Ive been disappointed in Salvador. NOt because it ISNT culturally rich. NO it is. But because I had no idea how strong tourism was affecting everything here. I am merely one of trillions of Americans enchanted by the streets of Salvador...
however
I am humbled, mesmerized, inspired, enchanted, thrilled, emotional, and somehow in love with everything i see, regardless of their tainted existence as something of a commodity. Yesterday, after quite the emotional day, where capoeiristas (capoeira players) of the street were joking around with me, treating me like the next tourist... it was the sight of something later that night that made me realize it was all worth it. My friend (A 20 year old Brazilian American who also plays capoeira) and i walked over to a square where we saw capoeira being played. The oldest man, the mestre, was playing his beribau and singing at the top of his lungs. There was something so beautiful and touching about his complete love for capoeira that was nothing like anthng i had seen before. He had a grey beard, long dreads (about 4 of them total because they clumped together like massave pine cones) and torn clothes... and it seemed like he could care less about the slowly building crowd around the players... respect oozed from the other players, feeding his smile and the crack in his vocal tone. It was something indescribable. I wanted to reach over and touch him, as if he was some kind of ghost, with magical powers to heal or tell the future, or be a fountain of youth... something.
everything else doesnt compare... my adventures runing into my enemy from LA capoeira class... watching a fight almost break out with my drunken classmates and some locals, nothing compares.
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