Brazil has fruits that
number into the thousands.
Each day at breakfast, the cook thought she'd try a new one for the guests. They would go by names of fruto-do-conde (custard apple) or cupuacu (Amazon pear). Most tasted rather acrid and bitter, despite being very good for you, and I used to have a game of dare with myself each morning to down a glass of what was on offer without making a face.
There is nothing to make a face about with the Barra Turismo Hotel - it was a superb find. And I did find it by accident - it wasn't my original choice in Barra. I originally booked the Village Nuovo Suites only two doors down. I arrived on my first afternoon on a flight from the Pantanal to find myself booked into a hotel I absolutely hated. It was ramshackle, disorganised, and with reception manned by a ten-year-old who spoke no English. And then I found myself being put into a claustrophobic basement room with no windows at the back of the kitchen area. So in the morning, I paid for one night and moved to the Barra Turismo hotel only two doors away. This was like moving to paradise.
Each day at breakfast, the cook thought she'd try a new one for the guests. They would go by names of fruto-do-conde (custard apple) or cupuacu (Amazon pear). Most tasted rather acrid and bitter, despite being very good for you, and I used to have a game of dare with myself each morning to down a glass of what was on offer without making a face.
There is nothing to make a face about with the Barra Turismo Hotel - it was a superb find. And I did find it by accident - it wasn't my original choice in Barra. I originally booked the Village Nuovo Suites only two doors down. I arrived on my first afternoon on a flight from the Pantanal to find myself booked into a hotel I absolutely hated. It was ramshackle, disorganised, and with reception manned by a ten-year-old who spoke no English. And then I found myself being put into a claustrophobic basement room with no windows at the back of the kitchen area. So in the morning, I paid for one night and moved to the Barra Turismo hotel only two doors away. This was like moving to paradise.
Both share the seafront at Barra. Both overlook the Baiae do Todos Santos and are smack in the middle of the action in the beachside suburb of Barra. The Barra Turismo Hotel is a sixties concrete structure with steps leading into a massive reception adjoining dining room and TV lounge. The price is right--about 60 reals for a single room (almost £13/$20)--and uniformed concierges would help you up with your luggage. There are five floors, and it often catered to the tour parties, but reception was never rushed, always courteous and kind. Even when I could never open the lock to my room or failed to have change for the cold drinks machine.
The rooms and corridors were airy and light, with reasonably sized bathrooms. The TV showed the usual Brazilian channels, and the air-conditioning worked well. The cleaning was done promptly, and the bathroom contained a very enjoyable shower. Always useful, as temperatures in Bahia can reach the forties. But the best part of Barra Turismo was the location. I had the beach a few steps across the road, an e@cafe next door, and the friendly restaurant Churrascaria Ancoradouro a few metres away. I really didn't have to roam far. And in Barra, this can be an advantage - as Barra can get rowdy at night. So far, the world has not noticed Salvador, but Brazil has. And it has the opportunity to be a great tourist destination like Jamaica or Mexico.
However, I think this may be one jungle cat which will resist captivity. It will take a lot to tame Salvador
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