pelourinho

Yesterday we took my folks on the obligatory Pelourinho/Mercado Modelo trip. This is the old part of the city, also the best place to buy tourist trinkets.

We hired a driver with an air-conditioned van, which is totally the way to go. (Also because our car has stopped working, but that's another story that I'm trying not to think about at the moment.)


We got to see the Olodúm drummers practicing in the street in front of their famous drum school.

Then we took the elevator down to the Lower City, where the Mercado Modelo is. I bought a few t-shirts at a stand outside the market. When I went to pay for something inside, I realized my wallet was gone.

I looked through my purse, and it was nowhere. At this point, I sat down on a step and put my head in my hands and started crying.

Because really, it was just too much. After everything we've been through here, I felt like Salvador was kicking me in the stomach. Again.

But the shopkeeper came over and kept saying, just wait, make sure you look, come, let's go back outside. He took us to the police, and told them what happened, and walked us back to where we bought the t-shirts. Are you sure it's not in any of your bags? he asked.

And sure enough, when my dad opened one of the plastic shopping bags, somehow it had fallen in there.

So, all's well that ends well.

Here's E., trying out a drum that he was very excited to get to as a present.

Unfortunately we're leaving Salvador before he gets the chance to audition for Olodúm, but that hasn't prevented him from practicing nonstop since he brought it home.