Sultry City Seductive, Secure Salvador da Bahia in Brazil Offers Colorful Cultural Mix by Marty Leshner Copley News Service Thanks to a splendid South American itinerary aboard the elegantly intimate new cruise ship Silver Shadow, I found myself walking along the cobblestone streets of Salvador da Bahia and conjuring images of a powerful colonial past. On Brazilís northeastern coast and capital of the country for two centuries, Salvador was the first city to be built by the Portuguese in 1549 when they colonized the country. And, yet, the sights, smells and sounds that enveloped me reflected a kind of schizophrenic mingling of cultures that is far more African than European. Indeed, Salvador is Brazilís most African city, and there are local elders who remember when their ancestors were transported to work in fields fertile in sugarcane and tobacco. Stately colonial buildingsóa panorama of pastels in dusty rose, celadon and pale blueóand an estimated 365 churches hint at the extraordinary opulence of a time long ago. Midway in this reverie, a group of children raced toward me, in a commotion of giggles and chatter, and tied several brightly colored red and green ribbons around my wrist. "Ah," our Brazilian guide said, "these ribbons are from Nosso Senhor do Bonfim, the most revered church of pilgrimages and miracles in Salvador. Buy a ribbon and wear it around your wrist until it falls off. Surely this will bring you good luck." Waving the dollar bills Iíd given them, the children raced happily into a nearby music store where the sounds of African drums and samba rhythms were in cacophonous competition with Ricky Martin. Though Brazil is the worldís largest Catholic nation, African slaves brought with them to Bahia their own spiritualist religion, candomble. To placate white European settlers who disapproved of the seemingly mystical deities of African worship, slaves created Catholic counterparts for their candomble gods. As I walked through the old city, I saw evidence of the specific dances, colors, dress and gifts for each of these deities. Typical of times when some men were masters and others were slaves, the fear of punishment became a powerful restraining whip. Outside the Mercado Modelo (the souvenir-stocked central market), five lithe, muscular young men were poised on an elevated platform as they searched the assembled audience for tourists who might pay to see a performance of capoeira. This distinctively local "fight-dance" is now a stylized, choreographed pas de deux of harmless combat. Historically, however, transported slaves apparently engaged in violent fights that resulted in severe injuries and even death. When these dangerous altercations were outlawed by their European masters, slaves created a "fight-dance" of rhythms and blows, which would release anger and tension, spare combatants any real injury and deceive their masters. In halting English, one young man approached: "We dance capoeira, you can take photos." I paid him the requested $2. To the accompaniment of a musician playing the berimbau, a percussion instrument made from a coconut, two men leaped onto the platform and assumed a provocative fight-like stance. The exciting effect of the ensuing leaps, spins, jousts, mock kicks and blows resembles choreographed karate. I ambled toward the Church of Sao Francisco de Assis, its extravagant altar of hammered gold leaf on cedar wood and jacaranda contrasting with the undecorated entry formerly used for worship by slaves. En route, all senses succumbed to this animated hub, bustling port, conclave of ethnic blends and (though guides and the shipís tour manager alerted tourists to be mindful of petty thieves and pickpockets) a sultry city with seemingly authentic smiles. On delicate, wrought-iron balconies, flame-red flowers called flamboyants jockeyed for space with luxuriant ferns while, at street level below, Volkswagen taxis careened past postage stamp-size shops that sell vintage television sets and hand-carved coffins. On some streets and in city squares, Baianas, in their traditional dress of white turbans, lace blouses, swirling petticoats and multicolored necklaces, circulated to pose for photographs (for which theyíre paid) and sometimes to prepare and sell food. The tantalizing food of Bahia suggested that, in this instance, too many ethnic cooks did not spoil the broth. Do we thank the indigenous Indians for contributing exotic roots, the Portuguese for importing meats and sweets or the Africans for adding dende (oil of palm) and hot peppers? All of these congenial ingredients thrive cooked together in a clay pot. Exotic local dishes startle the tongue and alert the senses. Diets and self-restraint are early mealtime casualties. Moqueca de peixe is a heady collaboration of shrimp, lobster and (sometimes) octopus delicately blended with dende oil, coconut milk and surprising spices. Its companion in a procession of local taste treats is vatapa, a paste-like concoction of cornmeal, roasted cashew nuts, dried shrimp, coconut milk and onions. If youíre lucky, a cooling breeze will drift off the bay and make you wish to linger longer. This contented lethargy may be further indulged by drinking the local batida, consisting of cachaca (distilled sugar cane), mixed with the juice of mangoes, tangerines or passion fruit. Delicious and deceptively potent, this drink really ought to be consumed only in a nuclear testing facility. Some visitors leave this city (of more than 2 million residents) with an architectural image of colonial facades and Baroque churches, crowded with contemporary high-rise apartment buildings as well as shantytown communes. Shoppers retreat clutching berimbaus (the percussion instrument with a coconut shell base), pencas (necklaces strung with metal or silver charms originally given to slaves as a reward for good and loyal service), or boast of bargains, such as embroidered blouses and intricate lace tablecloths. I carry with me an indelible imprint of an Afro-Brazilian city that is seductive and secure in its colorful cultural mix: samba and songs of the fishermen, Catholic saints and candomble priestesses, and smiling Baianas posing prettily near "combatants" in capoeira. On my wrist, the ribbons of Senhor do Bonfim reminded me that having visited Salvador da Bahia perhaps my good luck had already begun. If You Go Getting there: As Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers rhapsodized in their 1933 film, "Flying Down to Rio" is an option. U.S. gateway cities include New York, Miami and Los Angeles (figure on an additional one and three-quarter hours for the flight from Rio to Salvador). Personally, Iíd choose to cruise. Hereís why: Several cruise lines offer South American itineraries, many of which include Brazil (note that Rio is a more common Brazilian port than Salvador). For information on Silversea Cruises, call (800) 774-9996 to request a brochure. Visas: A tourist visa is required for U.S. citizens to visit Brazil. Contact the nearest regional office of the Brazil Consulate for details. For further information, On Salvador da Bahia, check the most recent editions of Fodorís South America and "South AmericaóA Lonely Planet Shoestring Guide" for information on Salvador da Bahia. Tourist information is available (specify your language preference) from Bahia Tourism Authority, Centro de Convencoes da Bahia, Jardim Armacao, CEP (ZIP code) 41-750-270, Salvador, Bahia; Web site, www.bahiatursa.ba.gov.br. Marty Leshner is a freelance travel writer.