Baiana, Brazil

we started with South America, so lets finish with it as well

If you are to google the word 'baiana' you may come across some confusing and some totally unrelated definitions or websites.
But I think that the right one (or that relates to the card) is that the word 'baiana' actually means 'a woman from Bahia' where the old spelling used to be 'bahiana'. It is said that people from Bahia have a distinct culture and are very influenced by their african ancestry.

well, if we are to believe what google says :)

São Marcelo's Fortress, Brazil

My last card for today is one again received back in 2008...told ya Im catching up ;-P

This card shows the São Marcelo's Fortress at night.

Under IPHAN’s protection, this fort was built with stones, in triangular shape, in the beginning of the XVII century, on the reefs in Salvador’s port entrance. Reconstructed with stones, after the Dutch invasion, in 1624, it got a circular shape and the mission of protecting the city from the foreign attacks.
If I had figured it out right, IPHAN stands for "Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional."

Seems like an interesting place, though from this perspective (plus being a night view) not much can be seen, but still, it is a nice card :)

Well, thanks for reading...and I hope you have a nice week ahead (in case you had this Monday off, like me)...and if not, I hope you are managing pretty well so far.

Until next time....
  

Salvador, Brazil

The beginning of this week is just sooo different than how last week ended...until yesterday the weather was just nice and sunny and warm....well, we had some sun today, but it was cold and windy...and they say it may snow again during this week...its so changeable that i really cant keep track of it anymore...and i have to say, i really miss the spring...i used to love the cold weather, but the cold weather here has become somewhat annoying...if i just have to put them on scale, the winter and the summer in Macedonia, i really dont know which one will prevail....both are A-W-F-U-L!

And this card just brings that nice summer atmosphere, to warm up my bones :)
What i especially love about this card, are the colours...they feel so illuminated and make such a beautiful atmosphere! And it definitely feels warm...plus if you take a good look you will actually notice a lighthouse in the background...its exactly between two of the palm trees....
on the back of the card it says: Coqueiral do Cristo com o Farol da Barra ao fundo.....whatever that means...
In general, i can figure out the Portuguese on the back of the cards....on this one im all 'duh?'
Still...I love this postcard! :)

Salvador, Brazil

Here is another one of my weaknesses....a lighthouse....an absolutely beautiful card with a lighthouse...

This is the Barra's Lighthouse by night...there is a funny thing related to this swap...when i was looking thru the cards, some of them said 'noite'....i dont know by which logic, i thought it meant 'not available'...and i was like, oh pity, its so beautiful...eventually turned out that 'noite' meant 'night'....i definitely shouldnt brag with my skills in Portuguese :P

The Lighthouse in Barra is a nice building at one of the ends of the bay of Bahia. Inside the lighthouse there is a museum. In front of the lighthouse, locals do Capoeira demonstrations. You can take pictures of them, as long as you give a tip. If your tip is not big enough they may react violently. Be warned.

well, you are warned....all that it takes that you pack your bags and go to Brazil....dont forget to send me a postcard ;)

Salvador, Brazil

I really like this view and the warm feeling of the card...which is really good for these cold and freezing autumn days!

This is Salvador, with a view of the old St. Maria Fortress, built in the first half of the XVII century. Salvador is the capital of the northeastern state of Bahia, and is one of the most touristic cities in Brazil, for its Portuguese architecture remaining fro mthe colonial age.

I dont know where from the photo is taken, but it reminds me as of a balcony from some sea-side house, with big windows covered by those wooden blinds, and when you wake up in the morning, you just open the blinds and come into the balcony, and have this lovely view...and you just enjoy the morning coffee in the perfect morning sun.....mmmmmmmmmm