisines by adding dendê palm oil and coconut milk, respectively. Traditional ingredients remain the same with the dish typically garnished with chopped coriander, then served with rice and farofa.^[3]" - Wikipedia 

Presentation alone is worth trying this dish. It comes to your table bubbling hot in a large clay bowl. (See Kennth's reaction below.) The serving is very generous with a variety of options to choose from such as, red fish, shrimp, scallops, lobster or a mixture. It can be mild or slightly spicy depending on how much dende oil is applied during the preparation. 

                                       

Piminta is a hot sauce served on the side of the Moqueca baiana. No, not that vinegar & cayenne-based orange-red stuff we put on catfish...pimenta has more flavor from the fresh ingredients.  Too much and it can burn a hole in your soul. Honestly, I can only handle a couple of drops. Yes. A couple of drops for my entire dish. Look folks, I have no shame. I tried more and believe me; I learned.  I want to enjoy my food rather than seeing the face of Jesus in shimmering lights.  

Jewel Love is an experienced traveler and founder of Black Executive Men. On my tour, Jewel took the prefect approach to lunch. He ate slowly, enjoyed the many sights, and even contemplated a new business strategy in the process...now that's multitasking. 

For more information on Black Executive Men click the link.  www.blackexecutivemen.com  

   

There are two notable food mentions, salmon ceviche and caipirinha from the restaurant Terra Brazil. The ceviche was light, tropical and very delicious, serves two people as an appetizer.  Caipirinha is the national drink of Brazil for good reason. It is ice cold, tangy, and refreshing with lime, plus packs a nice kick with the local cachaca.  

Eco Tourism: Projecto Tamar 

My classmate, Lusa is the founder of an elephant conversation reserve in Nepal. I said you have to see Projecto Tamar! It will inspire you. My wife and I took our grandson to visit.  Seeing sea turtles live and next to the beach that they spawn was truly remarkable. Projecto Tamar is a wonderful place for children and adults to learn conservation of endangered sea life matters, in a fun and educational way.  

  

The history of Projecto Tamar started by university students on an expedition on the beach. 

"During the expedition to Rocas Atoll in 1977, these students found traces and lots of sand stirred, but they did not realize that the change in scenery was produced by turtles that went up to the beach to spawn during the early hours. On one of those nights, the fishermen accompanying the students killed eleven turtles at once. The image was shocking to those who saw the scene, which was properly photographed and attached in a report forwarding to the federal environmental agency.

Thus, in 1980, the Sea Turtles Project was created. The name Tamar arose from the combination of the initial syllables of the words sea turtle, short hand, which became necessary, in practice, by the restricted space for inscriptions on the small metal plates used in the identification of turtles marked for several studies. In 1988, the Pró-Tamar Foundation was created to support conservation and research work.

The Tamar Project is internationally recognized as one of the most successful marine conservation experiences, being a model for programs and projects in Brazil and other countries, mainly because it involves coastal communities directly in their socio-environmental work." Excerpt from Projecto Tamar website 

For more information, please visit the website PROJETO TAMAR   

This is just a sample of what there is to experience at Praia do Forte. There is so much more! 

Thank you for reading my travel blog. My name is Howard W. Tucker. I am honored to be your guide to Bahia, Brazil. I have traveled to Bahia for 10 years. I am currently a resident of Brazil, living in Bahia with my wife and family.  As my travel companion, I will be introducing you to sights, sounds, people and culture of this incredibly amazing and diverse country.  

I welcome your thoughts and suggestions about places we can both explore so please feel free to contact me at htvision4edu@gmail.com